Must-read book for Indonesian people, simply for the insight it gives on Sukarno's thoughts. The mastermind of Indonesia's independence, Sukarno was not only an incredible public speaker but also a lover of women. This book, told in a characteristic, Sukarno-esque boastful manner, portrayed the man's charms and influence in front of women and his people. His passion and love for Indonesia were magnetic, and it came across in this book. He walked through important moments in his life and the thoughts behind some of his controversial decisions (his collaboration with Japan, for example) with great clarity. The team dynamics among Sukarno, Muhammad Hatta and Sutan Sjahrir is also interesting, with Sukarno dissing them more than he praised them.

All in all, this is not the best-written book or even the most factual. Gatot Mangkupraja, for example, had published a rebuttal of some of Sukarno's claim in this book; there are also some discrepancies with Hatta's and Sjahrir's accounts. It's still an interesting and easy-to-read book, though. You'll finish reading this feeling that you better understand the complexity of the man to whom Indonesian people owed their independence.