Reading About the Philippines: In Washington, D.C.

I went to KRAMERBOOKS today to look for books (non-fiction, non-military) about the Philippines.  KRAMERBOOKS is a thriving independent book store in D.C., just off Dupont Circle.  It's a must visit for me whenever we are here visiting, taking precedence even over the Smithsonian Museums.  To save search time, I asked a clerk to check her computer for me by putting in two key words: "Philippines" and "Manila."  Neither one came up as being in the store in any form.  "But I can show you our Asian section," she said, and did.  Stanley Karnow's book, In Our Image, was there, but it is about Philippine-American relations and spends considerable time on political intrigue and wars, which is why I haven't mentioned it before.  Its emphasis is reflected in the sub-title, America's Empire in the Philippines.  Notice where the Philippines finally gets mentioned.  I searched the rest of the Asian shelves but without finding any other likely titles dealing with the Philippines.

Sitting on the Metro on the way home, I told my wife about the conversation I had had with our daughter-in-law this morning.  She and our son and their two daughters have lived and worked in the district for upwards of twenty years.  I asked her if she were aware of a Filipino presence in the area.  "No, but maybe there would be more outside the district."  She thought for a moment and added, "I know several people who have Filipino nannies, because of the language."  That certainly rang true.  I shared the story of an OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers, as they are referred to in the Philippines).  This OFW had graduated from university with a degree in education.  She discovered that she could earn more as a housecleaner in the Middle East than she could as a teacher in her own country.  "I bet some of those Filipino nannies would love to read something about home some times," I concluded.

Final thoughts: Publishers and booksellers don't seem to think that having "Philippines" or "Manila" among their titles will catch attention.  Perhaps they are right, if they are looking for the big sellers.  They might, however, be missing a smaller but appreciative audience.  Oh, and I did some surfing on line related to this post and found one title that might interest some readers: Filipinos in Washington, D.C.  The American emphasis, again, is quite clear.  It is in a series entitled "Images of America."  Not quite what I had in mind, but I will keep looking.  Any suggestions?