TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Andrea quits writing after fourth novel
JP/Yuly Tri Suwarni BANDUNG: Bestselling author Andrea Hirata said he would not write another novel after completing the Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Warrior) tetralogy, with the release of the fourth book Maryamah Karpov in November
Change Size
JP/Yuly Tri Suwarni
BANDUNG: Bestselling author Andrea Hirata said he would not write another novel after completing the Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Warrior) tetralogy, with the release of the fourth book Maryamah Karpov in November.
The 33-year-old author said the popularity he gained from the success of his novels had become a burden to him.
"It turns out that popularity is scary. I don't feel comfortable receiving so much attention from people, perhaps that's because I'm just a kampong boy," he said.
As a writer, he said he feared the popularity would backlash and eclipse his literary achievements, especially if people read his novels because of his reputation, rather than for content quality.
"This is not to mention the created perception that 'Andrea Hirata is a good and smart preacher'. This is obviously a burden to me because I don't know if one day I won't be able to control myself and people would be shocked, (and say) 'Andrea turns out to be a bad guy'," he said.
Inspired by author Ahmad Tohari, who decided to leave behind an urban life to live in a tranquil village, Andrea said he also planned to return to his hometown of Bangka Belitong and serve society.
The first tree books of the tetralogy are Laskar Pelangi, Sang Pemimpi (The Dreamer) and Edensor. The first book is now a motion picture directed by renowned director Riri Reza and produced by Mira Lesmana. Since its release in September, the film has drawn more than three million viewers. -- JP/Yuli Tri Suwarni
