LIFE AND WORKS OF

F. Sionil José

PREPARED BY:
SHENNAH MYRTLE MASINADING
F. Sionil José

Francisco Sionil José

was born on December
3, 1924 at Rosales,
Pangasinan
 José started writing in
grade school, at the time he started
reading. In the fifth grade, one of José's
teachers opened the school library to her
students, which is how José managed to
read the novels of José Rizal, Willa
Cather’s My Antonia, Faulkner and
Steinbeck. Reading about Basilio and
Crispin in Rizal's Noli Me Tangere made
the young José cry, because injustice
was not an alien thing to him.
 José attended the University of Santo
Tomas after World War II, but dropped
out and plunged into writing and
journalism in Manila.

In subsequent
years, he edited various literary and
journalistic publications, started a
publishing house, and founded the
Philippine branch of PEN, an international
organization for writers.
 F. Sionil Josés Writing Career

José Rizal's life and writings profoundly

influenced José's work. Throughout his career,
José's writings espouse social justice
and change to better the lives of average
Filipino families. He is one of the most
critically acclaimed Filipino authors
internationally, although much
underrated in his own country because of
his authentic Filipino English and his antielite
Views.
 Francisco Sionil Josés
novels, short stories and
non-fiction works
highlight the social
underpinnings, class
struggles and colonial
history of Filipino society.
He is best known for his epic
work, The Rosales Saga- five
novels encompassing a
hundred years of Philippine
history, painting a vivid
documentary of Filipino life.
 THE GOD STEALER
AND OTHER STORIES

The Pretenders is his

most popular novel,
which is the story of one
man’s alienation from his
poor background and the
decadence of his wife’s
wealthy family.
HIS OTHER
WORKS:
NON-FICTION: PLAYS, VERSE & NOVELS:

• Muse and Balikbayan: Two Plays

•In search of the Word
• Questions
•We Filipinos: Our Moral
• Ermita
Malaise, Our Heroic Heritage • Gagamba
•Soba, Senbei and Shibuya: A • Viajero
Memoir of Post-war Japan • Sin
•Gleamings from a Life in • Ben Singkol
Literature • Vibora
•Why we are Poor • Sherds
•To The Young Writer and • The Feet of Juan Bacnang
Other Essays
NOVELLAS & SHORT FICTION:

• Two Filipino Women

• Waywaya: Eleven Filipino
Short Stories
• Platinum
• Olvidon and other stories
• Puppy Love and other stories
• F. Sionil José: Short Stories
• The God Stealer and Short
Stories
F. Sionil Jose Bust monument
(Rosales, Pangasinan
Presidencia)

The Inscription in the Monument (February 23, 2007)

AWARD
S Five of Jose’s works have won the Carlos Palanca
Memorial Awards for Literature: his short stories
The God Stealer in 1959, Waywaya in 1979, Arbol de
Fuego (Firetree) in 1980, his novel Mass in 1981,
and his essay A Scenario for Philippine Resistence in
1979.
1979 City of Manila Award for Literature
Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature
and Creative Communication Arts
Outstanding Fulbrighters Award for Literature
1988)
Cultural Center of the Philippines Award (Gawad
para sa Sining) for Literature (1980)
THANK YOU!