Bookworm of Gensan goes Sleuthing: In Search of Libertine's Destiny

(Bookworm of Gensan Note: This blogpost incorporates the two blogposts previous published in Knowread-Knowrite.blogspot.com (1) (2) and Knowread-Knowrite.com (1)(2).)

I read a copy of Libertine’s Destiny in college. It was not placed in the general circulation or reserved section, but the only copy was kept under lock and key by the librarian because it was the most in-demand book at that time. The waiting list was several coupon bonds long. But since I was the most “demanding” bookworm, I arranged to borrow it after the library closed at noon Saturday and return it on the first hour of the library service Monday morning (under strict pains of eternal damnation, hah!).

It was a very fascinating read which kept me up all night until dawn of Sunday. (Keep reading, no story or plot spoilers ahead!)

The book must have impressed me so much that to this day I still remember having read it. It was not literature (I don’t remember it being in the required reading list in any of my English lit classes), but it was written a la Sidney Sheldon’s novels (you know, the ones that keep you turning pages because you want to know what happens next). It was probably the first chicklit book published in the Philippines (even before books like it was called chicklit).

And so while reading the first two chapters of Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s The Shadow of the Wind about a boy’s search for other books by an author, I suddenly recalled Libertine’s Destiny and bolted out of bed, booted my laptop, googled it and now I’m here writing this blogpost.

And just like The Shadow of Wind's boy, Daniel Sempere, I started hunting down information about Libertine’s Destiny.

The Google search results turned up inquiries about where to buy copies of it, a blog named after it, and finally gave me information from this site (obviously) a library catalog entry in a university in Cavite.

TITLE:	Libertine’s Destiny / P. Anciers.
AUTHOR:	Anciers, P.
PUBLISHED:	Manila : Zenith Books, 1967
DESCRIPTION:	vi, 450 p. ; 23 cm.
NOTES:	Originally serialized by the Weekly Women’s Magazine
SUBJECT:	Serialized fiction.
SUBJECT:	Women in literature.
SUBJECT:	Philippine fiction (English).

Further Google searches on P. Anciers and Zenith Books (Manila) turned up nada.

No entries on Amazon.com or any other book sellers online! No Wikipedia bio-entry on P. Anciers!

Is this the dead end of my search for what seemed to me is a book which first caught the interest of readers when it was serialized in Weekly Women’s Magazine, and later when published, gained a cult following among readers (mostly young women when they first read it, I guess) up to today?

Abangan . . .

UPDATES!

A teacher-friend, Imelda, recalls reading it as a weekly installment in Women's Weekly Magazine. She says it was banned because it was based on a true story.



A librarian-friend and another commenter informed me that they bought copies of the book (decades ago) at Solidaridad Book Shop owned by author F. Sionil Jose. The shop is located right across Robinsons Place Malate in Padre Faura St. As it is already out of print, maybe the Metro-Manila based readers of this blogpost can make inquiries in the said shop (opens Monday to Saturday at 9 a.m., telephone: (632) 523-0870) and request for a reprint of it.


WHERE TO GET A COPY:

As the book is already out of print, a copy of it may be available in college/university libraries near you and you may request the librarian to have it photocopied for your private/home use only.

I am sharing the information below, however because of Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights laws, let me be clear that I am not in any way connected to those offering photocopies of it for sale nor am I endorsing/encouraging you to buy them.

• A commenter on my previous blogpost on this book, Ian Clarito, offers bound xerox copies of it at P290 plus shipping/handling(depends on your location). You may email him at this email address: ianclarito@yahoo.com.
• Another commenter can reproduce it but it would cost P2,000.00, inclusive of shipping fee. Email address: starlightearz@gmail.com