“Without a Brother” tells the story of two sons of a wealthy Cebuano family, whose world is shattered when war breaks out in 1898, pushing the two brothers to join a rebel group. As the Philippine-American War begins, their paths diverge: one marries while the other becomes a revolutionary and faces multiple arrests, imprisonment, and failed relationships, eventually turning into a labor leader. The brothers’ relationship ultimately deteriorates and the two become estranged.

This book, originally in Cebuano titled “Walay Igsoon,” was written in 1912 by Juan Villagonzalo, known as the first Cebuano novelist during the American period. He was a staunch advocate for the Cebuano language. He was one of the writers of “Ang Suga,” a newspaper for the prominent Cebuano writers of the time.

This current edition is translated and edited by Dr. Hope Sabanpan-Yu, a full professor of Comparative Literature at the University of San Carlos where she also serves as the Cebuano Studies Center director.