Born Lumajang, Jawa Timur (Apr 01, 1981), currently resides in Jakarta
Personal Web http://agustinuswibowo.com
Social Goodreads Twitter
A travel writer whose travel experiences have taken him through Asia to the Middle East. He is fascinated by cultures and traditions and is curious about how the world works as one when it is constantly divided by history and culture. He prefers to travel overland when he can and once entered Tibet illegally by pretending to be a Chinese citizen. He also volunteered to help victims of a natural disaster in Kashmir, before deciding on a career in photojournalism and taking on an assignment in war-torn Afghanistan.
His first book, considered a masterpiece by many, was “Selimut Debu“ (A Blanket of Dust) and chronicles his journey in Afghanistan. It was followed by “Garis Batas” (Borderlines: A Journey Through Central Asia), which examines issues of borderlines across ex-Soviet republics, including psychological borders and the search for national identity.
Most recently, in “Titik Nol” (Point Zero), he has pioneered a new genre in Indonesian travel literature by allowing readers to experience the writer’s physical, spiritual and emotional journey as they contemplate their own conflicts and anxieties. As Agustinus recounts his final hours with his dying mother, and honours her journey toward the afterlife, the reader is given time for personal reflection. Parallel storylines between mother and son provide unusual insights.
Agustinus Wibowo’s contemplative approach toward other cultures and peoples has gained him a large following among readers and fellow writers. He has also set the a standard on what it means to be a travel writer in Indonesia.1
Currently, Zero is being adapted into a film, and he is working on a nonfiction book on nationalism in the Malay Archipelago.
Book(s)

Ground Zero
Journal
page(s), Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Titik Nol
(Zero Point)
568 page(s), Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Garis Batas: Perjalanan di Negeri-Negeri Asia Tengah
(Borders)
528 page(s), Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Selimut Debu
(Blanket of Dust)
Novel
468 page(s), Gramedia Pustaka Utama
Work(s) in Translation
A New World, A New Self, published in Asian Literature Project “YOMU”
What Media Say
Talking with Agustinus Wibowo: Syncretic Indonesia by Stefano Romano — Personal Blog (May 25, 2022)
Agustinus Wibowo: Making peace with identities by Dina Indrasafitri — Jakarta Post (Jul 17, 2017)
Agustinus Wibowo: Learning By Traveling by Annisa Dewi Yustita — Jakarta Globe (Nov 28, 2013)
Literary Magic in Bali by Don George — National Geographic (Nov 12, 2013)
Under the Skin: Agustinus Wibowo by Muhammad Fadli — Others (Nov 07, 2011)
Also Mentioned in ...
“Cemeteries Are Everyday Life”―Five Indonesian Writers Talk Pandemic Normality by Raka Ibrahim - Asia Center (Mar 08, 2022)
Online literary festivals connect people around the world by Sebastian Partogi Stevie Emilia - Jakarta Post (Dec 29, 2020)
Video(s)
Homecomings, Memoir & Landscapes—Kim Mahood & Agustinus Wibowo