Comments on: Why Aren’t More Indonesian Literary Works Published Abroad? http://richardoh.net/why-aren%e2%80%99t-more-indonesian-literary-works-published-abroad-75.php Talks about Books, Films and Philosophy Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:52:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Hning http://richardoh.net/why-aren%e2%80%99t-more-indonesian-literary-works-published-abroad-75.php/comment-page-1#comment-546 Hning Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:08:39 +0000 http://richardoh.net/?p=75#comment-546 I was just thinking about you <strike>arguing</strike> discussing with when Nelden Djakababa in Ubud while writing this last <a href="http://www.hning.asia/2010/01/retarded-literature.html" rel="nofollow">article</a>. Part of it came from the sense of failure when another attendant of that session came to me and asked, <i>"So, who was the writer that Seno Gumira suggested reading? Danarto? And are there any of his books in English?"</i> Err. No, none of the Indonesian writers reading material are available in English. Even Rendra. Have you heard of Pramoedya, though? I was just thinking about you arguing discussing with when Nelden Djakababa in Ubud while writing this last article.

Part of it came from the sense of failure when another attendant of that session came to me and asked, “So, who was the writer that Seno Gumira suggested reading? Danarto? And are there any of his books in English?” Err. No, none of the Indonesian writers reading material are available in English. Even Rendra. Have you heard of Pramoedya, though?

]]> By: Alfred http://richardoh.net/why-aren%e2%80%99t-more-indonesian-literary-works-published-abroad-75.php/comment-page-1#comment-516 Alfred Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:20:43 +0000 http://richardoh.net/?p=75#comment-516 Yet I am afraid the American way of publishing becomes a thread for Europe. So the European publishing houses take the American houses as an example. It is not yet as bad as in the USA but someday it might be. In Holland there are few independent publishers left. They are been followed by elder journalists. The younger journalists though have no eye for them. So the literature that comes from minorities, for instance, hardly make the spotlight. Still I am optimistic. I never believed that literature was meant for the crowd. Contrary. The mass media use the term "literature" in a wrong way. Literature is an artistic way of writing, that's all. Someday the media, the publishers and writers should remember that. Yet I am afraid the American way of publishing becomes a thread for Europe. So the European publishing houses take the American houses as an example. It is not yet as bad as in the USA but someday it might be. In Holland there are few independent publishers left. They are been followed by elder journalists. The younger journalists though have no eye for them. So the literature that comes from minorities, for instance, hardly make the spotlight. Still I am optimistic. I never believed that literature was meant for the crowd. Contrary. The mass media use the term “literature” in a wrong way. Literature is an artistic way of writing, that’s all. Someday the media, the publishers and writers should remember that.

]]> By: Richard Oh http://richardoh.net/why-aren%e2%80%99t-more-indonesian-literary-works-published-abroad-75.php/comment-page-1#comment-513 Richard Oh Fri, 06 Feb 2009 04:41:24 +0000 http://richardoh.net/?p=75#comment-513 Hi Alfie, good to hear a new book, or rather a trilogy is forthcoming from you soon. I know European publishers have always been more interested in Indonesian or Asian works. Maybe they are more genuinely intrigued with these works rather than any considerations for the potentiality of the market or markets for them. As for publishers in the USA, well, they don't bother because they are always aiming for big books for very large circulations. Ironically, when small publishers do well such as Cannongate or Serpent's Tail, they are immediately enfolded by the large conglomerates and everything starts all over again. Hi Alfie, good to hear a new book, or rather a trilogy is forthcoming from you soon. I know European publishers have always been more interested in Indonesian or Asian works. Maybe they are more genuinely intrigued with these works rather than any considerations for the potentiality of the market or markets for them. As for publishers in the USA, well, they don’t bother because they are always aiming for big books for very large circulations. Ironically, when small publishers do well such as Cannongate or Serpent’s Tail, they are immediately enfolded by the large conglomerates and everything starts all over again.

]]> By: Alfred http://richardoh.net/why-aren%e2%80%99t-more-indonesian-literary-works-published-abroad-75.php/comment-page-1#comment-512 Alfred Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:16:55 +0000 http://richardoh.net/?p=75#comment-512 Hi Richie, there have been more efforts though to get Indonesian writers translated into Dutch. Like I have here on my bookshelve: Ahmad Tohari: Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk (1982)/ Het dansmeisje uit mijn dorp (1993). Y.B. Mangunwijaya: Burung-burung manyar (1983) / Het boek van de wevervogel (1987). There are more, believe me. As for now Ayu Utami is "enough" for the Dutch readers. She now represents the modern Indonesian culture, like almost any country has only one writer representing his/her country in Dutch translations. That's the way it works in Holland. Exceptions are for France, England, Germany, let's say the dominant literary cultures, plus of course the USA, from where we get loads of writers. Holland is importing 75 percent of all books from abroad, the USA ... only 2 - I say TWO - percent of all books. The USA simply isn't interested, no matter if it's Indonesia, Russia, Holland or Italy. It's the USA and the rest of the world. Hi Richie, there have been more efforts though to get Indonesian writers translated into Dutch. Like I have here on my bookshelve: Ahmad Tohari: Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk (1982)/ Het dansmeisje uit mijn dorp (1993). Y.B. Mangunwijaya: Burung-burung manyar (1983) / Het boek van de wevervogel (1987). There are more, believe me. As for now Ayu Utami is “enough” for the Dutch readers. She now represents the modern Indonesian culture, like almost any country has only one writer representing his/her country in Dutch translations. That’s the way it works in Holland. Exceptions are for France, England, Germany, let’s say the dominant literary cultures, plus of course the USA, from where we get loads of writers. Holland is importing 75 percent of all books from abroad, the USA … only 2 – I say TWO – percent of all books. The USA simply isn’t interested, no matter if it’s Indonesia, Russia, Holland or Italy. It’s the USA and the rest of the world.

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