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Jakarta Post
The educators: Kartini (right) and her sisters Roekmini, Kartinah and Soemarti as teachers, pose for a photo, believed to be taken in Jepara, Central Java, 1903. (Courtesy of Leiden University)
The educators: Kartini (right) and her sisters Roekmini, Kartinah and Soemarti as teachers, pose for a photo, believed to be taken in Jepara, Central Java, 1903. (Courtesy of Leiden University)
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UNESCO recognizes Kartini's letters as a Memory of the World

Through letters she wrote to her pen pals, Kartini expressed bold ideas on issues such as girls' access to education, opposition to polygamy and resistance to forced and child marriage.

3 weeks ago
Books

Authors hold protest against Meta for 'stealing' work to train AI

Writers chanted "Meta, Meta, book thieves" as they made their way to the Meta building, with some carrying placards reading "I'd write a sign but you'd steal it" and "Get the Zuck off our books", in reference to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

1 month ago
Books

Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s encyclopedia website officially launched

The platform, which includes photographs, archives and a list of Pramoedya’s works, marks the centennial commemoration of his life and legacy.

1 month ago

The Latest

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Historian Anthony Reid on the allure of fiction

Prominent historian of Southeast Asia, Anthony Reid, uses the opportunity to look at the past creatively – through a somewhat romanticized lens – in his first novel.

6 years ago
Books

‘Lelaki di Tengah Hujan’ portrays history of 1998 student movement

The novel shares a glimpse into the lives of student activists in the 1990s, the movement of which later triggered the beginning of the Reform Era in 1998 and resignation of then-president Soeharto.

6 years ago
Books

'Gus Dur on Religion, Democracy and Peace’: Showcasing an Indonesian intellectual

The Gusdurians – the young followers of Indonesia’s fourth President, the late Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid – have offered his thinking to a wider audience by translating 13 of his essays into English and published them in a book.

6 years ago
Books

Between humor and violence: Seno Gumira’s quest for truth

Seno Gumira Ajidarma, took the opportunity to speak about the important role literature can play when a country goes through trying times during the Author of the Day program at this year’s London Book Fair.

6 years ago
Books

HarperCollins to publish 'an unconventional biography' of Karl Lagerfeld

American publishing behemoth HarperCollins has given the green light to "an unconventional biography" of late designer and CHANEL creative director Karl Lagerfeld, who died on February 19.

6 years ago
Books

23 Indonesian titles sold, interest expressed in 408 more at London Book Fair

Indonesia closes its participation at the 2019 London Book Fair with 23 rights sold on the spot. Various publishers from 12 countries have expressed interests for 408 book titles.

6 years ago
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‘Bandit Saints of Java’: Where Islam meets local history

“The stories are usually wildly unhistorical but also dramatic, wacky, poignant, funny, kitschy, uplifting, invariably fantastic yet often revelatory and profoundly true. Few of them are single-track narratives.”

6 years ago
Books

Alicia Keys' memoir set to release in November

Alicia Keys' first book is to be published by Oprah Winfrey's nonfiction imprint with Flatiron Books.

6 years ago
Books

Korean writer on long list for Man Booker International Prize

Novelist Hwang Sok-yong, one of the most acclaimed writers in South Korea today, has been long-listed for the 2019 Man Booker International Prize for "At Dusk".

6 years ago
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Desi Anwar’s five stories seek to soothe pain of growing up

Growing up is hard to do. And the worst part is that it never ends. In her first foray into fiction, journalist and writer Desi Anwar takes readers by the hand to show them that they are not alone in their struggles and that there “isn’t much a cup of tea can’t help with”.

6 years ago
Books

‘Extremists polarize humanity, storytellers do exact opposite’: Elif Shafak

The Jakarta Post talked to Elif Shafak on the sidelines of the London Book Fair, discussing politics and literature, gender discrimination in the publishing industry and Rumi.

6 years ago
Books

Indonesian publishers win LBF International Excellence Awards 2019

The London Book Fair (LBF) has recognized two Indonesian publishers with its International Excellence Awards 2019.

6 years ago
Books

'The Little Prince' becomes Sundanese in 'Prabu Anom'

Translator Syauqi Stya Lacksana has introduced "Prabu Anom", the Sundanese version of the beloved "The Little Prince". 

6 years ago
Books

Dr. Seuss lawsuit over Star Trek-themed parody is dismissed

A US judge dismissed a lawsuit by Dr. Seuss Enterprises to stop publication of a "Star Trek"-themed book parodying the Seuss book "Oh, the Places You'll Go!".

6 years ago
Books

Love Is Never Simple: Love poems to be made into musical

Love poems by Indonesian literary legends – from W.S. Rendra to Chairil Anwar – are set to charm audiences through a musical performance titled Cinta Tak Pernah Sederhana (Love is never simple).

6 years ago
Books

‘Dharma Pātañjala’: a compelling look at yoga practices in ancient Bali

Dharma Pātañjala, a new book by French researcher Andrea Acri, reveals that Balinese and Javanese people in the olden days took yoga very seriously. Yoga was an inseparable part of their love life and their preparation for death. 

6 years ago
Books

First edition copy of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' could fetch $79,000 at auction

A first edition of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" is part of Bonhams' "Fine Books, Manuscripts, Atlases and Historical Photographs" auction set to take place in London later this month.

6 years ago
Books

The increasing global visibility of Indonesian authors

For nearly four years since Indonesia attended the 2015 Frankfurt Book Fair as a guest of honor, Indonesian literature has been going through an exciting period in terms of global recognition.

6 years ago
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Ubud Writers and Readers Festival introduces 2019 theme

The Ubud Writers and Readers Festival has unveiled its theme and artwork for this year.

6 years ago
Books

Two Nobel literature prizes to be awarded this year after Academy cleans house

Two Nobel prizes will be awarded for literature this year after the Swedish literary academy that chooses the winner cleaned house following scandals that prevented last year's prize from being given, the Nobel Foundation said on Tuesday.

6 years ago
Books

'London welcomes Indonesia': 2019 London Book Fair marks 70 years of Indonesia-UK bilateral relations

“In the UK, there are 5,000 islands of receptivity waiting for your creation to come,” said Smith, “London welcomes Indonesia next week.”

6 years ago
Books

By the way: The hungry heart’s weekend book club

Organizing book clubs in Indonesia, a country where reading is not a popular activity, is no easy task.

6 years ago
Books

Big Bad Wolf 2019 visitors hunt for affordable books

Big Bad Wolf 2019 offers 60 to 80 percent discounts on books. 

6 years ago
Books

A veteran at 11, South African author poised to publish fifth book

In between public speaking engagements and running a charitable foundation, South African Stacey Fru is working hard on her fourth and fifth books.

6 years ago
Books

Britain's Booker Prize lives on with new sponsor

Britain's most prestigious literary prize will revert to being as known as the Booker Prize this year after securing a new sponsor, it announced on Thursday.

6 years ago
Books

Indonesian publishers short-listed for London Book Fair’s Excellence Awards

Since Indonesia will be the Market Focus Country at the upcoming event, the awards feature two special categories, namely The Market Focus Indonesia Children’s, Young Adult and Education Award and The Market Focus Indonesia Adult Trade Award.

6 years ago
Books

'Sing, Unburied, Sing' lends lyrical prose to dark themes

Set in the fictional town of Bois, Sauvage, Mississippi, the book opens with teenage boy Jojo questioning what death is as he’s about to help his grandfather Pop slaughter a goat.

6 years ago
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Eka Kurniawan celebrates Prince Claus Award in town

Author Eka Kurniawan was surrounded by family, friends and peers as they celebrated his outstanding achievements in literature.

6 years ago
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Seas rose, islands appeared, cultures evolved in ‘Empire of the Winds’

When an author sets out to write “the history of the world’s biggest, most important archipelago – from its birth following the last ice age to today” readers wonder about this grand ambition.

6 years ago
Books

New book takes fans on WSATCC tour to Northern Territory

Writer and music critic Felix Dass has captured one of Indonesia's most successful indie-pop bands through on-tour and behind-the-scenes images in Going South to the North.

6 years ago