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Meaning & History: The Rizal Lectures
"Ocampo effectively uses...the art of storytelling to school his audience about scrutinizing public memory as a responsibility of informed citizenship...Ocampo cites a wide range of primary sources to show his readers how to interrogate the past and to familiarize them with the problems of periodization, interpretation, and use of different types of texts and artifacts."
SAYURI SHIMIZU
in The Journal of American History
"Extraordinarily popular and influential, widely read and appreciated, Ocampo has done more than any single author in recent years to inspire interest in and enthusiasm for Philippine history among a broad Filipino audience...Ocampo frequently calls attention to the political uses to which Philippine History has been subjected, even as he chips away at the fossilizing effects of an official nationalism that has domesticated the memory of its National Heroes."
EVA LOTTA-HEDMAN and JOHN T. SIDEL
in Philippine Politics and Society in the Twentieth Century: Colonial Legacies, Post Colonial Trajectories
SAYURI SHIMIZU
in The Journal of American History
"Extraordinarily popular and influential, widely read and appreciated, Ocampo has done more than any single author in recent years to inspire interest in and enthusiasm for Philippine history among a broad Filipino audience...Ocampo frequently calls attention to the political uses to which Philippine History has been subjected, even as he chips away at the fossilizing effects of an official nationalism that has domesticated the memory of its National Heroes."
EVA LOTTA-HEDMAN and JOHN T. SIDEL
in Philippine Politics and Society in the Twentieth Century: Colonial Legacies, Post Colonial Trajectories
- GenresHistoryNonfictionEssays
126 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
43 people are currently reading
1031 people want to read
About the author
Ambeth R. Ocampo
69 books410 followersLamberto R. Ocampo better known as Ambeth R. Ocampo (b. 1961) is Filipino historian, academic, journalist, cultural administrator and author best known for his writings about Philippines' national hero José Rizal, and for his bi-weekly editorial page column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, "Looking Back." He became the Chairman of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in 2002 until 2010, and was appointed as Chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in 2005 until 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 27, 2012
Today, August 27th, is a holiday here in the Philippines. It is our National Heroes' Day. I think, officially, we have three national heroes: Jose Rizal (the doctor), Andres Bonifacio (the fan maker) and Emilio Aguinaldo (the general). Having existed on earth in the late 19th century, they were all contemporaries. I think they met each other. But then, and even now, they did not see eye-to-eye. They did not agree on how to go about toppling the Spaniards. They did not even agree on where to go from being the colony of Spain. Rizal did not agree with the armed revolution that both Bonifacio and Aguinaldo were pushing for. Bonifacio was instrumental to the indictment of Rizal that caused the latter's death by firing squad. Aguinaldo ordered the execution of Bonifacio on the mountain.
There went our national heroes. Yet, we don't have work or school today as we are supposed to remember their heroism. Oh well, at least I can rest, type this review here at home and read my books the remainder of the day. Hola Roberto Bolano! Bounjour Samuel Beckett! Nice to meet you again, Philip Roth! I can lie in the bed the whole day with the books of these brilliant writers. Too bad they are not Filipinos so I cannot nominate them to be our national heroes.
My TV is open as I type this review. There is a morning show where there is a roving interviewer asking the people on the street who for him or her is the real hero? Somebody says Rizal and he explains that because he went to Spain and Japan and he came back to die. Well, good answer but not just Spain and Japan, but he also went to the US, France, Germany, Singapore, Cambodia, etc. The other person says Bonifacio because he represents the poor Filipinos. Well, as what? As a headless chicken running around not knowing where to go? Thank goodness no one has said Aguinaldo yet. Somebody say, her mother because of the sacrifices she did for raising her and her siblings. I think that is the best answer.
But I have to say something about this book, Meaning and History: The Rizal Lectures. Well, this is a compilation of speeches our young historian Ambeth Ocampo gave in 1985-1986 ushering the centennial of Rizal's death anniversary on December 30, 1986. More than half of what he said in the 5 speeches, I've already read in his earlier book, Rizal: Without The Overcoat (2 stars). However, now, in this book, he already used footnotes indicating the sources of his controversial exposes about our national hero Rizal. This is the reason why I gave this with 3 stars even if I only learned fewer facts or enjoyed fewer conjectures from him.
If you are planning to read an Ocampo about Rizal, go for this book. This has less hearsays or baseless claims. But if you have already read Rizal Without the Overcoat you don't need to read this book unless you want to waste your time and money.
There went our national heroes. Yet, we don't have work or school today as we are supposed to remember their heroism. Oh well, at least I can rest, type this review here at home and read my books the remainder of the day. Hola Roberto Bolano! Bounjour Samuel Beckett! Nice to meet you again, Philip Roth! I can lie in the bed the whole day with the books of these brilliant writers. Too bad they are not Filipinos so I cannot nominate them to be our national heroes.
My TV is open as I type this review. There is a morning show where there is a roving interviewer asking the people on the street who for him or her is the real hero? Somebody says Rizal and he explains that because he went to Spain and Japan and he came back to die. Well, good answer but not just Spain and Japan, but he also went to the US, France, Germany, Singapore, Cambodia, etc. The other person says Bonifacio because he represents the poor Filipinos. Well, as what? As a headless chicken running around not knowing where to go? Thank goodness no one has said Aguinaldo yet. Somebody say, her mother because of the sacrifices she did for raising her and her siblings. I think that is the best answer.
But I have to say something about this book, Meaning and History: The Rizal Lectures. Well, this is a compilation of speeches our young historian Ambeth Ocampo gave in 1985-1986 ushering the centennial of Rizal's death anniversary on December 30, 1986. More than half of what he said in the 5 speeches, I've already read in his earlier book, Rizal: Without The Overcoat (2 stars). However, now, in this book, he already used footnotes indicating the sources of his controversial exposes about our national hero Rizal. This is the reason why I gave this with 3 stars even if I only learned fewer facts or enjoyed fewer conjectures from him.
If you are planning to read an Ocampo about Rizal, go for this book. This has less hearsays or baseless claims. But if you have already read Rizal Without the Overcoat you don't need to read this book unless you want to waste your time and money.
January 4, 2013
The national hero of the Philippines is José Rizal and his most popular historian is Ambeth R. Ocampo. In these lectures, Ocampo uses the sense of history (kasaysayan in Tagalog) as salaysay (narrative) and saysay (meaning) to guide his readers and listeners through the important facets of Rizal as revolutionary, scientist, dreamer (of literal night dreams), and historian. His conclusion: Rizal is a reflection of the Filipinos' continuing search for a national identity. This is an imposed argument because it involves seeing Rizal through the framework of nationalism, itself an imagined concept.
For his part, Ocampo's theses are grounded on first rate scholarship using primary information. His interpretations are at least as full of provocations and wit as to be challenging and fun to read. The last lecture, on Rizal's attempt to write Philippine history, is for me a very fine piece of argumentation, differentiating as it did between "objective scholarship" and "committed scholarship" and laying down more fertile grounds for historical inquiry.
Ocampo (paraphrasing Robert Frost) also would have us think that history is what is lost in translation. A contention that he himself debunked with his strong sense of history and translation/interpretation. Translation itself is an opportunity to correct history.
Ocampo the historian explains his methods well--reading, digesting, stitching facts together, synthesizing, making a cogent argument--while shedding light into the philosophical and literary enigmas of Rizal. History is never objective nor impartial, but it is the duty of historians to strive to be so. Ocampo is one of those who are fair minded enough to see many sides to a history.
For his part, Ocampo's theses are grounded on first rate scholarship using primary information. His interpretations are at least as full of provocations and wit as to be challenging and fun to read. The last lecture, on Rizal's attempt to write Philippine history, is for me a very fine piece of argumentation, differentiating as it did between "objective scholarship" and "committed scholarship" and laying down more fertile grounds for historical inquiry.
Ocampo (paraphrasing Robert Frost) also would have us think that history is what is lost in translation. A contention that he himself debunked with his strong sense of history and translation/interpretation. Translation itself is an opportunity to correct history.
Ocampo the historian explains his methods well--reading, digesting, stitching facts together, synthesizing, making a cogent argument--while shedding light into the philosophical and literary enigmas of Rizal. History is never objective nor impartial, but it is the duty of historians to strive to be so. Ocampo is one of those who are fair minded enough to see many sides to a history.
November 19, 2014
Okay, just a brief review: Like all Ocampo's works, I love the way history is narrated here (although perhaps on some aspects my good Church History professor might disagree, with whom I agree with, but never mind.), although there are some parts that seem to be out of nowhere. Now I'm inspired to read the English translations of Noli and Fili .
October 24, 2010
as usual Ambeth Ocampo drives me to dwell more on our history, to read more about our history and appreciate our history more...
recommended.
recommended.
June 21, 2022
I cannot think of anyone that I would recommend this book.
This book even though small repeats several times a few Ambeth Ocampo anecdotes (couldn't these be edited out?), even though allegedly severely edited down it could certainly use more of that.
The book just focuses on some things which are close to oddities which I am sure he covers again and/or in better detail on Rizal without the overcoat.
I'm giving this one star because it gave me an idea of the primary sources there on the topic and because the footnotes (which include the original Spanish for things said) are on the same page.
This book even though small repeats several times a few Ambeth Ocampo anecdotes (couldn't these be edited out?), even though allegedly severely edited down it could certainly use more of that.
The book just focuses on some things which are close to oddities which I am sure he covers again and/or in better detail on Rizal without the overcoat.
I'm giving this one star because it gave me an idea of the primary sources there on the topic and because the footnotes (which include the original Spanish for things said) are on the same page.
February 26, 2025
Meaning and History compiles Ocampo’s lectures about Jose Rizal, who is considered a national hero in the Philippines. There are lectures about Rizal’s relationship with science, his writings on Philippine history, and his thoughts on children, among many others.
The book breaks many myths about Jose Rizal and even makes controversial statements, such as Rizal’s views of the Philippine Revolution against Spain. According to Renato Constantino’s essay “Veneration Without Understanding,” Rizal was a reformist who did not want independence but reforms and representations in the Spanish Cortes. Ocampo challenges this claim and asks if Rizal was against a revolution in general or just the revolution staged in August 1896.
There’s also the widely held belief that Rizal was at the top of his class at the Ateneo. Ocampo personally checked the school’s archive and saw that nine of his classmates had the same grade as him.
There are other controversial yet interesting claims about Rizal, which Ocampo backs with research.
What I love about Meaning and History is that it doesn’t put Rizal on a too-high pedestal. Ocampo sings his praises and gives him his flowers while still painting him as a flawed human being.
In fact, Ocampo thinks that Rizal’s greatest downfall is that he became a national hero. According to the historian, Rizal is so idealized and exalted that he becomes unrelatable.
The book breaks many myths about Jose Rizal and even makes controversial statements, such as Rizal’s views of the Philippine Revolution against Spain. According to Renato Constantino’s essay “Veneration Without Understanding,” Rizal was a reformist who did not want independence but reforms and representations in the Spanish Cortes. Ocampo challenges this claim and asks if Rizal was against a revolution in general or just the revolution staged in August 1896.
There’s also the widely held belief that Rizal was at the top of his class at the Ateneo. Ocampo personally checked the school’s archive and saw that nine of his classmates had the same grade as him.
There are other controversial yet interesting claims about Rizal, which Ocampo backs with research.
What I love about Meaning and History is that it doesn’t put Rizal on a too-high pedestal. Ocampo sings his praises and gives him his flowers while still painting him as a flawed human being.
In fact, Ocampo thinks that Rizal’s greatest downfall is that he became a national hero. According to the historian, Rizal is so idealized and exalted that he becomes unrelatable.
June 3, 2025
A lot from this book has already been said in Overcoat, only written in a lecture format. It's still informative and fun to read, but slower to digest. There are also helpful footnotes for those who want to do further research, the edge of this book over Overcoat. If you're simply looking to consume more facts about Rizal, Overcoat is the more recommended read.
Unlike Bones of Contention, this book has a balanced focus on the main man and the context. But both books (new editions from Anvil) have the same Introduction and Postscript, which, in my opinion, is a bit lazy.
If you can look past the minor repetitions within the book and the overlaps with Overcoat, you'll find yourself an enjoyable and helpful read on Rizal.
Unlike Bones of Contention, this book has a balanced focus on the main man and the context. But both books (new editions from Anvil) have the same Introduction and Postscript, which, in my opinion, is a bit lazy.
If you can look past the minor repetitions within the book and the overlaps with Overcoat, you'll find yourself an enjoyable and helpful read on Rizal.
April 4, 2020
I always thought that reading a history book entailed remembering certain dates, names, and some plot twists. And that’s it you are informed of the past. But this book gives me a wide range of history to discover and explore more. Ambeth Ocampo narrates this book full of unended questions we might and might not seek answers to.
This book composes of Rizal Lectures by Ambeth Ocampo to different events and places. Through the journey of Ambeth, you’ll be able to discover unheard part of Rizal’s Life, notice different views of different notable people, differentiate partiality, be confused and just be owed by the depth of understanding life of Rizal. If you’re interested in exploring more about Jose Rizal. This is definitely a book that gives you something but not everything.
This book composes of Rizal Lectures by Ambeth Ocampo to different events and places. Through the journey of Ambeth, you’ll be able to discover unheard part of Rizal’s Life, notice different views of different notable people, differentiate partiality, be confused and just be owed by the depth of understanding life of Rizal. If you’re interested in exploring more about Jose Rizal. This is definitely a book that gives you something but not everything.
November 14, 2010
"Going deeper than what is written and reading between the lines will enable us to extract more from this autobiography. We can uncover things about Rizal which he consciously or unconsciously tried to hide. Such are the fictions created by the memory. Studying Rizal's autobiography is like stripping him of his obligatory overcoat, the thick overcoat we see on countless photographs and numerous monuments all over the archipelago that hides the real man."
~ Ocampo's lectures written between the years 1993-1998
As i read Rizal's Memorias, i do understand more now.
~ Ocampo's lectures written between the years 1993-1998
As i read Rizal's Memorias, i do understand more now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2021
As the author himself have said, "what you have here is not solely mine but was built on the research and writings of others before me," originality may not be present in this book, but Ambeth proved once again that he is one of the greatest Philippine Historian of all time. Simply because he put his opinions palpable and crystal-clear, and the readers can feel the authenticity of his emotions he is giving to his work. Always a fan here, Mr. Ocampo.
October 18, 2016
This compilation of lectures on the National Hero is a must read for those wanting to understand Rizal in other fields. This is a good companion piece to the renowned Rizal Without the Overcoat and the Looking Back series as it shows that Rizal was not just a writer, nationalist and others but a true renaissance man.
June 20, 2011
Challenges:
Book #152 for 2011
Book #78 for Off the Shelf!
Book #152 for 2011
Book #78 for Off the Shelf!
August 20, 2011
After reading and listening to Ambeth Ocampo, contemporary historians seem cheesy and cliche.
June 4, 2022
Book 29 out of 200 books
"Meaning and History: The Rizal Lectures" by Ambeth Ocampo
"Meaning and History" is a series of (nearly) half a dozen lectures on the Jose Rizal, his life, his works and his legacy to Filipinos. Dr. Ocampo compiled all these lectures near the end of the 20th century from his lectures, recorded or not, from not only the Philippines but lectures from other countries as well. This book was first published in the year 1999, but subsequently revised, resulting in Numerous editions and printings.
I currently am reviewing the 2013 and latest edition of the book.
MY THOUGHTS:
Alright, so I am back with a book by Historian Ambeth Ocampo so here it goes. This is the fifth Ocampo book I've read (After "Rizal Without the Overcoat", 3 "Looking Back" books and finally this). I'd say that this book was a fulfilling read because Historian Ocampo was keen and detailed in exploring Rizal's life, firstly his education in Europe, then to his scientific genius (imagine discovering a new genus or species of insects and amphibian animals and fauna, that your name is also commemorated through the naming of these species), then finally his final hours and death.
I felt the same while reading "Rizal Without the Overcoat" because it was so interesting reading about Rizal, and I am in high school so the Rizal law obliges all of us high schoolers to read Rizal's novels.
Dr. Ocampo's works are the entire package of learning Philippine history for me. As I mean he is a historian who allowed young Filipinos including me, to explore the wonders and greatness of Philippine history.
"Meaning and History: The Rizal Lectures" by Ambeth Ocampo
"Meaning and History" is a series of (nearly) half a dozen lectures on the Jose Rizal, his life, his works and his legacy to Filipinos. Dr. Ocampo compiled all these lectures near the end of the 20th century from his lectures, recorded or not, from not only the Philippines but lectures from other countries as well. This book was first published in the year 1999, but subsequently revised, resulting in Numerous editions and printings.
I currently am reviewing the 2013 and latest edition of the book.
MY THOUGHTS:
Alright, so I am back with a book by Historian Ambeth Ocampo so here it goes. This is the fifth Ocampo book I've read (After "Rizal Without the Overcoat", 3 "Looking Back" books and finally this). I'd say that this book was a fulfilling read because Historian Ocampo was keen and detailed in exploring Rizal's life, firstly his education in Europe, then to his scientific genius (imagine discovering a new genus or species of insects and amphibian animals and fauna, that your name is also commemorated through the naming of these species), then finally his final hours and death.
I felt the same while reading "Rizal Without the Overcoat" because it was so interesting reading about Rizal, and I am in high school so the Rizal law obliges all of us high schoolers to read Rizal's novels.
Dr. Ocampo's works are the entire package of learning Philippine history for me. As I mean he is a historian who allowed young Filipinos including me, to explore the wonders and greatness of Philippine history.
September 24, 2024
Rizal is one of my favorite subjects back in college. And while it took sometime for me to read all this, I'm glad that I was able to finish it satisfied and with a smile on my face.
Reading this book will make you realize that Rizal rose up to the challenge inspite of his insecurities. It made him human by not having the ideal height or the fact that he gets jealous from one of his peer's achievements.
I also get to learn the difference between the primary source and secondary sources. Some interpretations of the past and how it was used for their own narrative.
I don't know how to end this but I'd like to thank Ambeth Ocampo for sharing this with us. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Reading this book will make you realize that Rizal rose up to the challenge inspite of his insecurities. It made him human by not having the ideal height or the fact that he gets jealous from one of his peer's achievements.
I also get to learn the difference between the primary source and secondary sources. Some interpretations of the past and how it was used for their own narrative.
I don't know how to end this but I'd like to thank Ambeth Ocampo for sharing this with us. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
May 22, 2017
This book is one of our Recommended Reads! Read our post here.
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Please note: We don't use ratings but for this purpose, we tag books with three stars by default.
Would like to be a reviewer/contributor to Bookbed? Sign up here!
We also accept review requests. More info here.
March 15, 2018
Ambeth Ocampo always makes history palatable and his lectures on Jose Rizal are no exception. Whether taking off his overcoat, again, to get to the root of the man or examining his historiographical biases to serve a revolutionary purpose, Ocampo's writing is genial, though with the authority of a lecturing professor. In a time of shorter attention spans, and for a people not known to read much, his examinations of history, and humanising of heroes, are a Godsend.
June 24, 2025
If you've read Mr. Ocampo's Rizal Without the Overcoat: Expanded Edition, you technically already know some of the details that he wrote in here. This book offers a more expanded view of the shorter essays written in Overcoat. Relatively easy to read and mildly interesting.
January 25, 2018
Got a copy of this book in one of Ocampo's talks. Very interesting and enjoyable to read.
December 28, 2014
This is the first Ambeth Ocampo book that I read. Very entertaining and informative, indeed. It made me more interested in Rizal studies. I'd like to read more of his works in the near future (and get these books signed in the next MIBF haha) :)
January 2, 2014
This isn't a proper review but when I was reading this book, I learned that YouTube users fight in the comment section over the proper pronunciation of “deus ex machina.” That’s both meaning and history right there.
September 16, 2016
This is different from the normal books being written by Ambeth. It is serious, scholarly but also riveting and insightful because these are lectures that was not heard by the general public and is now shared so to provide a more humane sides of Rizal and Bonifacio.
Read
November 13, 2012It is so beautiful and touching
October 25, 2013
Good essay about Rizal. :)
Read
October 11, 2015im interested to read this book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews