Pram

The big news in Indonesia last week was the passing of Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Indonesia's most significant novelist. Pram's masterwork was the Buru Quartet, four historical novels written during 14 years of imprisonment followed by another 13 years of house arrest. Published between 1980 and 1990, they take place during Indonesia's emancipation from Dutch colonial rule. The story of these novels is remarkable - arrested by the Soharto regime in 1965, his notes and research were destroyed. Over the next ten years of imprisonment, Pram was denied access to writing materials of any kind. Nevertheless, he was able to compose two complete novels in his head, reconstructing his research from memory, by telling the story to his fellow inmates.

It is rare and notable when the passing of an author receives the attention that Pram's passing has this past week. The story of Pram's life, and his personalized accounts of the rise of Indonesian nationalism, provide fantastic insight into the Indonesian people.