José Rizal (1861–1896) is known as the hero of the Philippines and the greatest champion of Filipino nationalism and independence. He angered the Spanish authorities with Noli Me Tangere and its sequel and was executed.

Harold Augenbraum has published seven books on Latino literature of the United States, translated Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca’s Chronicle of the Narváez Expedition, the Filipino novelist José Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo for Penguin Classics, and with Ilan Stavans, the forthcoming The Plain in Flames by Juan Rulfo.