Marah Rusli's novel Sitti Nurbaja was published first by Balai Pustaka in. 1922. It was by far the most popular of Indonesian novels prior to the second world war and still retained a great deal of popularity after it. This is common knowledge. That it is also a novel which has, as yet, not had its … [Read more...]
Sitti Nurbaya
January 17, 2021 by
Sitti Nurbaya -- Nurbaya, also called Nur, is the teenage heroine of the story; 'Sitti' a not-age-specific female honorific (i.e. -- but not quite -- both 'Miss' and 'Ma'am') -- is subtitled: A Love Unrealized, which kind of gives away where this story is headed. From its beginning, Sitti … [Read more...]
The Book of Jakarta
January 16, 2021 by
The Book of Jakarta is the latest addition to the Reading the City series from Comma Press, presenting ten short stories based in the Indonesian capital. The stories that make up the collection share connected ideals, but each still offers a unique perspective on Jakarta, ranging from the political … [Read more...]
A Close Reading Of Eka Kurniawan’s Suspense-Building In ‘Man Tiger’
January 16, 2021 by
The closing lines of this 2016 Man Booker International Prize-nominated novel by Eka Kurniawan reads: “Marry my mother and she’ll be happy.” Anwar Sadat shook his head nervously. and his reply came out brokenly. “That’s impossible, you know I have a wife and daughters,” Something in his … [Read more...]
SESP junior Natasha Sondakh prepares to publish debut novel exploring Indonesian identity
January 15, 2021 by
In just four months, Natasha Sondakh (SESP ’22) wrote her debut novel, “She Smells of Turmeric,” while juggling classes and learning how to market her book. The fictional novel follows an Indonesian-American girl who moves to Indonesia after her father’s death. As she experiences Indonesian … [Read more...]
