TOM SYKES is the English author of  "The Realm of the Punisher | Travels In Duterte's Philippines" and the forthcoming "Imagining Manila | Literature, Empire and Orientalism."

HE's a veteran writer, editor, and University of Portsmouth senior lecturer who's written satire to short fiction, reportage to travel narrative. But his essay travel writings about the Philippines, the Ivory Coast, and Malaysia, are the best ones among his works, conjuring up Paul Theroux, Philip Caputo, and Alex Garland when he was still firing full clip. 

TOM doesn't have a particular beat and is comfortable almost everywhere, discussing diverse subjects with a range of people, from squatters and activists, writers like F. Sionil Jose and Charlson Ong, or a politician like Teddy Casino. He also went to Davao to try and secure an interview with then-mayor Duterte.

ON this episode of THE DEAD DROP, Tom talks about his fascination for the Philippines, why he stayed for almost a decade in the archipelago, and how  readers may be surprised that "Realm of the Punisher" isn't a book of political critique but rather about Tom's travels, interviews, and ruminations when he was a Western stranger living in the strange land of Quezon City. 

FOLLOW Tom's work online at https://tomgsykes.wordpress.com/.

CONTAINS sound samples from "Cottonmouth" by Surrogate Prey. Used with permission. Check out their music on Bandcamp. 

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