Half-Japanese and half-Javanese Lasi flees from the constraints of her small village to find herself enmeshed in the political corruption of Jakarta. *** The bekisar is a fine crossbreed between jungle fowl and domestic chicken that adorns the houses of the wealthy. Lasi, whose father was a Japanese soldier, fair skinned and beautiful, is such an acquisition for a rich man in Jakarta. She is born in a village where the main source of income is tapping coconut palms for their rich sap, or nira. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she is betrayed by her husband and flees to Jakarta. She meets Mrs. Lanting, procuress for men in high government and social circles, who sells her to the rich Handarbeni. Lasi enjoys the new splendor as a much-desired ornament, but is alarmed when she discovers the marriage is a sham. Kanjat, a childhood friend, is now grown into a man. Lasi and Kanjat rediscover their affection for each other. Their bond is the village, its people and traditions. They struggle to free Lasi from a net of power, corruption, and deceit.

The Red Bekisar

Literature & Fiction

Tohari, Ahmad

Genre Fiction

Dalang Publishing

Footprints: Insights into Indonesia -- Stories from Dalang Publishing

Setiyono, Junaedi

Gagas, Han

British & Irish

Di Kaki Bukit Cibalak (Indonesian Edition)

Gramedia Pustaka Utama

The Dancer, a trilogy, recounts the tumultuous days of mid-1960s Indonesia. It highlights the lives of Srintil, a dancer, and Rasus, a bewildered young man torn between tradition and political progress. Through experience, both learn the concept of shame and sin: Rasus after he leaves their village and journeys into the world and Srintil when the world finally comes crashing into her remote village. The Dancer gives a ground-level view of the political turmoil leading up to and following the coup in 1965. In 2011, a movie produced by Shanty Harman and directed by Ifa Irfansyah was made based on this trilogy.

The Dancer: Novel (Modern Library of Indonesia)

Contemporary

The Lontar Foundation

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Books by Tohari, Ahmad