Defeat and Victory

by Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana, Elaine Farmer (Editor), Ediati Kamil (Translator)

DEFEAT AND VICTORY is one of the major works of Indonesian literature. This epic drama set in Indonesia during the Second World War tells the story of Okura, a Japanese soldier, Hidayat the Indonesian nationalist and Elizabeth the Swiss humanist and how they each face the War and the world around them. The novel provides a very thought provoking picture of the creation of Indonesia as well as Japanese culture and society during the Second World War. It is a passionate defense of democracy and through the lives of the characters and the events around them. The author shows how democracy and the freedom to think and believe must form the bases of a modern state in a world that can no longer afford the luxury of war.

What makes the novel unique is that while taking us into a moving tale of the War and Indonesia's struggle for independence, Takdir also constantly invites us to step out of the story and look at the events and people through the eyes of a philosopher and the evolution of culture and values.

We can feel Takdir's deep sympathy and support for women as he speaks through Elizabeth, who like her namesake in Pride and Prejudice, masters the man she loves through her intelligence, strength of character and kindness for. Takdir shows us that to truly try to understand another person and another culture is an act of great love and kindness. The novel has been described as ultimately a book about people and the light in people.

Defeat and Victory has been translated into Japanese and the author is the recipient of the Order of the Sacred Treasure from the Emperor of Japan as well as the Japan Foundation Award.

Genres: Roman, Fiction, Literature

512 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana (STA) menamatkan HKS di Bandung (1928), meraih Mr. dari Sekolah Tinggi di Jakarta (1942), dan menerima Dr. Honoris Causa dari UI (1979) dan Universiti Sains, Penang, Malaysia (1987). Diberi nama Takdir karena jari tangannya hanya ada 4.

Pernah menjadi redaktur Panji Pustaka dan Balai Pustaka (1930-1933), kemudian mendirikan dan memimpin majalah Pujangga Baru (1933-1942 dan 1948-1953), Pembina Bahasa Indonesia (1947-1952), dan Konfrontasi (1954-1962). Pernah menjadi guru HKS di Palembang (1928-1929), dosen Bahasa Indonesia, Sejarah, dan Kebudayaan di UI (1946-1948), guru besar Bahasa Indonesia, Filsafat Kesusastraan dan Kebudayaan di Universitas Nasional, Jakarta (1950-1958), guru besar Tata Bahasa Indonesia di Universitas Andalas, Padang (1956-1958), dan guru besar & Ketua Departemen Studi Melayu Universitas Malaya, Kuala Lumpur (1963-1968).

Reviews

[Jersy · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the market for World War fiction is very saturated, this is a perspective we don't see very often and I must admid, as tired as I am of WWII, I hardly knew anything about what was going on in Asia at the time. This novel makes it easy to grasp events and what circumstances as well as cultural believes and costumes led to them. The reader gets to know views from different sides: the dutch colonists, the Indonesian people and even a Japanese officer, broadening the understanding and refraining from having either side be merely good or bad.
While this is excellent in portraying history in a very informative and accessible way, it sometimes felt more like a history textbook than a compelling story with characters to feel for. Some chapters consisted purely of exposition dumps or lists of arguments presented by characters to each other, but even the ones focusing more on the individual fates, while being good examples, didn't make me feel much. I could understand what they were going through, but I never felt connected with any of the characters or was fascinated by their personalities. It also bothered me that there were huge chunks of the book were one character wouldn't appear or the book focused only on one POV.
While the individual plots probably won't stick with me, I appreciate at this as a well written account of history.

[Henrik]

Purchased this in Ubud, Bali (Indonesia), at the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2008, October.

This is the First Edition in English. It was originally published in 1978, but has never been been published in English translation before that Festival.

Sounds quite intriguing. And it's quite something else for me to read, but one can always benefit from trying a new thing once in a while;-)

[Afifah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Roman-roman STA menurutku menarik, karena banyak memberikan informasi baru. Settingnya pun pekat, asyik. Sayangnya liukan-liukan alurnya sering kali sangat datar, kurang groovy gitu :-)

Bagaimanapun, untuk saat itu, roman beliau, termasuk Kalah dan Menang, menurut saya luar biasa. Jadi tahu, bagaimana sih kehidupan para pekerja buku zaman kolonial.

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sekilas mirip dengan war and peace karya Leo Tolstoy

[Michiyo 'jia' Fujiwara]

Bukunya ilang waktu pindahan ruangan kantor,,, huaaaaaaaaa :"(

[Yanita Fauzia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sudah baca buku ini waktu jaman SMP, engg.. atau SMA??

[Septian Haryadi]

bukunya baguuuuus

[Mega]

Iya