In these three warm and nuanced tales, Indonesia’s supreme storyteller Pramoedya Ananta Toer gives us vivid, memorable characters caught between optimism and a darker place. A disabled veteran of his country’s war of independence against the Dutch slowly succumbs to despair; a child bride’s lost innocence is cherished by her observant younger neighbour; and a young boy views his impending circumcision with anxiety and excitement on account of its significance – and the gifts that will accompany it.

Pramoedya Ananta Toer, one of Indonesia’s most important writers, was the author of more than thirty books – all of which were banned in Indonesia at various times. A resolute political activist, he was incarcerated by the Dutch colonial authorities and again by the Sukarno and Suharto regimes. While he was always outspoken, the political overtones of his works were subtle. The recipient of numerous awards and honours, including PEN America’s Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award, France’s Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and Chile’s Pablo Neruda Award, he was freed for good in 1992.

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ISBN 9781911475415 – Paperback – 110mm x 140 mm – 96 pages
 – £2.99