Atty. Agustin Misola: A writer of all time
Atty. Agustin Misola with his wife Corazon
at the library at home
It is always an honor to have an audience with a person who has contributed so much to society. Take the case of Atty. Agustin Misola, a novelist and poet who has written 50 books in English, Hiligaynon and Spanish.
It was in 1948 when he started his first novel, "Cries From The Furrows." He was just a high school graduate then. Simultaneous with his Composition and Political Science studies at the University of the Philippines, he labored on this novel until he finished it in 1954.
Misola considers the said novel as his best piece so far. "As far as the message is concerned, my greatest work is Cries From The Furrows," he said.
The book portrayed the painful transition from the pre-World War II feudal land system to the real reform and maturing national status of the Philippines, according to Camoman Newberry, managing editor of Little, Brown and Company. "He drew a vivid picture not only of the conditions of the farms, the Japanese occupation and Huk movement, but also of the character and spirit of the people. There is nothing contrived or fake in his book. He has a story to tell and he has told it the way it should be told," he added.
Misola's trophies
Former President of the United Nations General Assembly Dr. Carlos Romulo also lauded him for that book. "He has really represented a condition of life that is relevant to our politics and to present day social interest," Romulo said.
He also released his autobiography, "The House on the Plains." Some of his works are Angels in Bataan, Ang Hibi Sang Panay, Raindrops In the Night, We Can Survive, Call Up To Heaven, Natalie: The Russian Girl I Love, My Heart is Forgiving, The Bridge to China, Pray for Tomorrow, Portrait of Yesterday, Wavelets, Beautiful Land, Beyond the Roar of Silence, The Native Soul, Wild Flowers for Cielo, The Petaled Cross, Let the Hills Be Green Again, Virgin Roses, Beautiful Hands, Beautiful Life, Sa Likud sang Karabaw, Bulak nga Ilahas, Mga Hiya sang Gugma, Mga Handumanan and Latagon sang Gugma, among others.
Misola's passion for writing has never waned. In fact, this year, he released Poesia De Tres Lenguajes, a book of poems in Spanish, English and Hiligaynon.
This is his first attempt to write a book of poetry in three languages and he is confident on the richness of these as vehicles of literature.
Misola reveals that writing is not for a lukewarm heart. "There must be the lure of the heights --- the desire to create and accomplish. Success in writing is not usually the result of hurried work. There must be patience and a high degree of devotion and faith. This means working for long hours without minding the result or how long it will take. For then, in a sense, writing is a mistress and for her you must suffer without regret," he said when asked for his advise to writers.
He also advised that one should have the ability to use language and imagination. "Read a lot. Take notes a lot. And think a lot. Express yourself a lot in what you write. Don't be afraid that your creative endeavors will be criticized or dumped into a waste can. Whose work has not been criticized? Every work is a candidate. Some great writers had been judged as failures before."
MORE ON MISOLA
* He is married to Corazon Deocampo and their children are Edgar, Arvin, Christian, Agustin Jr, Manuel and Agnes
* Misola is a retired Assistant Fiscal of Iloilo City
* His book "Angels in Bataan" was published in New York, United States
* He was a recipient in 1991 of the Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas, a national achievement award for literature
* In 2004, under the category of Culture and Arts, he became an Outstanding Augustinian of the Century