A Brief History of the Philippines - by Gregg Jones Paperback

Book Synopsis

A fascinating story of national resilience and pride through centuries of colonial rule, World War II, independence, dictatorship, People Power, and the global diaspora of Filipinos!

A Brief History of the Philippines tells the sweeping story of a nation whose past is filled with epic struggles, improbable triumphs, and an enduring search for identity in a world that has too often overlooked the nation or defined it from the outside. Key topics discussed in this book include:

• The Philippine Islands before European contact: How geography, trade, and inter-island commerce fostered multicultural communities and political networks long before the momentous arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, a fateful encounter that ushered in centuries of Spanish and American colonial rule
• The unique role of religion in shaping Filipino identity: The fusion of indigenous beliefs and Catholicism, alongside the influence of Islam and the spiritual undercurrents that guide national life today
• The rise of the Filipino diaspora: How millions of overseas Filipino workers, artists, and entrepreneurs have spread Philippine culture around the globe, forging one of the world's most dynamic transnational communities
• The continuing hope for equality: Japanese occupation during World War II tested the nation's resilience, paving the way for independence and the tumultuous journey of the modern republic, from dictatorship and the People Power revolutions to democracy and beyond

Award-winning author and historian Gregg Jones captures the paradoxes and possibilities that define these islands in vivid detail: a country where faith and fatalism, poverty and promise, colonial legacy and global ambition coexist. The Filipino people have endured misrule, poverty, and catastrophe, yet always reemerge with an indomitable spirit and a culture as warm and welcoming as the islands they call home.

About the Author

Gregg Jones is an award-winning journalist, author and historian. He is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and former fellow at the Black Mountain Institute at University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. His books include: Red Revolution: Inside the Philippine Guerrilla Movement (1989), Honor in the Dust: Theodore Roosevelt, War in the Philippines, and the Rise and Fall of America's Imperial Dream (2012), Last Stand at Khe Sanh: The U.S. Marines' Finest Hour in Vietnam (2014) and Most Honorable Son: A Forgotten Hero's Fight Against Fascism and Hate During World War II (2024).