The centennial countdown

"I don't know that Ambeth's stories are the best example of it, but I should think that the concept of storytelling itself as an approach to history is a vastly important one. It's a mistake to think that anything that is not written in the turgid, analytical style of dissertations, or does not argue aggresively for an interpretation, is not imporant or does not strike at the core of life. If anything, I would argue the opposite. Stories are more important than analyses. Or so for the historical demands of our time and place. Stories inspire, stories light fires. And they do offer concepta and interpretations, without violently yanking the heads of people and saying, "Look, this is the way it happened." No stories, no history. Without Ambeth stories, we might as wel be , well, history." --- From the column, "There's the Rub" page 9, Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 21, 1998 Conrado de Quiros