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The knack: Jesse Q. Sutanto has a knack for writing stories brimming with humor, but her greatest strength is her versatility. (Courtesy of Donny Wu)

Books

Jesse Q. Sutanto returns with cozy murder mystery

Slowly but surely building a reputation as one of the most prolific and versatile writers in the industry, Jesse Q. Sutanto’s new book Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers will be released on March 14.

2 years ago

Books

'Mountains More Ancient' sheds light on Indonesian slavery in South Africa

Author Isna Marifa discusses her time with the Cape Malay people and how it influenced her novel Mountains More Ancient. ...

2 years ago

Books

Understanding the impact of Pramoedya’s 'Buru Quartet'

Leading Australian expert on Indonesia Max Lane recounts late Indonesian literary giant Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s role in inspiring the downfall of former president Soeharto’s New Order regime through his Buru Quartet tetralogy ...

2 years ago

The Latest

Books

Book Review: Home Fire, thought-provoking read that questions morality

How far would you go for the person you love, even with obstacles like religion, time and politics?

7 years ago

British Pakistani author Kamila Shamsie.

Books

Interview: Kamila Shamsie talks about 'Home Fire', minorities and terrorism

A modern twist of Greek story Antigone, Home Fire in its heart is a family tragedy. In fewer than 300 pages, Shamsie provokes readers to re-examine views on terrorism, returning jihadist fighters, minorities and identity.

7 years ago

Wu Ming-yi, whose novel is nominated for the renowned Man Booker International Prize, said he will protest to the awards organizer for changing his nationality to 'Taiwan, China'.

Books

Writer protests Man Booker listing nationality as 'Taiwan, China'

A Taiwanese author whose novel is nominated for the renowned Man Booker International Prize said he will protest to the awards organizer for changing his nationality to "Taiwan, China".

7 years ago

Korean author Han Kang and translator Deborah Smith (L) pose for a photograph with The Vegetarian at a photocall in London on May 15, 2016, ahead of tomorrow's announcement of the winner of the 2016 Man Booker International Prize.

Books

A case against ‘creative’ translation of ‘The Vegetarian’

Literary translator and professor Kim Wook-dong asserted in his recently published article that the English version of the novel “The Vegetarian” has a significant number of mistranslations.

7 years ago

Preview shoppers at the Big Bad Wolf 2018 at ICE BSD, Tangerang, on March 28.

Books

Big Bad Wolf eyes 750,000 book shoppers

Returning for the third time, the 280-hour nonstop Big Bad Wolf book sale is aiming to attract at least 750,000 visitors this year.

7 years ago

Counterculture journalist Raka Ibrahim’s debut novel, Bagaimana Tuhan Menciptakan Cahaya (How God Created Light), is a collection of short stories inspired by popular Middle Eastern folktale collection One Thousand and One Nights.

Books

Raka Ibrahim: An ode to the classics

Bagaimana Tuhan Menciptakan Cahaya (How God Created Light), is a collection of short stories inspired by popular Middle Eastern folktale collection One Thousand and One Nights.

7 years ago

Books

Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje: The colonial strategist

Christiaan Snouck Hurgronye (1857-1936) was Holland’s most famous Orientalist and an expert on Islam. His rich writings are preserved in Leiden and much has been written about him and his works.

7 years ago

Books

Book Review: Neil Gaiman revamping old tales in 'Norse Mythology'

Understandably, the complexity of the stories and varying source materials make it hard to follow all the gods in Norse mythology. This is where Neil Gaiman comes in.

7 years ago

Challenges are what drive novelist Dewi 'Dee' Lestari and her latest novel, Aroma Karsa (Scents of Intention), is proof.

Books

Dee Lestari and her most challenging novel yet

Aroma Karsa, which is Dee’s 12th novel, tells a story of a young man named Jati Wesi who has an extraordinary sense of smell.

7 years ago

Celebrity makeup artist Bennu Sorumba’s new biography, titled Sleeping Beauty: The Story of Bennu Sorumba, is hard evidence that the profession proves to be a promising one — though not without sacrifice.

Books

'Sleeping Beauty' awakens interest in makeup

Celebrity makeup artist Bennu Sorumba’s new biography, titled Sleeping Beauty: The Story of Bennu Sorumba, is hard evidence that the profession proves to be a promising one — though not without sacrifice.

7 years ago

Books

Big Bad Wolf 2018 to offer Mandarin books

The Big Bad Wolf (BBW) book sale will return for a third time this year at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in BSD, Tangerang, for 12 days from March 29 to April 9. Having offered English and Indonesian books since the beginning, this year they will include Mandarin books as well.

7 years ago

A Spectral Tarsier, Tarsius spectrum, is spotted in Tangkoko National Park, North Sulawesi, in a large ficus tree.

Books

Photographer Riza Marlon launches a book on Indonesia’s endemic species

Riza Marlon - a photographer with a keen interest in the wilderness - launched his third book titled Wallace’s Living Legacy, at the auditorium of the National Library on Wednesday.

7 years ago

Indonesiaku: Suara Dari Tepi Sungai Ayung, by Jean Couteau

Books

Jean Couteau: Self-critique as a way of criticizing

Renowned art critic, curator and author Jean Couteau is a master of mocking without evoking the wrath of those being mocked.

7 years ago

Books

What to expect from Big Bad Wolf 2018 in March

Book enthusiasts have probably already marked their calendar for the return of the non-stop Big Bad Wolf (BBW) book sale at the Indonesian Convention Exhibition (ICE) in BSD, South Tangerang, Banten, from March 29 - April 9.

7 years ago

Books

Sales of online manga overtake book editions for 1st time

Sales of online manga comics in 2017 surpassed those of printed books for the first time, a Japanese industry research institute said Monday, highlighting a shift in readers' preferences.

7 years ago

The former's first lady's much awaited memoir will be released in North America on November this year.

Books

November release set for highly anticipated Michelle Obama memoir

A much-awaited memoir by former first lady Michelle Obama will be published in North America on November 13 and will appear simultaneously in 24 languages worldwide.

7 years ago

The author: Writer and journalist Dewi Anggraeni poses for a picture prior to the launching of her book in Melbourne, Australia.

Books

'My Pain, My Country': A detailed account of a rape victim

Many would remember the downfall of former president Soeharto but might forget the riots that occurred in many cities that precluded and followed his fall, particularly the mass rape.

7 years ago

Copies of the book 'Fire and Fury' by author Michael Wolff are displayed on a shelf at Book Passage on January 5, 2018 in Corte Madera, California.

Books

‘Fire and Fury’: Desperately seeking the truth about Donald Trump

It’s difficult to review a book as notorious as Fire and Fury.

7 years ago

The desk and typewriter at Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren's former home is pictured in Stockholm, Sweden, on November 13, 2015.

Books

Biopic explores secret scandal behind 'Pippi Longstocking'

A dark secret long held by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren led her to create one of the most beloved heroines of children's literature, Pippi Longstocking, according to a new biopic at the Berlin film festival.

7 years ago

Books

Big Bad Wolf returns to Jakarta in March

The annual Big Bad Wolf (BBW) book sale is set to return to Jakarta next month.

7 years ago

Reading literary works in Indonesian translation with local elements makes an enjoyable pastime, which is the case with the Asterix comic series translated from French by Maria Antonia Rahartati Bambang Haryo, aka Madame Asterix.

Books

Madame Asterix: Promoting local elements in literary translations

Literary translation is an art that requires local wisdom.

7 years ago

Jakarta offers a wide variety of durian, including peeled durian, durian pancake, durian juice, durian ice cream and durian sambal.

Books

Korean professor devotes book to durian in 'Happy Yummy Journey'

In her 2003 dissertation, Korean professor Eje Kimsaid she discovered the treasure of her life: the Indonesian durian.

7 years ago

The Indonesian version of "Rich People Problems" is scheduled to be released on March 12.

Books

Getting acquainted with ‘Rich People Problems’ cover illustrator

Author Kevin Kwan is set to release the Indonesian cover of Rich People Problems, the third book from the best-selling series Crazy Rich Asians.

7 years ago

Scottish author Claire McFall poses for AFP in Lesmahagow, south of Glasgow on Jan.25. McFall, a small-town schoolteacher has become an international literary sensation with more than a million sales in China and a Hollywood movie deal -- but remains relatively unknown in her homeland.

Books

Scottish author takes 'Ferrymania' from China to Hollywood

A small-town Scottish schoolteacher has become an international literary sensation with more than a million sales in China and a Hollywood movie deal -- but remains relatively unknown in her homeland.

7 years ago

The series, by Scottish professor John D. Greenwood, comes out ahead of Singapore's bicentennial celebrations next year, with its first volume Forbidden Hill kicking off with the arrival of the British on the island.

Books

100 years of early Singapore in new fiction series

Scottish writer John D. Greenwood's Forbidden Hill is the first of a six-volume epic series on Singapore.

7 years ago

Feby Indirani: For this audacious author, fiction gives her room to tell more sensitive stories.

Books

Feby Indirani: Writing religious parodies

For this audacious author, fiction gives her room to tell more sensitive stories.

7 years ago

Rights to Michael Wolff's book, an explosive behind-the-scenes account that questions the president's fitness for office, have been snapped up by Endeavor Content, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.

Books

'Fire and Fury' to get TV adaptation: reports

"Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House" -- the tell-all President Donald Trump has said is "full of lies" -- is to be adapted for television, US media reported Wednesday.

7 years ago

Books

Literacy expedition boosts children's reading interest

In villages adjacent to the Bukit Rimbang Bukit Baling Wildlife Sanctuary in Riau, books are still considered a luxury.

7 years ago

This file photo taken on June 11, 2014 shows French writer and jury member for the French literary prize Prix Sade, Catherine Millet posing in Paris.

Books

French author claims feminists want 'contract before sex'

One of the French writers behind the attack on the #MeToo movement launched a blistering new broadside Friday, claiming that some feminists will not be content until "you have to sign a contract with a lawyer before you can have sex."

7 years ago