Balikbayan
These are wonderful stories, and they offer rare and timeless insights into the Philippines now and in the recent past. Rare because Michelle Cruz Skinner is a born-and-raised Filipina but also an American, so her vision bridges both worlds. Timeless because we are made to care for the people in these stories, especially the young people, and the human heart is universal. It s a remarkable accomplishment for a first book, even for a clearly-talented writer. --Robert Shapard, editor ofSudden FictionBalikbayanis an excellent and convincing presentation of the ironies and contradictions of contemporary Philippines culture, with a fine sense of character and, particularly, visual detail. --Ian MacMillan, author ofProud Monster