Books from Indonesia
27 popular indonesian books
Travel the world without leaving your chair.
The target of the Read Around The World Challenge is to read at least one book written by an author from each and every country in the world.
All books that are listed here as part of the "Read Around Asia Challenge" were written by authors from Indonesia.
Find a great book for the next part of your reading journey around the world from this book list. The following popular books have been recommended so far.
11.
La belleza es una herida by Eka Kurniawan ES
Description:
Dewi Ayu, una bella prostituta dada por muerta veinte años antes, aparece en medio del paisaje bélico y de tumultuosa inestabilidad política de la Indonesia del siglo XX. Esta inesperada reaparición es el punto de partida para la narración de su vida.
Dewi siempre supo cómo tratar a los hombres, y su fama de buena amante y de mujer hermosa la obligaron a tomar decisiones drásticas que cambiarían la vida de sus cuatro hijas.
12.
Like a Mighty Wind by Mel Tari, Cliff Dudley EN
Description:
Translated into dozens of languages, with millions of copies sold, Like a Mighty Wind remains a beloved classic from global evangelist Mel Tari. Recounting the incredible story of revival on the island of Timor during 1965 in the midst of political turmoil, the book is an amazing testament to the power of faith and the reality of God's power to work miracles in modern times.
13.
Man Tiger : A Novel by Eka Kurniawan EN
Description:
Winner of the Financial Times Emerging Voices Award, and longlisted for the 2016 Man Booker International Prize A wry, affecting tale set in a small town on the Indonesian coast, Man Tiger tells the story of two interlinked and tormented families and of Margio, a young man ordinary in all particulars except that he conceals within himself a supernatural female white tiger. The inequities and betrayals of family life coalesce around and torment this magical being. An explosive act of violence follows, and its mysterious cause is unraveled as events progress toward a heartbreaking revelation. Ly... continue
14.
Description:
'Oeroeg was mijn vriend.' Zo begint het aangrijpende verhaal van de vriendschap tussen een Indonesische jongen en de zoon van een Nederlandse administrateur in het Nederlands-Indië van voor de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Geleidelijk groeien de twee jongens uit elkaar. Wanneer de Nederlandse jongen na een studie in Delft terugkeert in het Indië dat nog net geen Indonesië is geworden, blijkt hun verwijdering te zijn uitgegroeid tot een kloof. Oeroeg heeft gekozen: voor zijn eigen volk en tegen de Nederlanders, dus ook tegen zijn vriend. Geschokt vraagt die zich af of hij voorgo... continue
15.
Potions and Paper Cranes by Lan Fang EN
Description:
Sulis is a young woman selling potions in Surabaya's harbor district. She meets Sujono, a coolie with dreams of becoming a freedom fighter, and whose passion for Matsumi, a geisha called to Java by a Japanese general, is destined to ruin all of them. In Potions and Paper Cranes, each tells the story of their lives during the end of World War II and Indonesia's transition from a Dutch colony to an independent republic.
16.
Shackles: Novel by Armijn Pane EN
Description:
Doctor Sukartono, able and devoted to his work, and his wife, Tini, a beautiful and independent woman, find their marriage devoid of communication and warmth. Tini feels herself the victim of her husbands medical practice and refuses to play the role of devoted and self-sacrificing wife. Sukartono is unable to understand his wife's rebellion and, in the mists of this inner confusion, meets Rohayah, a woman who is ready to give him the security he lacks at home. Sukartono, Tini, and Rohayah, the love triangle of this story, illustrate the confusion that was felt by the pre-war and pre-independe... continue
17.
She Smells of Turmeric by Natasha Sondakh EN
Description:
Throughout her life, Cecilia Poetry has listened to her father rave about his home country, Indonesia. After his death, Cecilia decides to move to Jakarta and explore the beautiful life that her father had envisioned for her. When Cecilia moves in with her wealthy grandparents, they try their best to shape her into the ideal Indonesian granddaughter. She learns of her grandparents' distaste for her American lifestyle and a grudge against her beloved parents, which pushes her away from them. Entangled in frustrating family dynamics, Cecilia escapes to her rich, beautiful, and successful friends... continue
18.
The Birdwoman's Palate by Laksmi Pamuntjak EN
Description:
In this exhilarating culinary novel, a woman's road trip through Indonesia becomes a discovery of friendship, self, and other rare delicacies. Aruna is an epidemiologist dedicated to food and avian politics. One is heaven, the other earth. The two passions blend in unexpected ways when Aruna is asked to research a handful of isolated bird flu cases reported across Indonesia. While it's put a crimp in her aunt's West Java farm, and made her own confit de canard highly questionable, the investigation does provide an irresistible opportunity. It's the perfect excuse to get away from corrupt and c... continue
19.
The Fugitive by Pramoedya Ananta Toer EN
Description:
Translation originally published: New York: William Morrow, 1990.
20.
The Majesties : A Novel by Tiffany Tsao EN
Description:
In this “bold and dramatic portrayal of characters on the cusp of an impossible choice” (Publishers Weekly), two sisters from a wealthy Chinese-Indonesian family grapple with secrets and betrayal after one of them poisons their entire family. Gwendolyn and Estella have always been as close as sisters can be. Growing up in a wealthy, eminent, and sometimes deceitful family, they’ve relied on each other for support and confidence. But now Gwendolyn is lying in a coma, the sole survivor of Estella’s poisoning of their whole clan. As Gwendolyn struggles to regain consciousness, she desperately ret... continue