Favorite Indonesian Author

To start of discussion. Who is yours and why?

Of course Pramoedya Ananta Toer, one of the great 20-th century writers. But I have to say I didn't read any other Indonesian writer. For travelwriting look at Alfred Russell Wallace and Birute Galdikas.

Hi there,

Glad to know that you like him as I do. Apart from his Buru Quartet I also like his short stories "Those who are Wounded" (originally: "Mereka Yang Dilumpuhkan") which I don't think has been translated yet.

If you are interested in other of his book as well as other Indonesian writer you can find them at

Lontar Foundation Publishing:
http://www.lontar.org/publications/titlelist.php

or

Equinox Publishing:
http://www.equinoxpublishing.com/

I have read Bumi Manusia by Pramoedya Ananta Toer. I started Anak Semua Bangsa but only got about half-way through it. Perhaps trying to read the whole quartet in Indonesian was too ambitious.

For light reading I like S. Mara GD's mysteries. Although some people might find the plots in the mysteries are quite simplistic, the language isn't too difficult so I can follow them.

Hi everyone,

I'm exposed to Indonesian literature since primary school (I'm Malaysian), but the first serious Indonesian author I read was Pramoedya Ananta Toer. Our ex-Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, when he was jailed once wrote that reading House of Glass gave him some calm to face the imprisonment, which prompt me to find the book and read it. But so far, I love Cerita dari Blora the most. Also read Abrar Yusra Tanah Ombak which won MASTERA literature award in 2002 if I'm not mistaken. Indonesian poets, Chairil Anwar and Prof Dr Sapardi Djoko Damono are among those I admire.

It is really nice to know about the appreciation from our "close relatives - Malaysian" :=)
Story about Anwar Ibrahim is really interesting. Thanks for sharing it.

BTW Sapardi is also one of my favorite. Have you read his "Hujan Bulan Juni" ?

Foolishbrat, sad to say I haven't. In fact, I own none of his collection of poems. I only read the poems online, but I must say I really really like them.

I have really enjoyed reading Pram. I also had the chance to meet him some months before he died. He seemed very tired, but he was a good companion.
I can also suggest Ayu Utami and i'm eagerly waiting for a translotion of Nukila Amal's book Cala ibi.
A good read is Ahmad Tohari who wrote among others 3 books on a Ronggeng dancer.