Micro Review: “Life’s Work” by Francis J. Kong

My family and I have relocated to Australia, where kangaroos roam the outback and misconceptions about koalas as bears are dispelled.

Despite the move, my Filipino heritage remains integral to my identity. It’s vital to remember our roots and embrace the lessons they offer. I’ve recently made a concerted effort to explore Filipino literature, a long-standing aspiration. While these works may not be the classics of my youth, they hold significant cultural value.

Here’s one of my top picks:

Great Sense and Sensibility

Life’s Work by Francis J. Kong

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I am a Fil-Aussie. With the multitude of books that I’ve been reading since last year, I made it a point that 2019 will be a bit different from more recent years. I’ve come up with a non-negotiable goal of reading at least three books from Australian authors and another three from Filipino writers. Well, I am proud to say that I’ve already finished the first half of that goal. This piece is my second item on my plan’s other half.

Whereas Kong’s work may seem to be the antithesis of another beloved author’s take, I’d rather focus on the consistencies.

In life and even at work, it’s easier for us to feel flat out, frustrated or flabbergasted whenever things don’t go according to what we expect them to be. It’s more convenient to put blame on other people or situations instead of looking at what we have personally contributed to what went wrong.

With this piece, Francis allows us to look at a proverbial mirror and cajoles us to reflect on another side of life’s realities. We have a role to play in our own lives, and there are things that we could do to make things better.

Kong makes real sense.

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