BROTHER Karl Gaspar, CSSR, is the most published Dabawenyo with 15 books to his name, a few of them coming one after the other in just the past two years, you'd wonder where he gets all the inspiration and tenacity.
Thus, as he ponders on turning 70 this June 8, he came out with yet another book, "A hundred years of gratitude" by homegrown Davao publisher Aletheia Publications.
As he said during the book launching at the Finster Auditorium last February 4, he has been blessed with friends who have made publishing books easy, like this latest one he launched that was edited by topnotch Davao journalist Carolyn Arguillas and Pamela Castrillo with cover design by equally topnotch Davao artist and art professor Abraham Garcia Jr., "practically for free."
But then, who would not want to be part of Bro. Karl's book publishing journey as he manages to chronicle just about everything that he focuses his sight on, may it be the lessons from Typhoon Yolanda to life with the indigenous peoples, and yes, this collection of column articles published in MindaNews, the independent online content producer headed by Carol A.
As fellow writer Rafael Gomez wrote in the note at the back cover of Bro. Karl's newest book, "Karl Gaspar's writing is like water gushing out of a punctured barrel; it just keeps flowing."
The first part of the book has his essays while the second part are contributions of friends through his seven decades about their encounters with and about him.
As always, the book launching had friends from various stages, from giggly senior high students of media literacy teacher EJ Hernandez, who is one of the contributors in the book, to elderly colleagues who share not just memories but advocacies with Bro. Karl.
Bro. Karl's "A hunded years of gratitude" is available at the Redemptorist registrar's office (behind the church in Bajada, Davao City, look for Ella), at the Daughters of St Paul bookstore infront of University of Mindanao Main Campus along Bolton Street, and c/o Danilo Agustin of the Philosophy Department of the Ateneo de Davao University for P250 per copy.
