Nick Joaquin is a multi-awarded writer-journalist. So when Anvil Publishing, National Book Store and Powerbooks launched the Nick Joaquin Book Festival this July, I was excited about the chance to complete my collection of Nick Joaquin's books.
But my enthusiasm was doused when I saw that the participating branches of National Book Store and Powerbooks were all in Metro Manila and Luzon ONLY.
WHY????
Doesn't a NATIONAL ARTIST of Nick Joaquin's stature deserve a NATIONWIDE book festival? I know this book fair was conducted to promote the biography of Nick Joaquin written by his nephew Tony Joaquin. But it appears to me as a hastily-conceived promo.
Why promote Nick Joaquin's books ONLY in Metro Manila and Luzon? Don't the readers of Visayas and Mindanao deserve the chance to discover/rediscover the literary genius of Joaquin?
The two branches of National Book Store here in Gensan carry only 3-4 of the nine books shown in the poster. I had to request some titles I needed from the customer service counter here.
This book festival is a missed opportunity for the publisher, book stores and readers alike and it needs a major rethinking.
Sayang no, we are readers too, aren't we?
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