Contents (1990 edition): Chapter 1. Burning down "mental colonies" (The faithful carabao -- Pro-Filipino Mark Twain -- Battle of Manila Bay a mismatch -- Trial by Kangaroo Court -- George Dewey, hero of Manila -- We don't need a Fil-Am day -- Postscript to friendship day -- The "Fall" of Manila -- And now, some "Good Americans" -- Brave black goes down to history -- Amusing moments of the Fil-Am war -- How Aguinaldo was duped -- Taking RP -- The white man's medicine -- Tragic "what if" in our history --Who needs enemies?) -- Chapter 2. Other people, places and possibilities (What might have been -- We could have been a German colony -- The other national anthem -- King failed to buy the Philippines -- Uproar over the flag -- We could have been under Portugal -- Did Japan offered to buy the Philippines? -- Bonifacio redux -- The right shade of blue) -- Chapter 3. From another window (Magellan's death -- 200 years of Balagtas : old questions, new answers -- When was Mabini born, really? -- First man to circle the globe a Filipino -- Three Tirad Pass versions -- This syllable could rewrite history -- Where on Earth was it said, really? -- Independence in six variations -- The controversy over Bonifacio's cry -- Heads Balintawak, tails Pugad Lawin : where did Bonifacio utter the first 'cry' -- The death of Bonifacio -- The eyes of history -- Rumors distort history) -- Chapter 4. A mouthful of words (The "Mala Cana" in Malacanang -- There's this womann named circumcision -- Terms of kinship -- Terms of endearment -- A country that had many names -- Names, places, and some changes -- The last word on Maynila -- How much for the mamon? -- Filipino cuss words -- Ay, Monai!) -- Chapter 5. More than concrete and stone 1 (personal glimpses) (Lopez Jaena, the forgotten hero -- The hot-blooded Antonio Luna -- On poetry and prayer -- Manuel L. Quezon, the way he was -- Kalaw on his tour of Tsarist Russia -- Christmas angst in Spain -- Mabini hated canned meat -- Mabini loved school, Aguinaldo didn't -- Christmas in the nineteenth century -- The first Pinoy TNT -- "Recuerdos de patay" -- Plaridel anecdotes -- The pain of a hero's family -- Great escapes -- "Bilib sila sa Pinoy!") -- Chapter 6. More than concrete and stone 2 (love lives) (The sad Hidalgo-Yrritia affair -- MacArthur and Dimples -- The governor and the feminist -- A song for Quezon's girlfriend -- Gregorio del Pilar was a playboy -- Andres Bonifacio's brave widow -- Who is Balagtas' Celia? -- This diplomat stood us his fiancee -- Was Luna a murderer or a man of honor? -- A king visited RP and fell in love -- Who was Juan Luna's La Bulaquena? -- Who did Luna pass off as his wife?) -- Chapter 7. More than concrete and stone 3 (lists, expenses and other miscellany) (How literate was Bonifacio? -- Two curiosities in Cavite Shrine -- Going through Antonio Luna's bags -- Why foreigners like it here? -- Piecing together Hidalgo's past -- History from accounting records -- Shopping in Hong Kong -- Ponce's RP expenses -- Aguinaldo's longevity as liability -- The Luna Brothers) -- Chapter 8. Sex trips back to history (Japanese prostitutes in RP -- Lead-heavy revelations -- Scandal half a century ago -- The "Benabays" of waterlilies -- Moral decadence in the 40s? -- Mabini was not syphilitic -- Amorsolo's earthy language -- What's new? -- Where were the bathroom? -- Circumcision is no laughing matter -- Sexcapade in Albay)

Contents (2010 edition): Gregorio del Pilar was a playboy -- A song for Quezon's girlfriend -- The governor and the feminist -- MacArthur and Dimples -- The sad Hidalgo-Yrritia affair -- Manuel L. Quezon, the way he was -- The hot-blooded Antonio Luna -- Rumors distort history -- Lopez Jaena, the forgotten hero -- "Recuerdos de patay" -- There's this woman named circumcision -- Ay, Monai! -- Filipino cuss words -- How much for the mamon? -- Did Japan offer to buy the Philippines? -- We could have been a German colony -- King failed to buy the Philippines -- A country that had many names -- Names, places, and some changes -- The last word on Maynila -- The "Mala Caña" in Malacañang -- Who was Juan Luna's La Bulaqueña? -- Who did Luna pass off as his wife? -- A king visited RP and fell in love -- This diplomat stood up his fiancée -- Who is Balagtas' Celia? -- Andres Bonifacio's brave widow

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