Dusk

by F. Sionil José

Book Overview

With Dusk (originally published in the Philippines as Po-on ), F. Sionil Jose begins his five-novel Rosales Saga, which the poet and critic Ricaredo Demetillo called "the first great Filipino novels written in English." Set in the 1880s, Dusk records the exile of a tenant family from its village and the new life it attempts to make in the small town of Rosales. Here commences the epic tale of a family unwillingly thrown into the turmoil of history...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375751440
• ISBN13: 9780375751448
• Release Date: April 1998
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

10 - Stars, really....

What a wonderful book! As soon as I read the opening pages of the novel, I was hooked, couldn't put it down. I sometimes forgot I was turning pages. The vivid characters, the sceneries, the events, the history, Filipiniana..I was awestruck with to learn about my roots. Growing up in the US, I rarely had the chance to read about Philippine history. This book opened up so much for me. All my five senses were in use at almost every page. F. Sionil Jose can really weave a tale, a writer par exellance. I quickly bought the sequels to this opening "Rosales" saga and am looking forward to reading them. I am sure they are just as captivating. Maraming salamat po (thank you very much) to Mr. Jose and to the publishers.

A history of oppressed people

In this work, F. Sionil Jose writes a kind of folk tale, describing the long history of what could be his family. Istak, the main character is clearly styled to be the hero of the story, undergoing a development from self-centered scholar, then father of a family and barrio to becoming a true Filipino patriot who is willing to give his life for the nation. During this development, Jose shows the suffering of the poor people, from various oppressors, but much more intense than Rizal did. Where Rizal mentions an injustice that happens, Jose shows ist in all details. And he also shows the heroism of the poor people, and he makes clear that it is the poor people that matters when it comes to building a nation that deserves this name. A must for every reader who wantsto know more about history and psychology of the Philippines, or respectively, all ex-colonized people.

Enlightening, engaging

I got my hands on this (Dusk) book by happenstance and enjoyed it immensely. I admire Sionil Jose's incredible talent. I immediately bought the other books (Don Vicente and Samsons) and devoured both of them in four days. These books piqued my deepest sense of pride as a Filipino (and an Ilocano!). I am also saddened at the helplessness and hopelessness of the filipino masses. Read it simply for the enjoyment of a well-written book, and/or to learn and understand a complex people.

Excellent work of historical fiction

I used this novel for a college course that I teach, and my students loved it. It really peaked their interest in Filipino history, the Spanish-American war, and the history of Christianity in the Philippines. It is a beautifully written book; a wonderful way to introduce students to a variety of issues, including colonialism (especially Spanish and U.S. imperialism in the pacific), Christianity in Asia, and Filipino studies.

Mind-blowing Prose

This is an amazing account of Philippine history never found in the history book sof our time. Jose is a poetic writer with an agility with words hardly found with any of his contemporaries. Dusk reads like an epic... true and moving!