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.

Jakarta Post

Award-winning author Linda Christanty's favorite books

Those curious about renowned journalist and award-winning author Linda Christanty's favorite books can check out this list.

Ni Nyoman Wira (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Sun, July 31, 2016

Share This Article

Change Size

Award-winning author Linda Christanty's favorite books Prominent journalist and an award-winning author, Linda Christanty, reveals her favorite books to read. (Shutterstock/*)

A

side from being a renowned journalist, Bangka-born Linda Christanty is also an award-winning author, who has won accolades such as the 2013 Southeast Asian Writers Award and 2014 Khatulistiwa Literary Award. Her essay, Militarism and Violence in East Timor, was awarded as the Best Essay in 1998 by the Human Rights Award. Among her popular books are Jangan Tulis Kami Teroris (Do Not Write We are Terrorists), which has been published in Germany, Kuda Terbang Maria Pinto (Maria Pinto’s Flying Horse) and Rahasia Selma (Selma’s Secret).

Those curious about Linda's favorite books can check out the list below.

The Old Man and the Sea

"The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway.(Book Depository/-)

Author:  Ernest Hemingway

The Old Man and the Sea tells about the life of an old, poor, Cuban fisherman named Santiago, who has been failing to catch any fish. He then faces a great struggle trying to catch a very large fish, while at the same time surviving in order to safely return to land. “I'm always moved every time I read this novel, although I have read it several times since I was in college,” Linda said. In this short novel, readers can find a story about loneliness, sincere friendship, bravery, dignity, and being persistent in facing our lives. “It has a solid plot,” added Linda. “The story is intensely written and the characters seem so real.” The Old Man and the Sea has been praised as one of Ernest Hemingway’s best works. Published in 1953, the novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in the same year.

News of a Kidnapping

"News of a Kidnapping" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.(Book Depository/-)

Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez

News of A Kidnapping is an English non-fiction book that was published in 1997. The beginning of the book follows the kidnapping of Maruja and her sister-in-law, Beatriz while on their way home after work. Maruja was an award-winning journalist who then works in a film industry promotion company, while Beatriz was a therapist who ends up working in the same company as Maruja. Set in a period when journalists were being kidnapped by drug cartels, the novel then links the girls’ kidnapping to Maruja’s sister, Gloria, who is a widow of Luis Carlos Galan, a journalist and chairman of a party that works against the drug-trade. Maruja’s husband, Alberto Villamizar, was an ambassador to Indonesia. “The plot is very intense,” said Linda, praising Marquez’s detailed writing of the situation and the characters’ struggles. “It makes it as if the readers witness every incident.” Linda also complimented Marquez’s successful insertion of humorous experiences amid the hopelessness, hopes and liberation efforts. “Marquez never loses his humor, even when he is actually writing about someone’s life and death,” added Linda.

Nothing, Nobody

"Nothing, Nobody" by Elena Poniatowska.(Book Depository/-)

Author: Elena Poniatowska

“I was interested to read Poniatowska’s writings because Rebecca Solnit, an American journalist, idolizes her,” said Linda about Nothing, Nobody, a non-fiction work by Mexican journalist and writer, Elena Poniatowska. The book is based on the testimonies of survivors of a tremendous 8.1 Richter scale earthquake that hit Mexico City in 1985. Although around 10 million people died and the damage was very severe, Mexican president Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado refused foreign aid, saying that Mexico’s citizens and government working together would be enough to face the crisis. “This reminds me of Jusuf Kalla following the tsunami disaster in Aceh, although it is not quite the same,” Linda said. “He told the foreign aid agencies to leave Aceh after six months, although the damage was very severe and it could not be finished in just six months." Nothing, Nobody reminds her of the people who live in a place that has been hit by disaster. “Post-disaster management would be more effective if the governments all over the world were willing to learn from similar disasters that have already occurred,” said Linda.

The Assault

"The Assault" by Harry Mulisch.(Book Depository/-)

Author: Harry Mulisch

“I was impressed by this novel after reading it for the first time in 1990s,” said Linda. Written by renowned Dutch writer Harry Mulisch and published in 1982, the novel tells the story of a family torn apart during the Nazi Germany occupation. The Assault begins at night in Anton’s family house. Anton, a 12-year-old boy who later narrates the story, is separated from his family after SS officers suddenly arrived to search their commune. In jail, he meets a girl who comforts him. “It is a platonic love,” Linda said regarding the relationship between Anton and the girl. “This novel elaborates on how someone returns to his past to discover the connection between past incidents in order to face the present.”

(Read also: Check out Leila S. Chudori’s recommended reading list)

The Days of Abandonment

"The Days of Abandonment" by Elena Ferrante.(Book Depository/-)

Author: Elena Ferrante

“Up until now, not a single journalist has ever directly met Elena Ferrante. Her name is perceived as a pseudonym,” said Linda. Elena Ferrante, an Italian writer, was included in Time’s 100 most influential people. The Days of Abandonment (2002) takes family life and living as a housewife as its topics. Narrated from the wife’s point of view, the novel begins with her husband asking for a divorce. The wife then casts her mind back to the past to consider whether her husband has cheated on her or not. These flashbacks cause the novel to go back and forth between the past and the present. The separation itself causes the wife to be suspicious of people around her and change how she interacts with them. “What makes this novel interesting is how it focuses on a woman as the center of a change,” Linda explained. “It is as if she transforms into someone who finally accepts the change.” Also, Linda thinks that The Days of Abandonment is very intense and involves the readers emotionally. “It talks about a problem that could happen to every woman and wife, but not in a cliché way,” she stated.

Gadis Pantai (The Girl from the Coast)

"The Girl from the Coast" by Pramoedya Ananta Toer.(Book Depository/-)

Author: Pramoedya Ananta Toer

While most people highlighted Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s Tetralogi Buru (Buru Quartet), Linda is more impressed with the author's Gadis Pantai (The Girl from the Coast). Narrated from the girl’s point of view, the story revolves around a girl who lives in a fishing village in Rembang, Central Java. After being forced to marry “Bendoro”, a rich, well-respected Javanese aristocrat, the girl is later shocked by the changes to her life, mainly all the new rules and etiquette she must observe. “This novel describes the experience, knowledge and events that shape the girl’s personality, transforming her into a mature and tough girl,” Linda said. (kes)

 

{

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.