Bookmark the Filipino Bookstore

The Bookmark, Inc. recently launched “Francisco Balagtas’ Florante at Laura: Vicissitudes in the Life of Florante and Laura in the Kingdom of Albania.” Adopted from some “historic pictures” or paintings that tell of what happened in early times in the Greek Empire, and these were set to rhyme by delighting in English and Tagalog verse in a new verse translation by Randy Bustamante last May 31st, Wednesday, at the Balay Kalinaw, U.P. Diliman Campus.

The translator, Randy M. Bustamante is also a writer and editor. Since returning to the country in 2013, he has copyedited over two dozen literary and academic manuscripts., including Bookmark’s food and travel essay collection, Songs on the Wind: Essays from a Life with No Borders, Only Horizons by the Australian expatriate Alexandra Gregori.

Florante at Laura by Francisco Balagtas is considered as one of the masterpieces of Philippine literature. Balagtas wrote the epic during his imprisonment. He dedicated it to his sweetheart Maria Asuncion Rivera, whom he nicknamed “M.A.R.” as reference to Selya in the dedication “Kay Celia.”

Guests had their books signed by the author and the illustrators of the book who were present. Artworks from the book are also exhibited during the launch.

Illustrators present were Jericho T. Moral, Tristan Yuvienco, Shannah Orencio, Ianna Rallonza, Shellette Gipa, and Liam Andrew Cura.

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