Indonesia Etc.: Exploring the Improbable Nation

(Paperback)

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In 1945, Indonesia's declaration of independence promised: 'the details of the transfer of power etc. will be worked out as soon as possible.' Still working on the 'etc.' seven decades later, the world's fourth most populous nation is now enthusiastically democratic and riotously diverse. Over 65 million Indonesians use Facebook, though 80 million live without electricity. It is one of the richest and most enchanting countries on earth, but is riddled, too, with ineptitude and corruption.

Elizabeth Pisani, who first worked in Indonesia 25 years ago as a foreign correspondent and came back a decade later as a medical researcher, set out in 2011 to rediscover its enduring attraction, and to find the links which bind together this impossibly disparate nation. She travelled over 13,000 miles by land and sea, dropping in on local potentates and staying with farmers and fishermen, and nomads and nurses, often on islands too small to appear on a map.

In Indonesia Etc., Pisani weaves together the stories of Indonesians encountered on her journey with a considered analysis of Indonesia's recent history, corrupt political system, ethnic and religious identities, stifling bureaucracy and traditional 'sticky' cultures. Fearless and funny, and sharply perceptive, she has drawn a compelling, entertaining and deeply informed portrait of a captivating nation.

Reviews

Pisani is relentlessly curious and her ability to pitch up anywhere and grasp the essence of the place is truly impressive. [Indonesia Etc.] gives a vivid sense of what Indonesia feels, smells and tastes like. For anyone about to visit the country, her book is an essential companion -- Misha Glenny * Guardian *
Truly memorable... Pisani is a force of nature... vastly intelligent, doggedly curious, spectacularly multilingual... [This is] a treasure of a volume -- Simon Winchester * Wall Street Journal *
Pisani takes on many big themes [but] her erudition is never dull... Beautifully written and richly entertaining * Economist *
A sharply written, politically infused travelogue. [Full of] comic mishaps, punchy insights and [a] journalist's eye for the telling detail -- Ben Bland * Financial Times *
Pisani writes well and has an outsider's eye for the extraordinary and the idiosyncratic... Sharp [and] enjoyable -- Richard Cockett * Literary Review *
A lively condensation of some of her encounters with a country that is as disparate in its politics as it is in its geography and people * New Statesman *
Pisani's perceptiveness is as honed as her wit is wise -- Tom Adair, Travel book of the year * Scotsman *
An affectionate portrait of a diverse, dynamic and eccentric country -- Tom Robbins * Financial Times *
Lucidly analytical but affectionate... a colourful and entertaining travelogue -- Maria Misra * Prospect *
Read it, even if you don't think you're interested in Indonesia-it's inspiring on so many levels, from the boundless curiosity and warmth of the author to the country's spectacular miracle of geo-political confidence and experimentation -- Emma Larkin, author * Everything is Broken *
Pisani not only travels a dizzying amalgam of the 13,500 islands that comprise Indonesia, but she also follows their history from the seventh century forward with fluidity and ease. There are few other books - or authors - to attempt such a daunting task -- Eliza Griswold, author * The Tenth Parallel *
Intrepid and passionate, Elizabeth Pisani takes readers on board a hilarious series of jury-rigged forms of transportation, from bustling, insane Djakarta to the smallest and remotest islands and country villages of Indonesia. By the end, exhausted, dusty, thirsty, and laughing, we feel we know this idiosyncratic country in all its moving complexity. Profound, lasting, a masterpiece of its genre-and so much fun! -- Amy Wilentz, author * The Rainy Season *
A clear-eyed and smart look at a rising Asian giant that has defied all conventional wisdom -- Vali Nasr, author * The Dispensable Nation *
A brave, lively writer opens up a wondrous, changing nation * Kirkus *
Great * Wanderlust *
Pisani is an erudite and adventurous travelling companion. This is a humane, intelligent travelogue that makes an initially daunting subject come gloriously alive * Sunday Business Post *
A fascinating travelogue.... Indonesia Etc. is surely the richest account of contemporary Indonesia yet to be published * IndonesiaExpat *
An absorbing 13,000-mile ramble around this sprawling, little-known archipelago -- Christopher Hirst * Independent *
[Full of] clarity, wit and style -- Duncan Graham * Jakarta Post *
Pisani brings to life a beguiling picture of Indonesia... [with] exquisite imagery * Sydney Morning Herald *
Pisani is a one-woman word torrent -- Susan Mansfield * Scotsman *
Accessible, entertaining [and] vividly described -- Sophie Ibbotson * Geographical Magazine *
A warm and punchy travelogue -- Tom Chesshyre Travel book of the year * Times *
A richly entertaining account -- Books of the year * Economist *

Author Bio

ELIZABETH PISANI was Indonesia correspondent for Reuters and the Economist from 1988 to 1991. She worked with Indonesia's Ministry of Health from 2001 to 2005 as an epidemiologist, and spent 2011 travelling the archipelago. Pisani is the author of The Wisdom of Whores (Granta, 2008), and speaks several languages, including Indonesian.