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The Human Zoo

Audiobook
Fiction: Literary
Unabridged   7.5 hour(s)
Publication date: 08/10/2021

The Human Zoo

Available from major retailers or BUY FROM AMAZON
Digital Download ISBN:9781696606547

Summary

At once a propulsive look at contemporary Filipino politics and the history that impacted the country, The Human Zoo is a thrilling and provocative story from one of our most celebrated and important writers of literary fiction.

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Product Description

Filipino-American Christina "Ting" Klein has just traveled from New York to Manila, both to escape her imminent divorce and to begin research for a biography of Timicheg, an indigenous Filipino brought to America at the start of the twentieth century to be exhibited as part of a "human zoo." It has been a year since Ting's last visit, and one year since Procopio "Copo" Gumboc swept the elections in an upset and took power as president. Arriving unannounced at her aging aunt's aristocratic home, Ting quickly falls into upper class Manila life—family gatherings at her cousin's compound; spending time with her best friend Inchoy, a gay socialist professor of philosophy; and a flirtation with her ex-boyfriend Chet. All the while, family duty dictates that Ting be responsible for Laird, a cousin's fiancé, who has come from the States to rediscover his roots.

As days pass, Ting witnesses modern Filipino society languishing under Gumboc's terrifying reign. To make her way, she must balance the aristocratic traditions of her extended family, seemingly at odds with both situation and circumstance, as well as temper her stance towards a regime her loved ones are struggling to survive. Yet Ting cannot extricate herself from the increasingly repressive regime, and soon finds herself personally confronted by the horrifying realities of Gumboc's power.

Reviews/Praise

"Smart, crisp prose distinguishes Murray’s action-packed latest...This is captivating." ―Publishers Weekly

Author Bio

Sabina Murray grew up in Australia and the Philippines and is currently a member of the MFA faculty at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She is the author of Valiant Gentlemen, Tales of the New World, A Carnivore's Inquiry, Forgery, The Caprices (which won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction), and Slow Burn.