Wilfrido D. Nolledo dedicated much of his life to writing. He worked with contemporaries such as fellow literary legends Gregorio Brillantes and National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin, as well as Danilo Dalena and Pete Lacaba. And now, two decades after his death, several of his best short stories will enter the cultural conversation once again courtesy of publishing house Exploding Galaxies’ latest release, Canticles for Dark Lovers.
A collection of 16 short stories written by Nolledo, Canticles serves as a follow-up to Exploding Galaxies’ 2023 reprint of the author’s sole fiction novel, But for the Lovers.
The stories within Canticles were initially published from 1955 to 1971, spanning the early years of Nolledo’s career to his time at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where he wrote But for the Lovers. The stories range from violent to tender, including scenes of a bloody lovers’ quarrel, filial piety gone wrong, and more.
“We focused primarily on the years before the publication of But for the Lovers,” Exploding Galaxies publisher Mara Coson told Rolling Stone Philippines, “We’ve also included previously uncollected stories that he had written for the Free Press and other magazines.”
An early version of But for the Lovers, titled “Of Things Guadalupe,” will be included in the collection, along with a foreword specially written for Canticles by Blanca D. Nolledo, the late author’s wife.
“Wilfrido… would probably prefer being remembered as a writer who echoed truths in life for all seasons, for all generations of writers,” she wrote.
Nolledo was born in Manila in 1933. His short stories earned him recognition from both the Philippines Free Press Literary Awards and the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards, especially for works such as Adios, Ossimandas, Rice Wine, and Kayumanggi, Mon Amour. His first and only published novel, But for the Lovers, was released in the U.S. by E.P. Dutton in 1970. The title received a Philippine release only in 2023, when it was republished by Exploding Galaxies. In 2024, the novel received a nod at the National Book Awards, where it was nominated for Best Novel in English. It also earned a special citation from the awarding body during the awards night.
According to Coson, Exploding Galaxies’ main objective for publishing Canticles was to present Nolledo’s different styles and voices as a writer. “Our goal was to really show [Nolledo’s] range… and his varied approaches to the short story,” she said. “We opened the collection with the short story ‘Of Things Guadalupe’ because it was so fascinating that it later became the beginning of the But for the Lovers prologue! We also decided, at the very end, to throw in a surprise, sci-fi story, that then brought this collection — as with our name and what we like to do — to outer space!”
Canticles for Dark Lovers will officially launch on May 9. Copies of the book will be available for purchase on May 11 via the Exploding Galaxies website, Shopee, Lazada, and in bookstores around the Philippines.
