Philippines

Maria Ressa has faced criminal charges, death threats and internet trolls because of her coverage of the Philippine president. She's the subject of a new PBS FRONTLINE documentary, A Thousand Cuts.

Historian Daniel Immerwahr shares surprising stories of U.S. territorial expansion, including how the desire for bird guano compelled the seizure of remote islands. His book is How to Hide an Empire.

The veteran journalist died on Sunday at age 87. He was famous for his reporting on the Vietnam War, and in 1989 he spoke with Fresh Air's Terry Gross about another war: The Spanish-American War and U.S. involvement in the Philippines.

Baker, one of America's great rhythm-and-blues singers of the 1950's, died earlier this week. She was 67. The Associated Press says the cause was heart complications. Baker was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. Her hits included "Tweedlee Dee," "Jim Dandy," and "I Cried a Tear." After living in the Philippines during the '70's and '80's, Baker made a comeback in the '90's when she appeared on Broadway in "Black and Blue." (REBROADCAST FROM 3/26/91).

Author and journalist and NPR reporter Alan Berlow's new book is "Dead Season: A Story of Murder and Revenge on the Philippine Island of Negros." It's an investigation into a massacre of a peasant family which was linked to a series of interrelated crimes. Berlow also examines the broader problems facing the Philippines and the impact of American colonialism and imperialism.

Jose is one of the most celebrated writers in the Philippines. His new book is a novella, "Three Filipino Women." Since 1965, Jose has presided over a bookstore in Manila, a gathering place for intellectuals. He publishes "Solidarity," a forum for authors worldwide. He's also founder and secretary-general for the Philippines PEN Center. He talks about the need for a stronger national identity in Filipino writing.

Writer George Packer. Packer's new novel, "The Half Man," is the story of a Western journalist caught in the turmoil of a fictitious Pacific Asian country. In real life, Packer spent two years with the Peace Corps in Togo, and that experience helped shape this book. (It's published by Random House).

Baker had a series of hits in the 50s, among them "Bumblebee," and "Jim Dandy to the Rescue." During her hiatus from performing in the United States, she lived in the Philippines and booked concerts for American soldiers.

Writer Jessica Hagedorn. Her debut novel, "The Dogeaters," is set amid the mixture of cultures that makes up the Philippines. Hagedorn herself was born and raised in the Philippines. Prior to this novel, she's been a poet, performance artist, playwright, and commentator for "Crossroads." ("The Dogeaters" is published by Pantheon).

Stanley Karnow's new book examines the United States' colonial interests in the Philippines. Karnow discusses the tension between Filipino and the imposed American culture, the enduring role of the United States after Filipino independence, and the rise of Ferdinand Marcos.

James Fenton is a poet who traveled to Southeast Asia without any clear goal in mind. He started writing first-person journalism for a number of newspapers and magazines. Fenton covered the fall of Saigon and the end of the Marcos regime in the Philippines.

Philippine journalist Ninotchka Rosca. For years, she worked as a journalist in the Philippines. After imprisonment by the Marcos regime, she went into political exile in the United States. She returned to the Philippines just as Marcos was losing power. She recalls that period in a book titled Endgame.

Father Niall O'Brien. He has worked for over 20 years as a missionary priest in the Philippines. He was imprisoned by the Marcos regime because he helped the poor to start self-reliant Christian communities. He continues his work in the Philippines under the Aquino government.

Journalist Raymond Bonner's new book examines how the United States government turned a blind eye to Ferdinand Marcos' rise to power and declaration of martial law in the Philippines. His account draws from myriad interviews and documents obtained through FOIA requests.

Raymond Bonner's book examines the collusion between the Philippines' Marcos regime and the U.S. government. Fresh Air book critic John Leonard has a review.