Reader’s Choice: Celine Lopez Magsanoc
Honestly, what a person reads often mirrors the chapters of a life they’re living. Some books shape childhoods, while others encourage a love for reading. Some stories bring joy, while others reflect the grief of losing beloved pets. And some become references for important milestones—guides for the pages yet to be written.
For Celine Lopez Magsanoc, a multihyphenate who wears many hats and reads just as much, books have been a companion in her journey as a writer, film producer, entrepreneur, and mother. Now, having written her own book, “Living Things,” and working with Joseph Pascual, she shifts the narrative there toward what she calls “a side of the Philippines that the design world rarely sees.”
I asked Celine to talk about the books that guide, inspire, and shape her life. Here’s what she has to say.
1. What book are you reading now?
“Yves Saint Laurent at Home” by Jacques Grange. I’m currently renovating my apartment.
2. What’s your favorite book?
Currently “Forever Dog.” I think I’ve read it three times. I’ve been cursed with losing my dogs at a young age. This book is a game-changer for any dog owner.
3. What book changed your life and why?
“The Sensuous Woman” that my mom strangely hid inside the seat of our piano. I was 10 years old.
4. If you had one book you would like in your library, what would it be?
“Once Upon a Time” by Slim Aarons. It always makes me happy.
5. Which author would you want to have dinner with, and why?
Jackie Collins for every obvious reason.
6. What’s your favorite library in the world? If not a library, which bookstore?
Archivo, which is owned by my husband Marti. My favorite place on Earth.
