Posted: September 25, 2021
America Is Not the Heart
This book encapsulates the Philippine immigrant journey to the United States as well as what kind of life those newly-minted Americans lead in their new country.
Apart from F. Sionil Jose's "Viajero" this is the only other English novel about Filipino migrant culture that I have read. I, incidentally, am a Filipino. I am also very unused to reading about my own culture both because of the relative scarcity of books and my own laziness in hunting them out. I read about American and European cultures, contemporary and ancient, that is what I am used to.
It is interesting to note that reading about my own culture in English proves to be a heady drug. A very rich experience. I had to drop America is Not the Heart mid-read before taking it up again because I found the experience to be so uninsulated, so rich, so much about who my people are, and therefore who I am. I'm not used to a book talking about who I am. There are no buffers; the words jump from the page and directly addresses my sense of self.
This bears some explanation. All books talk to us about our common humanity. But this book has the additonal layer about talking to me about my own culture; not my race but my culture. So the book feels "closer", more intimate. It was a treat to read about the numerous Filipino cultural details such as Filipino foods, places, and habits. It's just a kick to read about my own culture in English.
I am very much aware of the place America has in the hearts and minds of most Filipinos as a haven; a country where there are better opportunities. The book certainly reflects this with both Paz and Pol becoming immigrants. I get why Paz did it and I agree with her decision. She's the one who makes the best decisions in this book. Paz is a fighter and a survivor. Pol, on the other hand has me very frustrated with how stupid he is. No matter how poor the Philippines is and how comparatively more prosperous America is, Pol's decision to be a security guard in the U.S instead of a surgeon in the Philippines is an act of foolishness. Period. I was actually happy at reading the part of the book when Pol apparently agrees with me. Pol's stupidity pales besides Hero's though. Hero turned her back on a medical career to become a communist rebel. This decision is beyond stupid. She's lucky to have gotten out alive.
During the start of the book, when all the characters are still vague, Elaine Castillo did a clever technique with her writing: she used quick flashbacks and fast forwards of the characters lives to give a more wholistic view of the character in the fastest way possible. This technique made it possible for me to acclimate to the story in just a few chapters.
Elaine does use a lot of Filipino dialects interspersed with English. Fine with me although I can only speak Tagalog. I'm wondering what the reading experience will be like for those who speak only English.
That said, the writing is good in the sense that it flows effortlessly to give a smooth reading experience.
This is a good book for anybody who wants to learn about Filipino culture and mindset. I assure you that the book is 100 percent accurate in its portrayal of Filipinos, also known as Pinoys. This is also a wonderful book to get into if you are Filipino because it's a treat reading about our culture and experiencing an author telling a story from the Filipino point-of-view.