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The Singing Detainee and the Librarian with One Book: Essays on Exile
In late 2019, Michael Beltran found himself in the city of Utrecht, The Netherlands, deep in conversation with Filipino revolutionary leaders Jose Maria Sison and Julie de Lima. What was planned to be a feature article ended up as a collection of observations on what it means to live in exile. The Singing Detainee and the Librarian with One Book shares lesser known tales about the lives of the political exiles and the people around them.
The essays track the couple’s prolonged stay as refugees, how the Philippine liberation movement found a home in Europe, and how migrants and activists alike gravitated toward each other while adrift from their homeland. “Exile,” Beltran says, “is imprisonment by displacement . . . when people are condemned to leave their lands dressed in invisible chains.”
The essays track the couple’s prolonged stay as refugees, how the Philippine liberation movement found a home in Europe, and how migrants and activists alike gravitated toward each other while adrift from their homeland. “Exile,” Beltran says, “is imprisonment by displacement . . . when people are condemned to leave their lands dressed in invisible chains.”
267 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 6, 2026
Author Michael Beltran traveled to the Netherlands to interview and converse with Filipino revolutionary leaders Jose Maria Sison and his wife, Julie de Lima. This book dives into the lives of the couple and the people surrounding them.
I often wonder how people on the other side live their lives and who they are beyond society’s norms. During a random, spontaneous Silent Buddy Read session of BookBuddies PH – East last December, Bianca brought this book as her current read, and I became intrigued by the story of the couple. A few months later, we met again and talked about the book, and she allowed me to take it home to read.
It was an interesting read, as it allows the readers to visualize their lives in exile. Even while outside their homeland, all eyes remained on them. Every move they made and every gathering they held in the Netherlands seemed to be interpreted differently by people back in the Philippines.
Ironically, Joma was granted refugee status but denied residency, while Julie was allowed residency but denied refugee status by the Netherlands. Regardless, they lived as best they could—required to report to Dutch authorities monthly and unable to travel beyond their designated area of residence.
The raw truth this book conveys is how deeply this couple misses home, yet they cannot return because their lives remain at risk. They are not the only exiles mentioned in the book— other revolutionary Filipinos have same fate, and they formed a small community of exiles together. Though they may live outside prison walls, they remain caged by exile.
#booklover #bookgram #Bookthreads #bookstagram
I often wonder how people on the other side live their lives and who they are beyond society’s norms. During a random, spontaneous Silent Buddy Read session of BookBuddies PH – East last December, Bianca brought this book as her current read, and I became intrigued by the story of the couple. A few months later, we met again and talked about the book, and she allowed me to take it home to read.
It was an interesting read, as it allows the readers to visualize their lives in exile. Even while outside their homeland, all eyes remained on them. Every move they made and every gathering they held in the Netherlands seemed to be interpreted differently by people back in the Philippines.
Ironically, Joma was granted refugee status but denied residency, while Julie was allowed residency but denied refugee status by the Netherlands. Regardless, they lived as best they could—required to report to Dutch authorities monthly and unable to travel beyond their designated area of residence.
The raw truth this book conveys is how deeply this couple misses home, yet they cannot return because their lives remain at risk. They are not the only exiles mentioned in the book— other revolutionary Filipinos have same fate, and they formed a small community of exiles together. Though they may live outside prison walls, they remain caged by exile.
#booklover #bookgram #Bookthreads #bookstagram
June 30, 2025
An enjoyable read as the author spends considerable time with ka joma and ka julie de lima during their time in exile in the netherlands
Interesting look at the latter years of ka joma's life as well as his and ka julie's reflections on the natdem struggle in the Philippines
Interesting look at the latter years of ka joma's life as well as his and ka julie's reflections on the natdem struggle in the Philippines
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews