Dear Filipino immigrants who will one day read our books

Generalizations indeed, but might they also ring true in a Filipino readership context? In 2004, I accepted an invitation by the Philippine Embassy in D.C. to be the keynote speaker of an initiative to bridge Filipino-American literature and our community. The highly publicized event, with promotional stops at the National Press Club, was peppered with song and dance performances, probably a necessary strategy to bring a reluctant Filipino audience to a literary event. The auditorium was full during the performances, but unfortunately emptied out during the readings and panels themselves.