Dear Rene,

I received the book Pinoy Pilgrim you sent me thru Juan and Guada earlier this week. I purposely delayed writing you to acknowledge receipt of the book because I wanted to read the book first. I just did.

My comment about the book: Wow!...Fascinating!...Absorbing!

Actually, even before you sent me your review of the book, I already read it on the online edition of your paper. My initial reaction was: What could this book be that Rene gave his five-star stamp of approval? Is it a shade hyped or oversold, I told myself. This was at the back of my mind, especially because up until I read the book, advertising and marketing are fields that I had not engaged my interest.

But after reading Mr. De Leon's book, I agree that it's all it's touted to be, as reviewed by you. Moreover, I have come to appreciate and respect those disciplines or fields of human endeavor and their practitioners. The book is an eye-opener for me. I have come to realize that those fields can fully engage one's imagination, creativity, resourcefulness and are intellectually challenging.

Mr. De Leon is profound, without being ponderous, i.e., writes with a light touch, which makes the book a delight to read, inspiring, uplifting and instructive.

Please extend my sincere congratulations to him for having written a superb book. This book has to read by more Filipinos, nay, all Pinoys, especially the OFWs.

I intend to reread the book, and if I can find the time and I find myself in a "flow," I'd like to write a review of the book, submit it to Filipino Reporter, Philippine News or Filipinas magazine for publication, and disseminate it to the various e-groups I belong to--the object being to bring it to the attention of FilAms here in the USA and other OFWs elsewhere in the world.

Rene, thank you so much for the book. Please extend my thanks to Mr. De Leon for inscribing it for me.

Warm regards to all. Hi to Jeanne. Violet extends her Hello!

Gene & Violy

Dear Juan & Guada,

Thanks for hand-carrying the book and mailing it to me. I enjoyed the book immensely.

Guada, you must be so proud of your Dad, and your Mom. His book is decidedly first-rate. And wow! What a pleasure to know you were the top ballet dancer in the Philppines?!

Keep well--both of you.

AMDG

Tito Gene & Violy