English novelist Mary Shelley once said, “Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.” And books written by women writers have always been such — with fearless and candid expressions of desire, they display a powerful intent and refusal to flinch under the male gaze. And with International … [Read more...]

There's never been a better time to be an Indonesian writer, says the singer-songwriter and bestselling author of Supernova Dee Lestari, as she recommends five fascinating works of contemporary Indonesian literature. — Is it a good time to be a writer in Indonesia? It is. Many things still … [Read more...]

This month’s translated works included a debut fiction collection from an Indonesian poet, an award-winning classic of Japanese crime fiction, and the latest work from the secret Italian superstar, Elena Ferrante. Happy Stories, Mostly by Norman Erikson Pasaribu (tranlated from Indonesian by … [Read more...]

Last year, I compiled this list of short story collections by Asian authors, declaring 2021 the year of the short story. But as it turns out, my reading habit continues to show no signs of coming back in full force any time soon, so for better or for worse, perhaps it will actually be the decade of … [Read more...]

Happy #WITMonth! To celebrate this special occasion, we've chosen eleven books you won't want to miss by some of our favorite Asian women writers in the WWB archives. From Indonesia, Macau, Vietnam, India, and more, these titles range across genres and themes, delving into questions of migration, … [Read more...]