Reading by Leila S. Chudori

Moderation:
Rikarde Riedesel

"The novel deals with a group of journalists living in exile in Paris due to the occurrences in September 1965 (takeover by Suharto and persecution of politically left-oriented people for over 30 years) and they cannot return home. Pam Allen (»Inside Indonesia«) consideres Leila S. Chudori's novel as an important step to reveal the truth, as an "antidote" to the official version of the story spread under Suharto's leadership.

There are two generations and their personal fates linked with these historical occurrences. Dimas Suryo lives in Paris as a co-owner of an Indonesian restaurant and all his life he suffers from having no real home. His daughter Lintang Utara goes to Jakarta in 1998 because of her final paper and gets to know the history and present of Indonesia. She gets involved in the student unrest which leads to the end of the Suharto era."

This is how the publishers introduce the novel and it becomes apparent how important this opus is for the Indonesian literary history. And at the same time the introduction offers a foretaste of Chudori's intensive way of telling that will impress the readers.

This is literature that goes under your skin.

Location:
EJOT-Labor, Unterm Hain 1

Tuesday, 15th of September 2015

Beginning:
8 pm

Admission:
5,- € / 2,- €