‘Out of Cebu’ book to be released on Feb. 5

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

THE University of San Carlos Press announced it will be releasing the book, Out of Cebu: Essays and Personal Prose, by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard on Feb. 5.

The book is a collection of 28 essays about the author’s Cebuano ties, including colorful accounts about her mother’s family, the Cuencos, a prominent political family in Cebu.

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The book also includes writings about the author’s life and travels outside of Cebu.

The book received early praise from educator, Dr. Edmundo Litton of Loyola Marymount University who said that “These essays celebrate a pride in a heritage. Brainard is clearly proud of her Cebuana heritage, and this pride shows in this magnificent collection of essays.”

Brainard has written nine books, including the internationally-acclaimed novel, When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, which chronicles the coming of age of a young girl in Ubec (Cebu backwards) during World War II, a novel inspired by her own parents’ experiences during the war.

Brainard first coined the mythical place “Ubec” in her first short story collection, Woman with Horns and Other Stories, and she continued to use this setting in her other works of fiction: Magdalena, Acapulco at Sunset and Other Stories, Vigan and Other Stories.

She has also written books of non-fiction, edited four books, and co-edited six more. Her writings have been translated into Finnish and Turkish.

Brainard received a California Arts Council Fellowship in fiction, a Brody Arts Fund Award, a special recognition award for her work dealing with Asian American youths, as well as a certificate of recognition from the California State Senate, 21st District.Her book, Out of Cebu: Essays and Personal Essays, will be available at the USC Press.