Woman with Horns and Other Stories

by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard

BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN BY AWARD WINNING AUTHORWOMAN WITH HORNS AND OTHER STORIES by Philippine American writer Cecilia Manguerra Brainard introduces her first book to new readers. First published in 1987, the book collects a dozen stories that draw from historical and contemporary sources. Many of the stories explore the clash of Philippine culture with foreign influences that reached the archipelago during different historical periods.The book has been praised by Katipunan as, "Beautifully written in the minimalist style yet never lacking color and clarity, Brainard's stories reach out from the deep centuries of folklore, superstition, religion, customs, geography, and history to bring them life into the present. But more than life itself, this book mirrors the unique ways in which the Filipino women searches for meaning."The reception of this work of Philippine fiction has been extraordinary. Brainard's mythical place "Ubec" (Cebu backwards) was embraced by Cebuanos and "Ubec" has become part of their lexicon.Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's is the author and editor of over twenty books, including three When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, Magdalena, and The Newspaper Widow. She edited Growing Up Filipino I and II, among many other books. She is also the author of her Selected Short Stories, which collects 39 of her best short fiction.She has received a California Arts Council Fellowship, a Brody Arts Fund Fellowship, an Outstanding Individual Award from her birth city of Cebu, Philippines. Many of her books are used by educators in their classrooms.

106 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 15, 1987

About the author

Cecilia Manguerra Brainard is an award-winning author and editor of over twenty books. She has written three novels: WHEN THE RAINBOW GODDESS WEPT, MAGDALENA, and THE NEWSPAPER WIDOW. Her SELECTED SHORT STORIES BY CECILIA MANGUERRA BRAINARD won the 40th National Book Award and the Cirilo F. Bautista Prize.

She has taught at UCLA, USC, the California State Summer School for the Arts, and the Writers Program at USCL Extension. She has served as an Executive Board Member and Officer of PEN, PAAWWW (Pacific Asian American Women Writers West), Arts & Letters at the Cal State University LA, PAWWA (Philippine American Writers and Artists), among others.
She also founded Philippine American Literary House.
(Source Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Jonina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great collection of linked stories. They're not too linked as they are still readable independently. Each story was my favorite in a different way. Great writing.

[Palh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 2020 US Edition of the short story collection , WOMAN WITH HORNS AND OTHER STORIES, by Philippine American writer Cecilia Manguerra Brainard introduces her first book to new readers . First published in 1987, the book collects a dozen stories that draw from historical and contemporary sources. Many of the stories explore the clash of Philippine culture with foreign influences that reached the archipelago during different historical periods.

The reception of Cecilia Brainard’s first short story collection, Woman with Horns and Other Stories, has been extraordinary. Her mythical place Ubec has been embraced by the people of Cebu and “Ubec” has become part of their lexicon. Many teachers use stories from this collection and YouTube has student films of the story “Woman with Horns” in particular. There is even a Wikipedia write-up about “Woman with Horns.”

This 2020 US Edition of Cecilia Brainard's collection of short stories, Woman with Horns and Other Stories, is a welcome addition to Philippine, Philippine-American, as well as Asian American literatures.

[Tito Quiling, Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember reading "Woman with Horns" when I was an undergrad Literature major four or five years ago, and had a hard time deciphering the underlying meanings of the narrative and today, it hit me how most of the stories in this collection either ended with no definite resolution or had a supernatural undertone to it. Like the other two New Day titles, I have always liked the formalist style of writing, as much as some of my peers tell me that it is "old." I find it romantic--the dropping of the words and how its entirety feels as though you're looking at the expanse of the night sky and the answers lie in the formation of the stars.

[Lyka Gail Montalban · Rating 5 out of 5]

Discovery was my most favorite.