Contents
F. Sionil José
The Rosales Saga’s portrait of class and colonialism in the Philippines.
Rosales Saga · The Pretenders
- Born
- 3 December 1924
- Birthplace
- Rosales
- Died
- 6 January 2022
More people
F. Sionil José
Filipino novelist and journalist who wrote in English about inequality and social change. Named a National Artist for Literature in 2001.
Early life
Reading in Rosales
Grew up in Pangasinan amid poverty and landlessness. His mother obtained books for him, and a teacher introduced him to the school library.
Career
- After 1945
Journalism
Left studies at the University of Santo Tomas for writing and journalism in Manila.
- Later career
Publishing and PEN
Established a publishing house and the Philippine branch of PEN.
- 2001
National Artist
Received the national honour for literature.
Selected work
Rosales Saga
Five interconnected novels exploring Philippine society through generations of characters.
The Pretenders
Examined a man’s estrangement from his origins and his wealthy in-laws.
Beyond work
A home for readers
Ran Manila's Solidaridad Bookshop with his wife Teresita. It became a meeting place for writers, with Philippine and international books central to its collection.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and career ↗Biographical references ↗Original photograph. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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Photo: Development Academy of the Philippines. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.