DON CARLOS COBELLO, DIPLOMAT, HACENDERO, NATIONALIST ENTREPRENEUR, AND GOURMET, TELLS HIS STORY WITHOUT RESERVATION. IF HE SOUNDS AND LOOKS FAMILIAR, IT IS BECAUSE F. SIONIL JOSE HAS DRAWN ANOTHER UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTER FROM THE INCREDIBLE REALITY OF THE PHILIPPINES. IN THIS REALITY, THE HIGHER ONE GOES UP, THE WITER IT BECOMES, SPANISH WHITE, NOT AMERICAN, ECAUSE THE AMERICANS DID NOT STAY LONG ENOUGH INDEED, HERE IS FICTION HAVING DIFFICULTY CATCHING UP WITH REALITY. HERE IS HISTORY AS FILIPINOS WITH NO SENSE OF THE PAST SHOULD KNOW IT. AND FINALLY HERE IS SIN NOT AS MORAL STIGMA BUT AS A PERVASIVE SOCIAL CONDITION