“Anak ini Mau Mengencingi Jakarta?”

Kompas’ annual best short story anthology, consisting of work printed by the paper throughout 2015.

This year’s best short story anthology was given the title “Anak Ini Mau Mengencingi Jakarta?” (“This Kid Wants to Urinate all over Jakarta?”).

The book contains the works of 23 writers spanning four generations of the Indonesian literary tradition, namely Agus Noor, Ahmad Tohari, AK Basuki, Anggun Prameswari, Budi Darma, Dewi Ria Utari, Djenar Maesa Ayu, Faisal Oddang, Gde Aryantha Soethama, Guntur Alam, Gus TF Sakai, Indra Tranggono, Joko Pinurbo, Jujur Prananto, Martin Aleida, Miranda Seftiana, Ni Komang Ariani, Oka Rusmini, Putu Wijaya, Seno Gumira Ajidarma, Tawakal M Iqbal, Triyanto Triwikromo and Warih Wisatsana.

The anthology is named after the year’s best short story, written by veteran literary writer Ahmad Tohari, famous for his Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk trilogy (translated by the Lontar foundation with the title of The Dancer). Anak Ini Mau Mengencingi Jakarta? depicts the life of a poor family living beside the train tracks in the Senen area of Central Jakarta in meticulous detail, which can be seen in the writer’s description of them as a raw instant noodle-eating family of three.¹

1. Jakarta Post ↩