In A Season in Hell, at the age of eighteen, the French poet Arthur Rimbaud predicted the rest of his life: 'My day is done; I'm leaving Europe. The sea air will burn my lungs; lost climes will tan my skin.' Three years later, in 1876, he joined the Royal Army of the Dutch Indies as an infantryman … [Read more...]
Writing Indonesia
Jakarta: A History
March 24, 2026 by
This first general history of the magnificent city of Jakarta covers four centuries to show that Jakarta's existence has been a constant clash between dream and reality. It traces the rise of this city from its early origins as a company town, through the Japanese occupation to Sukarno's rule and … [Read more...]
A History of Modern Indonesia
March 24, 2026 by
Although Indonesia has the fourth largest population in the world, its history is still relatively unknown. Adrian Vickers takes the reader on a journey across the social and political landscape of modern Indonesia, starting with the country's origins under the Dutch in the early twentieth-century, … [Read more...]
The Year of Living Dangerously
March 17, 2026 by
The year is 1965. The fiercely nationalistic government of the god-king Sukarno has brought Indonesia to the brink of chaos. Engulfed in the violence are Guy Hamilton, a Western journalist; Billy Kwan, his Chinese-Australian cameraman; and the young British woman they both love. Kwan's … [Read more...]
