The Journal of an Unknown Knight

The Journal of an Unknown Knight begins in the Philippines in 1944, the year the author was born, and then spans a period of 65 years, up through March 2009. The first part of the book relates Jose Alejandrino's early years in Europe and the United States. Since his father was a diplomat, Alejandrino left the Philippines when he was seven years old. He was schooled in Bangkok, Madrid, England, Pakistan, Paris and New York City. He now lives in a small mountain village near Marbella on the southern coast of Spain. As a boy, he read Thomas Malory's King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table, which had a big impact. I fantasized myself as one of Arthur's knights and it remained embedded in my mind. Alejandrino published his first book in 1981. As a journalist with the Manila Chronicle, he had a column called Rosebud. The author has come to finally understand his life's quest, and through it, the significance of the Holy Grail. Alejandrino would have written this book long ago if he had not promised Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos that he would not reveal certain things that happened prior to and during his presidency. But over 10 years have passed since Ramos left power. I feel it's time to tell the story. The world and the Filipino people have a right to know what really happened. He adds, I fulfilled my obligations as a knight. I fought good battles and remained true to myself. Jose B. Alejandrino graduated from Co--lumbia College, Columbia University in New York, USA. He was chief of admin--istration of the External Relations Sector of the United Nations Educational, Sci--entific and Cultural Organization in Paris, France, and, on his return to the Philip--pines, worked as a journalist in the Ma--nila Chronicle. He served as Presidential Assistant for Economic Affairs with the rank of Assistant Secretary of State, as Chairman of the Philippine Coordinating Committee on the Asian Development Bank and as Permanent Representative on the Export Development Council during the administration of Philippine Pres--ident Fidel V. Ramos. He has dual Philippine-Spanish nationality and resides in Spain. He is now a born-again Christian and a member of Calvary Chapel.