Ambeth R Ocampo
Author of Rizal: Without the Overcoat (Expanded Edition)
About the Author
Image credit: TOKYO, Japan – Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III presents the Presidential Medal of Merit to former National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) chairman Ambeth Ocampo, PhD during the Meeting with the Filipino Community at the Large Hall, Arts Building, National Olympics Memorial Youth Center in 3-1 Yoyogi Kamizono-cho, Shibuya-ku in Tokyo Japan on Thursday (December 12, 2013) at the sidelines of the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit. By Malacañang Photo Bureau - http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2013/12/13/photos-the-president-meets-with-the..., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65877185
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The national hero of the Philippines is José Rizal and his most popular historian is Ambeth R. Ocampo. In these lectures, Ocampo uses the sense of history (kasaysayan in Tagalog) as salaysay (narrative) and saysay (meaning) to guide his readers and listeners through the important facets of Rizal as revolutionary, scientist, dreamer (of literal night dreams), and historian. His conclusion: Rizal is a reflection of the Filipinos' continuing search for a national identity. This is an imposed show more argument because it involves seeing Rizal through the framework of nationalism, itself an imagined concept.
For his part, Ocampo's theses are grounded on first rate scholarship using primary information. His interpretations are at least as full of provocations and wit as to be challenging and fun to read. The last lecture, on Rizal's attempt to write Philippine history, is for me a very fine piece of argumentation, differentiating as it did between "objective scholarship" and "committed scholarship" and laying down more fertile grounds for historical inquiry.
Ocampo (paraphrasing Robert Frost) also would have us think that history is what is lost in translation. A contention that he himself debunked with his strong sense of history and translation/interpretation. Translation itself is an opportunity to correct history.
Ocampo the historian explains his methods well--reading, digesting, stitching facts together, synthesizing, making a cogent argument--while shedding light onto the philosophical and literary enigmas of Rizal, the hero who set the standard for the great Philippine novel that every Filipino novelist after him grappled with.
History is never objective nor impartial, but it is the duty of historians to strive to be so. Ocampo was fair minded enough to see many sides to a history. show less
For his part, Ocampo's theses are grounded on first rate scholarship using primary information. His interpretations are at least as full of provocations and wit as to be challenging and fun to read. The last lecture, on Rizal's attempt to write Philippine history, is for me a very fine piece of argumentation, differentiating as it did between "objective scholarship" and "committed scholarship" and laying down more fertile grounds for historical inquiry.
Ocampo (paraphrasing Robert Frost) also would have us think that history is what is lost in translation. A contention that he himself debunked with his strong sense of history and translation/interpretation. Translation itself is an opportunity to correct history.
Ocampo the historian explains his methods well--reading, digesting, stitching facts together, synthesizing, making a cogent argument--while shedding light onto the philosophical and literary enigmas of Rizal, the hero who set the standard for the great Philippine novel that every Filipino novelist after him grappled with.
History is never objective nor impartial, but it is the duty of historians to strive to be so. Ocampo was fair minded enough to see many sides to a history. show less
The writing is easy to comprehend (even if it is in English, my second language). Reading it feels as if I am watching a historical movie about the Revolution, the Filipinos against the Spaniards and Americans, then against themselves. This must be one of the best historical books I have ever read and I can not wait to read another Ambeth Ocampo's writings!
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It's never about the guns nor the other armas—it's about our history—the Filipino history that is neglected and as saddening as show more it could be—forgotten. It is about going beyond the textbooks and looking through deceitful filters that history should never have. And more importantly, it's about the lives of our people who sacrificed their lives for the love of their nation. show less
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It's never about the guns nor the other armas—it's about our history—the Filipino history that is neglected and as saddening as show more it could be—forgotten. It is about going beyond the textbooks and looking through deceitful filters that history should never have. And more importantly, it's about the lives of our people who sacrificed their lives for the love of their nation. show less
I always loved history but this book showed another side of history. Other side of heroes whom we believe as superhumans. Ocampo showed their human side. Suddenly the became real, like us. I can imagine being friends with Quezon, helping him in courting women. I can imagine hating the Luna brothers. I also enjoy the Spanish lessons, very enlightening. Every Filipinos should read this. This is the juicy part of Philippine history not taught in the classroom. I would definitely read more show more Ambeth Ocampo books! show less
intriguing...let's you crave for more!
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