), his stinginess, his romantic failures, and even his sketches and stamp collections. Key Themes and Insights

The title of Ocampo's book, "Rizal Without Overcoat", is a clever play on words, referencing the iconic portrait of Rizal wearing a coat, which has become an enduring image of the national hero. By removing the overcoat, Ocampo aims to reveal the more human side of Rizal, peeling away the layers of myth and legend that have accumulated over the years. Through a series of essays, Ocampo skillfully reconstructs Rizal's life, from his childhood in Calamba to his execution in Bagumbayan (now Rizal Park).

The title itself suggests the core purpose of the book. The "overcoat" represents the formal, monumentalized, and often stifling image of Rizal as a stiff nationalist icon. By removing it, Ocampo (an esteemed historian, columnist, and academic) takes us behind the scenes, offering a "human perspective".