Farm-laborer-turned-artist Vance Igorta returns to the Philippines as a balikbayan after nearly fifty years in the United States. He is a member of the Manong Generation, the largest diaspora of Filipinos who worked physically demanding jobs, mostly in California’s agricultural fields.
Coming home to a country on the brink of becoming a dictatorship, Vance’s paintings shift from abstractions to didactic, political art to better reflect the rebellion that he eventually joins. Didacticism also facilitates his meditations on the impact of leaving his birthland to become a powerless Manong and then an impoverished artist of color in New York.
The Balikbayan Artist—inspired by and dedicated to Venancio C. Igarta (1912–2000), the real-life leading artist of the Manong Generation—takes readers from the early twentieth century to the present day when Vance Igorta’s art is being discovered anew. His legacy is validated for allowing his art to address the tensions of his time instead of keeping it solely entrenched in aesthetic concerns. The artist’s choice reflects what Vance Igorta learned as a voraciously self-educated person: that in circumstances where power corrupts, what makes anyone and everyone dangerous is love.
Ultimate Big Book Library is a collection of ten big board books that form the building blocks of kids’ foundational years of learning.
Why it is a must-have for every little learner:
- Comprehensive Early Learning Set: Covers essential topics—Alphabet, Numbers, Colors, Shapes, Transport, Animals, Fruits and More—building the perfect foundation for school readiness.
- Vibrant, Engaging Illustrations: Each book is packed with colorful images that grab children’s attention, making learning playful and visually stimulating.
- Boosts Vocabulary and Observation: With clear word labels and picture-word association, kids easily learn new words while sharpening their observation skills.
- Durable Large Format Board Books: The big size and sturdy board pages are ideal for tiny hands and can withstand lots of enthusiastic flipping.
- Age Appropriate: Thoughtfully designed to introduce key concepts to toddlers and preschoolers at the right developmental stage.
- Attractive Gift Tuck-Box Set: Comes neatly packed in a durable tuck box, making it a wonderful gift option for birthdays, holidays, or any occasion.
This delightful set makes early learning joyful and interactive, helping little ones take confident steps into the world of words, numbers, and ideas. It is more than just books — it is the start of a lifelong love for learning.
Titles in this boxset:
1. Alphabet
2. Numbers
3. Colors
4. Shapes
5. Transport
6. Fruits and veggies
7. Seasons and opposites
8. Things at home (and around us)
9. Animals (Domestic and Wild)
10. Birds
‘I’ve seen a lot of things in my time, but nothing comes close to this. I’ve never seen a body in that condition.’
In the heart of Kuala Lumpur, the naked body of a prominent investigative journalist is found in a foetal position with the hands covering her face. As forensic investigators attempt to move her hands, they discover that the entire skin of her face has been surgically removed. Fresh off their last case, Inspector Alysha (Aly) and her partner, Inspector Raj from CID Bukit Aman are assigned to investigate the murder.
As Aly and Raj embark on their investigation, more bodies of young women pile up in the same cryptic manner. Their investigative trail takes them from Kuala Lumpur to the tea plantations of Cameron Highlands and from there on to the quiet, sleepy town of Teluk Intan where they slowly begin to unravel secrets from the past that are seemingly linked to the case.
Before they know it, Aly and Raj find themselves on a quest to hunt their most dangerous adversary yet, someone with a dark past and an even darker mind, who is driven by something that none of us would ever think could twist the human mind to such an outré extent.
If you’re looking for a way to make a positive impact on the world, Matthew S. Friedman’s inspiring book is the perfect guide. Through his incredible experiences and tireless activism over 35 years, he shows us that one person truly can create a ripple effect that leads to global change.
As you read his powerful stories, you’ll be reminded of the immense suffering in the world, but you’ll also be uplifted by the sheer strength and determination of those who fight against it. Friedman’s message is clear: we each have the power to make a difference in our own unique way.
This captivating sequel to his previous memoir, ‘Where Were You: A Profile of Modern Slavery,’ is bound to leave a lasting impact on you. It will ignite your passion, challenge you, and encourage you to take action toward bringing about meaningful change.
In this book, you’ll learn how a once-shy boy from a New England town dedicated his life to battling the scourge of human trafficking in over 40 countries.
Join us on an unforgettable journey with a man whose compassion and relentless dedication to justice have made him a global force in the fight against modern slavery. Together, we can create a brighter future for all.
“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”
One of the earliest works of Greek philosophy, Meditations is a collection of deep insights into the complexities of human emotions.
In his exemplary work, Marcus Aurelius expresses his gratitude to the ones from whom he learnt important qualities and lessons in life. He reflects over a wide range of subjects including the mind and thoughts, life and death, goodness, self-judgement, leadership.
Told through the story of five emperors, Aurelius offer a series of reflections as the emperors struggle to understand these truths of life. Marcus Aurelius’s philosophy has the strength to align the human mind with clarity of direction and bring calm to distressed heart.
- A profound collection of insights into human emotions and life’s complexities.
- Aligns the mind with clarity and brings calm to a distressed heart.
- Explores self-judgment, discipline, and leadership through personal reflections.
- Expresses gratitude to those who shaped Marcus Aurelius’s wisdom.
- A timeless guide to navigating life’s challenges with resilience and virtue.
The Global Citizen by international investor and philanthropist Patrick Tsang is a timely and relevant exploration of the cultural nuances that define the increasingly interconnected business world of the 21st century. By combining his unique perspective as a global citizen with personal experiences and lessons learned, Tsang offers readers valuable insights into the cross-cultural environment that governs feelings, beliefs, and actions in a globalised era. This book, intended for sophisticated international business professionals and aspiring leaders, is not merely a financial endeavour for the author, but a mission to set the stage for peaceful and prosperous cross-cultural collaboration in business and beyond.
Structured into three parts – Integrity, Empathy, and Self-Improvement– the book delves into topics such as mentorship, resilience, personal values, and the balance between Eastern and Western cultures. From recounting his father’s influence to discussing the eternal balance between different cultural perspectives, Tsang weaves a narrative that encourages readers to honour equality, be mindful of the past, and keep an eye on the future. By the end of the book, readers will have a deeper understanding of the essential traits of an effective leader and the role they can play in fostering cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.
This is not a ghost story. This is a love story.
Lily witnesses a profound change in life as she moves to the Netherlands due to her mother’s diplomatic duties. Amid the classroom cruelty and shattered teenage dreams, affairs with a supernatural twist add to Lily’s troubles as a local legend featuring an attractive ghost, known as the Heartbreaker, plagues the town.
Beware! Don’t let your heart fall for his mystical charm! Ghostlore has it, he spellbinds girls into becoming his eternal lovers in the afterworld.
A forbidden game to summon the Heartbreaker turns into a cruel prank by her bullies, resulting in supernatural chaos. Lily ends up being haunted by the ghost, who alternates between terrorizing her and defending her against her enemies, forging a romantic, paranormal bond.
When this bond is threatened by sceptics and forces outside the couple’s control, will their love triumph in blurring the boundary of reality and fantasy? Or will the grip of logic force them to part?
University radio DJ Ellice Sanchez has always been good with words. But she can’t seem to find the words to explain to her friends how and why she never felt any romantic feelings for her ex-boyfriend (or anyone else, to be exact).
Engineering major Alex Yu is good at Math (as all Chinese kids are…supposedly). But for the longest time, he’s been struggling to figure out how to go after the Literature degree he’s always wanted while fulfilling his family’s expectations.
When they accidentally meet again after being sort-of-strangers in high school, Ellice and Alex fall into an unlikely yet shockingly easy friendship strengthened by fairly unproductive study sessions and Ellice’s chaotic semi-weekly university radio show.
With Alex’s unquestioning acceptance of Ellice’s newly-discovered aromantic-asexuality and Ellice’s persistence in pushing Alex to chase after what he wants, they are unexpectedly what each other needs.
From the author of THERE WAS A PERANAKAN WOMAN WHO LIVED IN A SHOE comes a story of an orphan girl who rises above discrimination to find love. Fans of Grace Lin and Avi will surely be delighted by this tale that takes inspiration from both eastern and western storytelling traditions.
Twelve-year-old Elven has eleven fingers, no parents, and a skin tone that hints at murky origins. One day, she receives a wooden Puzzle Box belonging to her late mother, and an intriguing letter promising her love—if she solves it.
Thus begins Elven’s long journey, in which she runs away to the town of Armora to find the Puzzle Box maker. There, she encounters its quirky residents and makes a new friend—the mysterious Madam Green who may not be what she seems. Ignoring signs of danger, Elven moves into Madam Green’s cottage on Mount Armora where she helps rehabilitate the town’s abandoned pets. Soon, their idyllic life is shattered with the arrival of miners intent on extracting gold from the mountain at all costs. Elven teams up with Madam Green to stop them, drawing both of them into a sinister scheme with tentacles deeper than anyone can imagine.
When the townsfolk accuse Madam Green of being a witch, it will take all of Elven’s ingenuity to not just to unravel the shocking truth, but ultimately reveal the secret of the Puzzle Box.
Lead and Seize the Future with ‘B.E.S.T Marking’.
The massive global pandemic disruption has forced businesses and individuals to revamp their leadership approaches as traditional benchmarks are shattered. The old way of doing things is no longer useful, and a new kind of robust leadership model is necessary to face these new uncertainties.
‘B.E.S.T Marking’ presents a powerful new Leadership Paradigm to navigate the complexities of this new normal environment- and win it big.
While inspired by the popular ‘benchmarking’ that Dr.Robert C. Camp developed in the 70’s to compare Xerox Company’s process and performance metrics with the best practices of its competitors which has been widely adopted by companies and various disciplines for their continuous improvement – it goes far beyond the limits of comparison by pursuing bigger opportunities that come with deeper collaboration, bolder innovation, and broader exploration.
B.E.S.T Marking Paradigm provides readers with access to critical new tools, knowledge, and insights to effectively lead their life and organizations towards great success in the turbulent landscapes of tomorrow.
B.E.S.T Marking’s fluidity could support and collaborate with Benchmarking, Agile Leadership, Six Sigma, and other existing models to reimagine leadership in the new normal.
B.E.S.T Marking is more than a framework; it’s a revolution in leadership. A call to action for leaders to conquer emerging challenges.
Embrace B.E.S.T Marking’s 4 Core Signature Leadership Approaches: Boldx, Expansivex, Strategicx, and Transparentx which each showcasing 3 key components of leadership excellence of tomorrow and their unlimited potential (as indicated by the x mark).
Develop your own unique leadership advantage.
It’s time for a paradigm shift.
