The Smashing Book - personal copy

Got my personal copy of Smashing Book!


After months of waiting straight from Germany, finally got my own copy of the popular design book "The Smashing Book" by Smashing Magazine

And what can I say, the almost complete guide for a web designer, developer & practitioner.  A compendium of tips, guides, and modern standards from Typography, CSS, and Web Optimization

In lieu of the launching of my brand Antworks Digital Design & Concepts, the book really comes in handy - a definitive guide to modern web design standards

Review: Alamat ng Gubat

Title: Alamat ng Gubat

Author: Bob Ong

This book was a highly recommended read of a colleague, even long before I got my hands on it. And what can I say, another brilliant idea from Bob Ong. For those who are not familiar with Bob Ong's works, he's the one responsible for such local and famous best sellers as "Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas" and "ABNKKBSNPLAko?!" among others. As expected, candid humor and unconventional story-telling are the main ingredients of the book, but the crop is its unique presentation and plot, and, undoubtedly the mocking symbolism behind every character.

What makes "Alamat ng Gubat" stand out is that it's a quick read (merely a hundred pages), packaged as a Children's Book complete with full color splash pages. The story of a young Crab/Talangka in search of the Puso ng Saging that seems to be the cure for his ailing "king" father. Along the way he basically meets different animals in the jungle which represents in essence the different aspects of the Modern Filipino...in politics, culture, habits, principles...you name it. Each encounter would mirror the Filipino character combined with humor and spontaneous off color remarks by the narrator (in which the author is really brilliant with). Behind the humor and indirect character analogies, one would immediately recognize the harsh reality of which today's Filipinos are really known for. A mockery mixed with antics, and at the end, one would think and meditate how true these fictional characters really play with their real-life counterparts. And who are they? it is you. Me. And everyone of us who calls ourselves the Filipino.

Ang kwentong pambata na pang-matanda. Ang iba't ibang uri ng kahayupan sa kagubatan ng Saging Republic.

Review: Pugad Baboy

Title: Pugad Baboy (Collected Editions - Dailies from Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Published Annually

Author: Pol Medina Jr.

I've been collecting Pugad Baboy books (collected editions) since 1994 and I have a complete collection from book 1 to 21 (the latest edition). I must say, in a sentence, the best authentic Filipino comic in the market. The humor is priceless, the art is outstanding, but the crown jewel of Pol Medina's creation is its realism and true-to-form Pinoy story-arcs and strips.

To those who do not understand the Filipino culture and identity, I recommend the Pugad Baboy title as an unofficial National Handbook of what and who the real modern Filipino is.

Not only does it visually mirrors the lively and cheerful (often times dirty) humor of Pinoys, It also represents all sectors of the stereotype Philippine society from the elite to the masses. It also showcases the great author's ability to write amazing story-arcs that reflects the Filipino heart. Trivia is also a main ingredient in the book as the readers tend to learn new things from the characters' situational strips.

It presents different sides of Phlippine community from our dirty Politics, stereotype Families, Religion, Youth, and even explores the beauty of some of our Country's real-life places thru the characters' Adventure stories.

All in all, Pol Medina is a brilliant Artist, Author, and Innovator. A true Filipino that should be admired and patronized.