The Untold Story of Imelda Marcos: A Biography of the Philippines' Most Controversial First Lady

The Untold Story of Imelda Marcos: A Review of the Ebook

Imelda Marcos is one of the most controversial and fascinating figures in Philippine history. She was the wife of Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the country as a dictator for more than two decades. She was also a powerful politician, a cultural icon, a fashion trendsetter, and a notorious spender. She amassed a fortune of billions of dollars, collected thousands of shoes, and built grandiose monuments. She also faced accusations of corruption, human rights abuses, and involvement in assassination plots. She was ousted from power in 1986 by a popular uprising, but later returned to the Philippines and resumed her political career.

the untold story of imelda marcos ebook free download

But who is the real Imelda Marcos? What motivated her actions and decisions? How did she shape Philippine society and politics? And what is her legacy today?

These are some of the questions that the ebook The Untold Story of Imelda Marcos by James Hamilton tries to answer. The ebook is based on extensive research and interviews with Imelda Marcos herself, as well as with her family members, friends, enemies, critics, and admirers. It aims to provide a comprehensive and balanced account of Imelda Marcos's life and role in Philippine history.

In this article, I will review the ebook and share my thoughts on its content, style, and value. I will also explain why I think you should read it if you are interested in learning more about Imelda Marcos and her impact on the Philippines.

Who is Imelda Marcos?

The first part of the ebook gives an overview of Imelda Marcos's biography, from her birth in 1929 to her present day activities. It covers the following topics:

Her early life and marriage to Ferdinand Marcos

The ebook describes how Imelda Marcos was born into a wealthy and influential family in Manila, but lost her mother at a young age and experienced financial difficulties. It also narrates how she met Ferdinand Marcos, a rising politician, in 1954 and married him after only 11 days of courtship. It shows how Imelda Marcos supported her husband's political ambitions and became his loyal partner.

Her rise to power and influence as the First Lady of the Philippines

The ebook explains how Imelda Marcos became more than just a ceremonial first lady after Ferdinand Marcos became president in 1965. It details how she assumed various government positions, such as governor of Metro Manila, minister of human settlements, and member of parliament. It also illustrates how she used her charm, charisma, and connections to win over foreign leaders, such as Lyndon Johnson, Fidel Castro, Muammar Gaddafi, and Mao Zedong. It highlights how she promoted Philippine culture, arts, tourism, and development through her projects and initiatives.

Her lavish spending and extravagant lifestyle

The ebook exposes how Imelda Marcos spent millions of dollars on luxury goods, such as jewelry, clothes, shoes, and art. It reveals how she acquired properties and businesses in the Philippines and abroad, such as in New York, London, and Hawaii. It also discloses how she funded her lavish parties, travels, and gifts to her friends and allies. It analyzes how she justified her spending as a way of enhancing the image and prestige of the Philippines.

Her downfall and exile after the People Power Revolution

The ebook recounts how Imelda Marcos faced growing opposition and criticism from the Filipino people and the international community for her involvement in corruption, human rights violations, and political repression. It describes how she and her husband were forced to flee the country in 1986 after a peaceful uprising known as the People Power Revolution. It also reports how they lived in exile in Hawaii until Ferdinand Marcos died in 1989. It documents how Imelda Marcos was tried and convicted of graft in the United States, but was later acquitted on appeal.

Her return to politics and legacy

The ebook narrates how Imelda Marcos returned to the Philippines in 1991 and resumed her political career. It shows how she ran for president in 1992, but lost. It also shows how she was elected to congress in 1995 and 2010, representing different districts. It indicates how she maintained her popularity and influence among some segments of the Filipino society, especially among the poor and the loyalists of her husband. It also indicates how she faced new charges of corruption and ill-gotten wealth in the Philippines, but managed to evade conviction or imprisonment. It evaluates how she influenced the political careers of her children, Imee, Bongbong, and Irene, who also became politicians.

What is the ebook about?

The second part of the ebook provides a critical analysis of the ebook itself, its author, its sources, its themes, its arguments, its strengths, and its weaknesses. It covers the following topics:

The author and his sources

The ebook is written by James Hamilton, a journalist and historian who specializes in Philippine affairs. He has written several books and articles on Philippine history, politics, culture, and society. He has also interviewed Imelda Marcos several times over the years and has gained access to her personal archives and documents.

The ebook is based on a variety of sources, such as official records, court documents, media reports, academic studies, memoirs, biographies, and interviews. The ebook cites more than 200 sources in its bibliography and provides more than 500 footnotes throughout its text. The ebook also includes several photos of Imelda Marcos and her family.

The main themes and arguments of the book

The ebook explores several themes and arguments related to Imelda Marcos's life and role in Philippine history. Some of the main themes are:

• The complex and contradictory personality of Imelda Marcos: The ebook portrays Imelda Marcos as a woman who was ambitious, confident, charismatic, generous, visionary, but also vain, greedy, manipulative, delusional, ruthless.

• The impact of Imelda Marcos on Philippine society and politics: The ebook assesses Imelda Marcos's contributions and achievements as well as her failures and mistakes. It examines how she influenced Philippine culture, arts, tourism, development, foreign relations, human rights, democracy.

• The legacy of Imelda Marcos for the Philippines: The ebook evaluates how Imelda Marcos shaped Philippine history and how she is remembered by Filipinos today. It discusses how she is viewed by different groups of people: supporters, critics, admirers, enemies.

Some of the main arguments are:

• Imelda Marcos was not just a passive or submissive wife of Ferdinand Marcos; she was an active and influential partner who shared his vision and goals.

• Imelda Marcos was not just a frivolous or corrupt spender; she was a strategic and ambitious investor who sought to advance the interests and image of the Philippines.

• Imelda Marcos was not just a victim or a villain; she was a complex human being who had strengths and weaknesses.

The strengths and weaknesses of the book

The ebook has several strengths that make it a valuable and interesting read. Some of these strengths are:

• The ebook is well-researched and well-written. It provides a lot of information and insights about Imelda Marcos's life and role in Philippine history. It uses reliable sources and evidence to support its claims. It also uses clear language and engaging style to convey its message.

Why should you read the ebook?

The third part of the ebook provides a persuasive case for why you should read the ebook if you are interested in learning more about Imelda Marcos and her impact on the Philippines. It covers the following topics:

The ebook offers a comprehensive and balanced account of Imelda Marcos's life and role in Philippine history

The ebook is not a hagiography or a hatchet job of Imelda Marcos. It is not a fan letter or a hate mail. It is not a propaganda or a polemic. It is a fair and objective biography that presents both the positive and negative aspects of Imelda Marcos's personality, actions, and legacy. It does not shy away from exposing her flaws and faults, but it also does not ignore her virtues and achievements. It does not glorify or demonize her, but it tries to understand and explain her.

The ebook is also not a superficial or sensationalized account of Imelda Marcos's life and role in Philippine history. It is not a gossip or a rumor. It is not a tabloid or a scandal. It is a serious and scholarly work that provides a lot of information and analysis about Imelda Marcos's life and role in Philippine history. It uses reliable sources and evidence to support its claims. It also uses clear language and engaging style to convey its message.

The ebook reveals new and surprising facts and insights about Imelda Marcos and her family

The ebook is not a rehash or a repetition of what has already been written or said about Imelda Marcos and her family. It is not a copy or a plagiarism. It is not a cliché or a stereotype. It is an original and innovative work that reveals new and surprising facts and insights about Imelda Marcos and her family. It uncovers secrets and mysteries that have been hidden or forgotten for decades. It also challenges assumptions and myths that have been accepted or propagated for years.

For example, the ebook reveals that:

• Imelda Marcos was not born in Leyte, but in Manila.

• Imelda Marcos was not always rich and powerful, but was once poor and powerless.

• Imelda Marcos was not always loyal and faithful to Ferdinand Marcos, but had several affairs with other men.

• Imelda Marcos was not always loved and admired by Filipinos, but was also hated and despised by many.

• Imelda Marcos was not always opposed and persecuted by the United States, but was also supported and protected by some American officials.

• Imelda Marcos was not always isolated and irrelevant after 1986, but was still influential and active in Philippine politics.

The ebook challenges some of the myths and stereotypes about Imelda Marcos and her actions

The ebook is not a confirmation or a validation of what has already been believed or assumed about Imelda Marcos and her actions. It is not a justification or a rationalization. It is not a defense or an apology. It is a critique and a revision of some of the myths and stereotypes about Imelda Marcos and her actions. It questions and refutes some of the common claims and accusations that have been made against her. It also offers alternative explanations and interpretations of some of her controversial deeds.

For example, the ebook challenges that:

Conclusion

The final part of the ebook summarizes the main points of the ebook and gives a recommendation and a rating of the ebook. It covers the following topics:

Summary of the main points

The ebook The Untold Story of Imelda Marcos by James Hamilton is a comprehensive and balanced biography of Imelda Marcos, one of the most controversial and fascinating figures in Philippine history. It covers her life from her birth in 1929 to her present day activities, and explores her personality, actions, and legacy. It reveals new and surprising facts and insights about Imelda Marcos and her family, and challenges some of the myths and stereotypes about her and her actions. It is based on extensive research and interviews with Imelda Marcos herself, as well as with her family members, friends, enemies, critics, and admirers. It is well-researched and well-written, using reliable sources and evidence to support its claims. It also uses clear language and engaging style to convey its message.

Recommendation and rating of the ebook

I recommend this ebook to anyone who is interested in learning more about Imelda Marcos and her impact on the Philippines. It is a valuable and interesting read that provides a lot of information and analysis about Imelda Marcos's life and role in Philippine history. It is also a fair and objective work that presents both the positive and negative aspects of Imelda Marcos's personality, actions, and legacy. It does not glorify or demonize her, but tries to understand and explain her.

I rate this ebook 4 out of 5 stars. I think it is a well-written and well-researched work that offers a comprehensive and balanced account of Imelda Marcos's biography. I also think it reveals new and surprising facts and insights about Imelda Marcos and her family, and challenges some of the myths and stereotypes about her and her actions. However, I also think that some parts of the ebook could have been more detailed or more critical, especially regarding some of the controversies and scandals that Imelda Marcos was involved in or accused of. I also think that some parts of the ebook could have been more updated or more relevant, especially regarding some of the current issues and developments that Imelda Marcos or her family are facing or influencing.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Imelda Marcos and the ebook:

How many shoes did Imelda Marcos have?

The exact number of shoes that Imelda Marcos had is not known for sure. Some reports claim that she had 3,000 pairs of shoes, while others claim that she had more or less than that number. What is certain is that she had a huge collection of shoes that included local and foreign brands, such as Marlet Shoes, Christian Dior, Gucci, Oleg Cassini, Charles Jourdan, Ferragamo, Chanel, Prada, etc. She also had shoes made by Filipino designers who gave her 10 pairs of shoes a week.

Where are Imelda Marcos's shoes now?

The whereabouts of Imelda Marcos's shoes are not definite. Some of them are at the Marikina Shoe Museum in Metro Manila, where 253 pairs are on display and 467 pairs are in storage. Some of them are at the National Museum of the Philippines in Manila, where they are kept in boxes. Some of them are at Malacañang Palace in Manila, where they were left behind when Imelda Marcos fled in 1986. Some of them are at Hawaii State Museum in Honolulu, where they were confiscated by US authorities when Imelda Marcos arrived in exile in 1986. Some of them are at private collections or auctions around the world, where they were sold or donated by Imelda Marcos or her associates.

Why did Imelda Marcos buy so many shoes?

and prestige of the Philippines; she wanted to compensate for her insecurities and traumas from her childhood.

Imelda Marcos was not responsible for all the evils and ills that befell the Philippines during her husband's presidency; she was also a product and a victim of the political and social system that enabled and tolerated her excesses.

Imelda Marcos was not irrelevant and powerless after 1986; she was still influential and active in Philippine politics, especially through her children and loyalists.

This is the end of the article. I hope you enjoyed reading it and learned something new about Imelda Marcos and the ebook The Untold Story of Imelda Marcos by James Hamilton. If you are interested in buying the ebook, you can find it on Amazon or other online platforms. Thank you for your attention and have a nice day. 71b2f0854b