One of the valuable skills possessed by historians is the ability to discuss books they have never read. In fact, they can even analyze books they have never physically handled. How is this possible? Historians achieve this by utilizing bibliographies to map out the landscape of their specialized field. Although these bibliographies may seem outdated and unappealing to the younger generation who access information online with lightning speed, they serve as a vital tool in the historian’s repertoire.
As the Philippine Book Festival approaches in Davao this weekend, organized by the National Book Development Board, I am honored to participate in two events: a book signing and a conversation with National Artist Resil Mojares about the life-changing books we have read. When reflecting on bibliographies, my mind drifts back to my first experience with one: the two-volume “Union Catalog of Philippine Materials” by Maxima Ferrer, which I acquired for a mere P10 in the mid-1980s from the bargain bin at the University of the Philippines Press. This voluminous work, with over a thousand pages and a stately hardbound cover, could easily find a second life as a trendy interior design element or even a doorstop. Sadly, nobody wanted them. When I made my purchase, the cashier gave me a pitying look and questioned my decision to spend money on such seemingly useless books. Undeterred, I bought two sets, one for practical use and the other as a backup.
At first glance, these volumes appeared to be nothing more than printed card catalogue entries compiled from the major libraries in Manila, such as the National Library, UP, University of Santo Tomas, Ateneo libraries, and the Lopez Museum. However, by consulting Ferrer’s work, I could pinpoint the exact locations of the physical books I needed, along with details like their dimensions, number of pages, and imprint dates. These bibliographies acted as a roadmap, helping me navigate the vast expanse of historical knowledge. With my modest grasp of college-level Spanish, I graduated from Ferrer’s straightforward English listings to three significant annotated Philippine bibliographies: José Toribio Medina’s “Bibliografia Española de las islas Filipinas (1523-1810)” published in Santiago de Chile in 1898, Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera’s “Biblioteca Filipina O Sea Catálogo razonado de todos los impresos, tanto insulares como extranjeros, relativos á la historia, La Etnografía, La Lingüística, La Botánica, La Fauna, La Flora, La Geología, La Hidrografía, La Geografía, La Legislación, etc., de las Islas Filipinas, de Joló y Marianas” published in Washington in 1903, and Wenceslao Emilio Retana’s impressive three-volume “Aparato bibliográfico de la historia general de Filipinas: deducido de la colección que posee en Barcelona la Compañia general de tabacos de dichas islas” published in Madrid in 1906. Although Pardo de Tavera’s work was only reprinted in 1994, Medina and Retana’s bibliographies were readily available in the 1960s, having already been reprinted. Pedro B. Ayuda even published a luxurious edition of Retana’s “Aparato” in 1964, which unfortunately contributed to his financial ruin. In my quest for a set of Retana’s “Aparato,” I was disheartened to find Ayuda’s bookshop on Recto Avenue padlocked, with a notice from the Manila sheriff’s office indicating an impending sale of its contents. Undeterred, I persisted and eventually found Ayuda at his home in Quezon City. He proved to be quite the eccentric character, proudly holding the title of president of the Philippine Bar Flunkers Association!
Medina, Retana, and Pardo de Tavera’s bibliographies offered more than just physical and bibliographic descriptions of early Philippine books. These bibliographers provided erudite annotations for each book, including an outline of its contents and its significance in Philippine history, as well as notes about the author’s credibility in comparison to other authors. Retana even included reproductions of title pages and important illustrations from the rarest of volumes. Being written in Spanish, these volumes have been my secret weapon for many years, enabling me to discuss books without actually reading them. This is not a negative thing because not every book needs to be read cover to cover. Some are meant for reference or acquiring information, while others are simply meant to be enjoyed. Some books serve as mere decorations on our shelves, intended to impress visitors who may not be voracious readers. At best, bibliographies are tools for librarians or book dealers. However, for me, they serve as gentle reminders of the vast ocean of knowledge that we have yet to explore but have the potential to uncover.
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