Books & Readings
Those wishing to delve into academia will find a myriad of theses and articles published by universities and smaller publishing houses. You can read about the history, geography, ecology, culture and more of the archipelago from prehistoric times to the current reformasi era.
Novels
"Ups and Downs of Life in the Indies"
P. A. Daum (Periplus) 1999
Dutch colonial life in the 19th century
"A Gentle Occupation"
Dirk Bogarde (Triad Granada) 1980
The war in the Dutch East Indies in 1945 after the Japanese left - semiautobiographical
"The Year of Living Dangerously"
C. J. Koch (Grafton) 1978
Journalists waiting for the revolution in 1965, which saw the downfall of President Soekarno
"Monkeys in the Dark"
Blanche D'Alpuget (Aurora) 1980
Life in Jakarta among foreign residents in the interregnum during Soekarno's exile after '65 coup
"Twilight in Jakarta"
Mochtar Lubis
Life in the kampongs
"A Short History of Indonesia"
Colin Brown (Allen & Unwin)
Does exactly what it says on the tin, it provides a good readable summary of Indonesian history.
"Historical Sights of Jakarta"
Adolf Heuken
Numerous maps and illustrations as well as details of little-known, often neglected historical places of interest.
"Nathaniel's Nutmeg"
Giles Milton
A galloping good jaunt through the early days of Western interaction with the Spice Islands
"Sukarno: An Autobiography"
As told to Cindy Adams (Bobbs-Merrill) 1965
To the understanding of Soekarno and with that a better understanding of my Indonesia
"The End of Sukarno"
John Hughes
One of the best insights into the tragic events of 1965 - reads like a political thriller
"A Nation in Waiting"
Adam Swartz (Allen & Unwin) 1994
Indonesia in the 1990s before the 'abdication' of President Soeharto.
"An Empire of the East"
Norman Lewis (Picador) 1995
Not about Jakarta, but a good writer casting his critical eye over Soeharto's Indonesia.
"In The Time of Madness"
Richard Lloyd Parry (Jonathon Cape) 2005
A journalist witnesses the reform movement in 1998 that saw the abdication of President Soeharto.
Newspapers and magazines
‘The Jakarta Post'
Daily except for public holidays. Regular listings of places to go plus classified ads, including vacancies. Sunday edition has book reviews and reviews of gigs you'll have missed
'The Jakarta Globe'
A newly created English-language daily (set to debut in October 2008) and looks set to make a big splash
‘Tempo'
The English-language weekly magazine similar to 'Time' and 'Newsweek'
‘Jakarta Java Kini'
Monthly glossy guide to posh restaurants, festivals and places to visit inside and outside Jakarta
Do you have any other readings you would like to recommend? Let us know!
Contributor: Jakartass
Comments
EDITORIAL NOTE: You may have noticed some differences in the titles and descriptions with regard to the spelling for Indonesian names. It is the Editorial Style of this Web site to use the admittedly outdated "oe" spellings for Soekarno and Soeharto. This decision was made by the Administrators and a consulting editor; reasoning that most Indonesian writers and publications still prefer the old spelling.
Marmalade 20 Oct 08 14:39
Jakarta, Merdeka Square, The Fifth Season, Crescent Moon Rising, The Timor Man by Kerry B. Collison (Fiction set in historical backdrop)
okusi 20 Oct 08 14:43
waoh there, marm! you're stirring up a hornet's nest with that there list!!
Marmalade 23 Dec 08 15:21
Also coffee-table tome 'Jakarta' compiled by Leonard Leucras. And Culture Shock! Jakarta by Terry Collins and Derek Bacon - an indispensable guide for those mystified by the whole Jakarta experience.
Want to make a comment? Login or Register.
okusi 04 Oct 08 19:39