Staff Pick
Indonesia is interesting in its own right, but in Elizabeth Pisani's joyful hands, this improbable nation of 13,466 islands spanning over 3,300 miles becomes a fascinating cautionary tale about the benefits, limits, and dangers of enforcing a national identity. Pisani has spent many years living and working in Indonesia, and her historical and political insights and anecdotes are sharp, funny, and sympathetic, grounded in the oftentimes perplexing reality of island life. I found myself coveting her temerity as she island-hops, rides her motorbike up volcanoes, has tea with a corpse (twice), and participates in village rituals. She's optimistic but keenly aware of the nation's flaws; likewise, although many of her stories are hilarious and strange, they're also respectful — this never devolves into a "how weird are the Indonesians" travel piece. This book is wonderful and witty — a perfect pick for the Jared Diamond fan with wanderlust. Recommended By Rhianna W., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Jakarta tweets more than any other city on earth, but 80 million Indonesians live without electricity and many of its communities still share in ritual sacrifices. Declaring independence in 1945, Indonesia said it would "work out the details of the transfer of power etc. as soon as possible." With over 300 ethnic groups spread across 13,500 islands, the world's fourth most populous nation has been working on that "etc." ever since. Bewitched by Indonesia for twenty-five years, Elizabeth Pisani recently traveled 26,000 miles around the archipelago in search of the links that bind this impossibly disparate nation. Fearless and funny, Pisani shares her deck space with pigs and cows, bunks down in a sulfurous volcano, and takes tea with a corpse. Along the way, she observes Big Men with child brides, debates corruption and cannibalism, and ponders "sticky" traditions that cannot be erased.
Review
"To read is to grow rather fond of both author and country." Pallavi Aiyar
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"For anyone about to visit the place, [Elizabeth Pisani's] book is an essential companion." Pallavi Aiyar Los Angeles Review of Books
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"Intrepid and passionate. . . . By the end, exhausted, dusty, thirsty, and laughing, we feel we know this idiosyncratic country in all its moving complexity. Profound, lasting, a masterpiece of its genre--and so much fun!" Misha Glenny Guardian
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"Pisani not only travels a dizzying amalgam of the 13,500 islands that comprise Indonesia, but she also follows their history from the seventh century forward with fluidity and ease. There are few other books--or authors--to attempt such a daunting task." Amy Wilentz, author of The Rainy Season and Farewell, Fred Voodoo
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"A clear-eyed and smart look at a rising Asian giant that has defied all conventional wisdom... A good read not only for those interested in Indonesia, but everyone who is thinking about how other developing countries too could rise above their internal problems to be improbable success stories." Eliza Griswold, author of The Tenth Parallel
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"Read it, even if you don't think you're interested in Indonesia--it's inspiring on so many levels, from the boundless curiosity and warmth of the author to the country's spectacular miracle of geo-political confidence and experimentation." Vali Nasr, author of The Dispensable Nation, and The Rise of Islamic Capitalism
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"One of the year's most engrossing and edifying travelogues... Pisani's book will stir up wonder and wanderlust in even the most experienced travelers." Emma Larkin, author of Everything is Broken and Secret Histories
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"Pisani is a force of nature... A treasure of a volume." Jim Gladstone Passport
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"Fills a much-needed gap on literature about Indonesia...an intimate portrait." Simon Winchester Wall Street Journal
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"Beautifully written [and] richly entertaining." Lydia Tomkiw Christian Science Monitor
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"Exuberant and wise... Pisani is an exceptionally resourceful observer of the ongoing battle to define Indonesia." Pankj Mishra
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"Beautifully written, richly entertaining." The New Yorker
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"A rollicking good adventure... To read is to grow rather fond of both author and country." The Economist
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"Intrepid and passionate... Profound, lasting, a masterpiece of its genre--and so much fun!" Misha Glenny Guardian
Synopsis
Declaring independence in 1945, Indonesia said it would work out the details of the transfer of power etc. as soon as possible. With over 300 ethnic groups spread across over 13,500 islands, the world s fourth most populous nation has been working on that etc. ever since. Author Elizabeth Pisani traveled 26,000 miles in search of the links that bind this disparate nation.
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Synopsis
"A spectacular achievement and one of the very best travel books I have read."--Simon Winchester,
About the Author
Elizabeth Pisani has lived in Indonesia at various times over the past twenty-five years, originally as a journalist and later as an HIV epidemiologist. The author of The Wisdom of Whores and Indonesia Etc., she is based in London.