Arok of Java
In September in Singapore, Horizon Books and the Department of Malay Studies, National University of Singapore will be launching the English translation and with an Introduction by by Max Lane of Pramoedya Ananta Toer's Arok Dedes. This edition will also carry illustrations by Jogjakarta painter M. Yusuf. In this edition the book will be titled Arok of Java Arok of Java was written by Pramoedya while he was in Buru Island prisone camp between 1968 and 1979. The novel is set in 13th century Java: his first novel not set in the 20th century to be published in English.
The death of Tunggal Ametung by M. Yusuf from his AROK DEDES series.
The Chinese in Indonesia
An English translation and with Introduction by Max Lane of Pramoedya's The Chinese in Indonesia will be launched by Select Books in Kuala Lumpur in August. The book was written in 1959-60 and is a classic humanist polemic against anti-Chinese racialism as well as an overview of the history of the Chinese community in Indonesia. As a result of this book Pramoedya was arrested and gaoled for almost 1 year without trial by the Martial Law Authorities in Indonesia at that time. In the book he attacked a set of discriminatory policies adopted by the government and being pushed by right-wing parties.