Touch Me Not

Touch Me Not (1887) is a novel by José Rizal. Published in Berlin, the novel was originally conceived as a collaborative project to be written by a group of Filipino nationalist writers living in Madrid. Disappointed in his comrades’ lack of engagement, however, Rizal wrote the novel alone, blending aspects of his own life story with his critique of Spanish imperialism in the Philippines. Banned by Spanish authorities, the novel was smuggled into his home country, where it quickly galvanize...