book launch

I attended the book launch of Ambeth R. Ocampo's 2008 edition of Rizal Without The Overcoat. Initially published in 1990, the award-winning and best-selling book has already undergone several printings and 3 previous editions. Ocampo has written several books on our national heroes and is presently the Chaiman of the National Historical Institute. The venue of the launch was PowerBooks at Greenbelt and the event started past 6 pm.


Ocampo gave a short lecture, "Rizal in pictures". He showed several old pictures of Rizal that he also uses in his lectures at Ateneo and UP. Ocampo lectures well and the audience was quite attentive. I had the feeling that I was back in college listening to a well-liked and popular professor. He painted Rizal in different light from the serious one we are accustomed to in history books. Among things that he learned from his research through the years, and that he mentoned in his lecture, is that Rizal was around `5'2", did not have a good singing voice, probably did hashish, had very good physique, and really liked to pose or have his picture taken.


After the talk, Ocampo signed books and was signing my copy in the above photo.

tedbits...
...Dairy Queen has a new Blizzard that is KitKat-based. It comes in chocolate, strawberry and mocha flavors. I just wanted to try strawberry in a 9oz. cup but I blurted out 16oz. It actually tasted okay but 16oz is too much of a good thing.