When the Elephants Dance

Fiction & Literature, Military, Literary, Historical
Cover of the book When the Elephants Dance by Tess Uriza Holthe, Crown/Archetype
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Tess Uriza Holthe ISBN: 9780676806731
Publisher: Crown/Archetype Publication: March 26, 2002
Imprint: Crown Language: English
Author: Tess Uriza Holthe
ISBN: 9780676806731
Publisher: Crown/Archetype
Publication: March 26, 2002
Imprint: Crown
Language: English

“Papa explains the war like this: ‘When the elephants dance, the chickens must be careful.’ The great beasts, as they circle one another, shaking the trees and trumpeting loudly, are the Amerikanos and the Japanese as they fight. And our Philippine Islands? We are the small chickens.”

Once in a great while comes a storyteller who can illuminate worlds large and small, in ways both magical and true to life. When the Elephants Dance is set in the waning days of World War II, as the Japanese and the Americans engage in a fierce battle for possession of the Philippine Islands. Through the eyes of three narrators, thirteen-year-old Alejandro Karangalan, his spirited older sister Isabelle, and Domingo, a passionate guerilla commander, we see how ordinary people find hope for survival where none seems to exist. While the Karangalan family and their neighbors huddle together for survival in the cellar of a house, they tell magical stories to one another based on Filipino myth that transport the listeners from the chaos of the war around them and give them new resolve to continue fighting. Outside the safety of their refuge the war rages on—fiery bombs torch the countryside, Japanese soldiers round up and interrogate innocent people, and from the hills guerilla fighters wage a desperate campaign against the enemy. Inside the cellar, these men, women, and children put their hopes and dreams on hold as they wait out the war.

This stunning debut novel celebrates with richness and depth the spirit of the Filipino people and their fascinating story and marks the introduction of an author who will join the ranks of writers such as Arundhati Roy, Manil Suri, and Amy Tan.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

“Papa explains the war like this: ‘When the elephants dance, the chickens must be careful.’ The great beasts, as they circle one another, shaking the trees and trumpeting loudly, are the Amerikanos and the Japanese as they fight. And our Philippine Islands? We are the small chickens.”

Once in a great while comes a storyteller who can illuminate worlds large and small, in ways both magical and true to life. When the Elephants Dance is set in the waning days of World War II, as the Japanese and the Americans engage in a fierce battle for possession of the Philippine Islands. Through the eyes of three narrators, thirteen-year-old Alejandro Karangalan, his spirited older sister Isabelle, and Domingo, a passionate guerilla commander, we see how ordinary people find hope for survival where none seems to exist. While the Karangalan family and their neighbors huddle together for survival in the cellar of a house, they tell magical stories to one another based on Filipino myth that transport the listeners from the chaos of the war around them and give them new resolve to continue fighting. Outside the safety of their refuge the war rages on—fiery bombs torch the countryside, Japanese soldiers round up and interrogate innocent people, and from the hills guerilla fighters wage a desperate campaign against the enemy. Inside the cellar, these men, women, and children put their hopes and dreams on hold as they wait out the war.

This stunning debut novel celebrates with richness and depth the spirit of the Filipino people and their fascinating story and marks the introduction of an author who will join the ranks of writers such as Arundhati Roy, Manil Suri, and Amy Tan.

More books from Historical

Cover of the book Romancing the Pirate by Tess Uriza Holthe
Cover of the book Arundel by Tess Uriza Holthe
Cover of the book Louisiana Wind by Tess Uriza Holthe
Cover of the book The Scholars Story by Tess Uriza Holthe
Cover of the book Clue of the Twisted Candle by Tess Uriza Holthe
Cover of the book The Rogue's Proposal by Tess Uriza Holthe
Cover of the book In the Lonely Sea by Tess Uriza Holthe
Cover of the book Forced to Wed by Tess Uriza Holthe
Cover of the book Jewel of Winter by Tess Uriza Holthe
Cover of the book The Other Eisenhower by Tess Uriza Holthe
Cover of the book Manga Classics: Les Miserables by Tess Uriza Holthe
Cover of the book A Dark Song of Blood by Tess Uriza Holthe
Cover of the book Una Rosa per Travis by Tess Uriza Holthe
Cover of the book Deeds of Darkness by Tess Uriza Holthe
Cover of the book The Memoirs of Colonel John S. Mosby by Tess Uriza Holthe
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy