Inside Solidaridad, We Found F. Sionil Jose's 100 Recommended Books—Here They Are

He read voraciously and expected no less from those around him, including his kids.

"When we were young, he encouraged us to read by giving us required readings," his son, Antonio "Tonet" Jose, recently shared with SPOT.ph. "He would give us a deadline to finish a book and then quiz us on what we learned. If we did well, we'd get a bump in our allowance."

The old man's love for books didn't stop at reading. In 1965, Frankie and his wife, Teresita, opened the Solidaridad bookstore along Padre Faura in Ermita. The space would become synonymous to serious reading, rare finds, and uncompromising literary standards. Every title on the shelf passed through F. Sionil Jose's discerning eye. If he liked a book or saw its merit for the larger audience, it has earned its space in the Solidaridad shelf.

While F. Sionil Jose isn't around anymore to personally recommend books to contemporary readers, he did leave behind something just as good: a list of his favorite books.

If you ever wondered what someone like F. Sionil José would recommend to young readers, you only need to peruse the Solidaridad shelves or, more conveniently, start with this list we recently chanced upon during our visit to Solidaridad.