Agustinus Wibowo
Writer
Personal Web http://agustinuswibowo.com
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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
In the Headlines

Asia Center / As Seen On
Mar 08, 2022
At a Glance
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