Budi Darma’s narrative is always a place where readers will find the darkest sides of human beings: hatred, envy, spitefulness, loneliness, indifference, anger, obsession, resentment. If anyone ever read his works before (for example: Hotel Tua, Kritikus Adinan, or Olenka), they’ll know right away … [Read more...]
We Rise, We Heal, We Resist
May 19, 2022 by
With its diverse ethnicities and cultures, Indonesia has celebrated gender diversity even before the country's independence. This is indicated by the existence of five genders in the Bugis (South Sulawesi) tradition, namely: Makunrai (female), Oroane (Male), Calabai (Male with women soul), Calalai … [Read more...]
People from Bloomington: A Short Story Collection from Indonesia
May 19, 2022 by
The Indonesian writer Budi Darma came to Bloomington, in 1974. Like so many people who come to Bloomington, he was here for school. He was already an established literary figure in Indonesia, as a writer of absurdist short stories. He came here to get a Master’s degree in creative writing, then a … [Read more...]
An Interview with May Curator Cynthia Dewi Oka
May 18, 2022 by
Cynthia Dewi Oka is the May poetry curator for Zócalo. The Indonesian-born poet, community organizer, and teacher is the author of four poetry collections, including the forthcoming A Tinderbox in Three Acts. Currently, she is a Poet in Residence at the Amy Clampitt House in Lenox, Massachusetts. We … [Read more...]
Gelombang, a Novel by Dee Lestari
May 18, 2022 by
As expected, Dee Lestari novels always captivated me. I’m amazed by her ability of stringing words to parse complicated understandings into a more easy to grasp sentences. All those theories about dream world are laid out clearly so the story could easily be enjoyed. The spiritual journey of the … [Read more...]
