Carlos Quirino, a Filipino biographer, is distinguished for having written one of the earliest biographies of the Philippines' national hero, Jose Rizal, entitled, The Great Malayan. His books and articles cover the Philippine history and culture. In 1997, President Fidel V. Ramos made historical literature a new category in the National Artist Award and Quirino was its first recipient. His other books include Quezon, Man of Destiny, Magsaysay of the Philippines, Lives of the Philippine Presidents, Philippine Cartography, The History of Philippine Sugar Industry, Filipino Heritage: The Making of a Nation, Filipinos at War: The Fight for Freedom from Mactan to EDSA.
