Customer Reviews

Looking for the Prehispanic Filipino and Other Essays in Philippine History

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This was the first book by Scott that I read for a particular college course. It was a rather small book with probably no more than 200 pages in it. However, the scholarly information that Scott shared in these essays are lucid and enlightening. For instance, he debunks several myths that have been passively and carelessly accepted by popular culture regarding Philippine history. He argues about the existence of the legendary Code of Kalantiaw as well as the significance of the Papal Bull that presided over the colonial interests of Portugal and Spain. He justifies his arguments by acting more like a careful scientist rather than a professor of history. It is also clear to see how his research was undertaken with utmost scrutiny and constant tests to prove their finality.

I highly recommend this book not only to scholars of Philippine and Asian studies but also to the Philippine youth - those who refuse to accept dictates of misleading popular culture but rather are eager to discover for themselves what their heritage is truly all about. I will admit that this book is not sufficient to reveal everything you need to know about Philippine history, but it leaves you thinking and off to a good start.