Rizal’s Own Story of His Life

Assembled largely from Jose Rizal’s own letters, diaries, and memoirs, this volume traces the life of the Philippines’ national hero in his own voice. It follows him from a bright, watchful childhood in Calamba through his schooling in Manila and his years studying medicine and languages in Europe, where he wrote the novels that stirred a nation against Spanish colonial rule. The account carries through his exile, his arrest, and the calm resolve of his final days before execution in 1896. Editor Austin Craig links the passages with brief commentary, letting Rizal set down his own hopes for his country. It is a moving primary record of a reformer and martyr. Free PDF and EPUB editions are provided here.