The Painted Alphabet

Called 'a magical first novel' by The New York Times, and hailed by The New Yorker as 'dazzling little gem', this highly unusual story is based on a Balinese epic poem. Over the years it has earned a place on the short list of must-read novels on Bali. Brothers Siladri and Made Kerti marry sisters Kadek and Rajin. Each couple has had a baby when Siladri abruptly decides to leave worldly concerns behind to join a holy man on a distant mountain. Reluctantly, Kadek agrees to go, too, leaving their son behind to one day help with the family farm and taking their infant niece with them. Magic and witchcraft enchant the telling of this spellbinding tale. Darling has lived in Bali for many years, and her rich novelization of this folklore attests to her affinity for the culture.

Text: Diana Darling
ISBN: 978-981-4385-00-8
176 pp, 195 mm x 130 mm, paperback
Retail Prices : Rp. 120.000


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My Journey from Paris to Java

Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850), the renowned French novelist, has earned worldwide recognition for his realist style, sharp wit and keen observation. He is also considered one of the most important French writers of fiction in the history of literature. As one of the pioneers of literary realism, he, or rather the narrateur, makes a short fantasy diversion in this concise work to the mystical and exotic island of Java, where he encounters a deadly poison-breathing tree, civilised monkeys, love-sick sparrows and that epitome of Oriental desirability of his day — the women of Java. Written just before he started on the widely acclaimed multi-volume La Comédie humaine, this charmingly small work was much loved by Balzac himself.

Text: Honoré de Balzac
ISBN: 978-981-4260-14-5
68 pp, 220 mm x 136 mm, paperback
Retail price : Rp. 138.000

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