[hide for="!logged"]‘When the Japanese were in power, I realized that the Dutch East Indies with all of its aristocratic ways, was finished. I must have the guts to say goodbye to it. And whatever fate befalls me, I will remain here.’ On August 17, 1945, almost immediately after the Japanese … [Read more...]
‘O’ a dangerous tale on The Law of the Jungle
April 1, 2017 by
Charles Darwin defined The Law of the Jungle as “the principle that those who are strong and apply ruthless self-interest will be most successful”. The jungle is a place full of competition and individuals fighting for their survival where species defend their spot in the food chain and participate … [Read more...]
Suti
March 31, 2017 by
Can a woman ever choose? Can a woman ever be powerful enough to say no to the fate life has forced on them? Suti, Sapardi Djoko Damono’s recently published novel, reflects these questions and their possible answers. Set in 1960s’ Solo, the book largely describes Javanese society with all their local … [Read more...]
Sepotong Senja untuk Pacarku
March 31, 2017 by
Add a poetic style to surrealism and you’ll get beautiful narratives contained in Sepotong Senja untuk Pacarku. First published in 2002, and then later in a new edition in 2016, this book by senior Indonesian writer Seno Gumira Ajidarma brings to the reader a whole new reading experience like … [Read more...]
Indonesian Local Culture in Literature: Past and Present
March 31, 2017 by
Not so long ago I had a chance to read two Indonesian books, one is a classic and one is contemporary, which are heavily laden with cultural values and traditions: Sitti Nurbaya by Marah Rusli, and Puya ke Puya by one of our young potential writers, Faisal Oddang. Interestingly, though written by … [Read more...]
