A diverse list of books make up the latest round of PEN Translates award winners. These include new novels by László Krasznahorkai and Marie Darrieussecq; the debut short story collection by politician Selahattin Demirtaş, currently imprisoned in Turkey; a memoir by legendary Belgian filmmaker … [Read more...]
Is Indonesian Literature Written in English Still Indonesian Literature?
September 9, 2018 by
In 2015, a short story collection "Monsoon Tiger and Other Stories" by Indonesian author Rain Chudori was published by Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia (KPG), one of the biggest publishers of serious literature in Indonesia. The entire book was written originally in English. Rain published another … [Read more...]
In Indonesia: discovering the literature
August 14, 2018 by
Last week, I had lunch with my friend Laksmi in Covent Garden. She was on her way from Jakarta to Paris; I was just about to take a train to Lancaster where I was to read that evening. Laksmi, who has written both poetry and prose in English, decided a little over a year ago to write an epic novel … [Read more...]
Balai Pustaka, TVRI to make ‘Siti Nurbaya’ television series
August 8, 2018 by
Marah Rusli's classic novel Siti Nurbaya is set to grace the small screen, as state-owned publisher Balai Pustaka and television station TVRI get working on a modern adaptation with the aim of reintroducing the tale about arranged marriage to millennials. Speaking during the inauguration of the … [Read more...]
Indie bookstores emphasize curation
August 8, 2018 by
Scores of literature enthusiasts and artists crowded the newly renovated hall of Aksara bookstore in Kemang, South Jakarta, on Saturday evening as the retailer celebrated its recent collaboration with Post Santa Bookshop, also based in South Jakarta, to focus on alternative literature and serve as a … [Read more...]