Biographies of world figures

In honor of the twentieth year anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (UK version: Philosopher's Stone), here are 20 things you need to know when reading or re-reading the book. Please take note that if you haven't read the book or the rest of the books in the series for that matter, proceed with caution since this post is definitely full of spoilers. If you have seen the movie but never read the book, reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a whole new experience. It contains a lot of J.K. Rowling's signature nuances and subtlety. I've read it countless of times since I first came across it in 2000 but I still find new things to ponder on. This is the shortest book among the seven that came out that tell the tale of the Boy who lived. Those who first read it in the 1990's or early 2000's have grown up together with the Hogwarts gang. If Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the rest of their friends were real people living...

Si Kalipay ug ang Kinagamyang Tiktik Brooklyn-based, Filipino-American Christina Newhard pays homage to her Filipino roots by launching three Children's books written in local Filipino languages. The Book Launch will be held on June 26 at Casa Gorordo Museum in Cebu City. The books are designed for children 5 to 8 years old and can be used as teaching tools. Each book  includes a bilingual glossary and discussion/activity questions. The stories teach core Filipino  values (community, respect for elders, tolerance) and Philippine subjects (weaving, folklore,  migration). The book “Si Kalipay ug ang Kinagamyang Tiktik” is in Cebuano, “Si Melo A Mahakay A  Umang” is in Ivatan, while “Si Amina Y El Ciudad de Maga Flores” is Chavacano. The stories were developed during Ms. Newhard's many trips back to the Philippines. She worked with various talented illustrators, translators, and authors. For the book, "Kalipay and the Tiniest Tiktik", Ms. Newhar...

The tortured genius. The starving artist. The antisocial behavior. The free spirit. The wandering soul. The lost generation. When we hear or read these descriptions, who comes to mind? Our answers will all be the same --- the writer, the poet, the author. Literary artists who live by the power of their words; the might of their pen. But I'm not here to talk about the quirks of their behavior or the majesty of their talent rather the tragedy that befell these masters of the written word that silenced their emotions and souls. One of my favorite quotes from the campy movie, The Mummy, "Death is just a beginning" kept coming to mind when I was researching for this blog topic. Death did not diminish the popularity of these artists but rather enhanced it; out of curiosity, created new audiences to their writings.  Suicide, Accidents, Depression, Alcoholism, Debilitating illness, these seem to be great plot ideas for a novel. But the reality is stranger than fiction; the lives ...

Except for the flying dragons, wight-walkers, and the never-ending snow, HBO's Game of Thrones was mostly inspired by England's the Wars of the Roses . It all started in 1399 when Richard II was deposed by Henry Bolingbroke Duke of Lancaster . This triggered a change in the Royal succession. Henry Bolingbroke, who would be crowned as Henry IV, essentially stole the throne from Richard II and his chosen heir Edmund Mortimer Earl of March.  This paved the events leading to the Wars of the Roses which pitted members of the Plantagenet Dynasty against each other. Family intrigue, warring relations, and changing loyalties marked one of the bloodiest chapters in British history. Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, and Daenerys Targaryen The red rose became the symbol of House Plantagenet who descended from John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, the third son of Edward III. While the House of York can trace its origins from Lionel Duke of Clarence and Edmund Duke of York, the second and fourth s...

Over the years, there have been hundreds of movie adaptations of William Shakespeare's works. Some have been faithful to the Bard, others were loosely-based. While there were those that were mere inspirations. Among the 8 movies on the list, Kenneth Branagh and Julia Stiles figure prominently as they starred in a total of 5 films. 3 out of the 8 films were set in American high schools. Another 3 are costumed productions. Universal themes of love, betrayal, deception, marriage, jealousy, and relationships resonate throughout his works. Of the 40 plays that he wrote, recurring themes occur. What is it about Shakespeare that we universally love? Is it the archaic language, the quotable quotes, the settings, the characters or the themes of the plays?  Whatever it is, after 400 years since his death, Shakespeare is very much alive in our consciousness. William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet (1996) This Baz Luhrmann-helmed movie helped catapult Leonardo DiCaprio's hearthrob status ...

In a tweet that was heard around the Twitter world, "Riverdale" actor, Cole Sprouse expressed his dismay on being on the cover of a Filipino romance pocketbook without him knowing. If you're familiar with the Publisher of these books, you all know that this is something that they frequently do. Their novels are popular with the reading public. They actually used to have a TV series based on their published works.  I went to one of our local bookstores and checked their inventory of Pinoy Romance books. I wanted to see if I could find other Hollywood celebrities on book covers and it didn't take me more than a minute to find six more celebrities.  Katherine Heigl The former star of "Grey's Anatomy" is featured on the cover of "Dog Tags and Promises".  Will you fall in love with a girl lile Katherine Heigl? Angelia Jolie  Academy Award Winner Angelina Jolie is "Persefere, the enticing doll". Angelina, the heart stealer Ian Somerhalder W...