Anting-Anting Stories, and Other Strange Tales of the Filipinos

A collection of vivid, short tales transports listeners to the wild, windswept islands of the Philippines at the turn of the century. The stories pulse with the clash of swords and muskets, the glow of moonlit jungles, and the uncanny presence of anting‑anting—tiny charms that promise invincibility to those who carry them. From a stealthy Tagalog slipping through American picket lines to a surgeon’s uneasy watch over a makeshift hospital, each narrative conjures the tension between foreign soldiers and the island’s mysterious inhabitants.

Beyond the battlefield, the anthology explores folklore that feels both ancient and startlingly immediate: frightened villagers who trust bone amulets, daring pirates chasing ghostly pearls, and mountain spirits that stir volcanic clouds. The tales balance adventure with a keen eye for the everyday superstitions that shape lives, inviting listeners to glimpse a world where every stone, feather, or scrap of paper might hold a hidden power.