Calm in a world on edge

Genevieve L. Asenjo writes with wit, wonder, and wisdom in new book of essays

- By JOHANNES L. CHUA

In a world that rarely slows down, where the next trend is already outdated and every news cycle feels apocalyptic, there's a quiet, necessary call to pause. To breathe. To reflect. To feel. It may seem like "it's the end of the world as we know it," but writer and professor Genevieve L. Asenjo gently reminds us: It isn't. Not yet.

This is the spirit behind “Pagkamangha sa Parang-Katapusan-Ng-Mundo,” Genevieve's first collection of personal essays. Launched early this year at the Philippine Book Festival and published by Isang Balangay, the book offers a space for stillness and presence, inviting readers to rediscover the beauty of deep reading, the quiet power of nature, and the resilience of the human spirit.

“What I hope readers gain is a renewed appreciation for deep reading—moments of stillness and absorption in language and story,” said Genevieve. “To rediscover joy in paying attention to the natural world, to everyday life, to insight unfolding slowly. And perhaps, to hold on to the belief that even if we feel close to the edge, life can still be lived beautifully, meaningfully, and always, for others.”

I know Genevieve for her marvelous fiction—most notably “Ang Itim na Orkidyas ng Isla Boracay,” a National Book Award winner—and her passionate advocacy for regional literature, especially in Kinaray-a, her mother tongue. But in “Pagkamangha,” she steps into more intimate terrain. And readers will not be disappointed as writing about the world's wounds, and the comforting joy of coming home to Antique—on the page and in real life. How did your journey as a writer begin?