Looking Back

Originally posted on: 29 July 2013

Reposted on: 7 August 2013

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Looking Back by Ambeth Ocampo is a collection of his column articles at the Philippine Daily Inquirer. I think I should buy the broadsheet again. Looking Back  was fun to read. I actually thought, had I known Mr. Ocampo back in high school I might’ve chosen to become a Historian too.

It’s annoying how they teach History in school when it’s actually and supposed to be fun. I loved History when I was still a student, but I didn’t like how it was taught.

So here are my thoughts about this nice and fun History booklet:

*I had a lot of “Woah!” and LOLs while reading Looking Back. I didn’t know Gen. Del Pilar was such a heart-throb. And it was fun how Antonio Luna was just being himself and threatened a foreigner for bashing the Philippines. Even President Manuel Quezon was amusing. Wouldn’t it nice to know ‘personal’ stuff about our historical figures? Who they were in private definitely affected who they had been in public.

*Knowing that Pepe (Jose Rizal) and friends were such well-rounded men made me feel quite embarrassed. Compared to them, when they were at my age, they were already accomplished guys and obviously blessing our beloved country.

*I’m definitely going to buy another Ambeth Ocampo book. I might even read Rizal Without the Overcoat again. I actually used it as a reference back in college for our P.I 100 class.

*I bet anyone who has read Looking Back will never say/buy/eat “mamon” the same way again.