From Andrea Hirata, A. Fuadi, Okky Madasari and More

Books are still one of my favourite things. A good book, a cup of tea and a cozy couch are all I need.  Although the numbers of books I read are way too small comparing to the old days however I am happy that this year many of my favorite authors released their books. Let's check these five recommended books that you can enjoy during your end of year holiday. 

Sirkus Pohon by Andrea Hirata

Let's start from Andrea Hirata with his Sirkus Pohon. I miss Andrea and his touching way in telling how Belitung people live their lives. It still entertains me although the plot, the characters, the twist and the ending are still far from all time favorite Laskar Pelangi but still it is nice to read another book with Andrea's style.   

Anak Rantau by A. Fuadi

I just visited Padang and Bukit Tinggi and now I am excited to finally can witness the beautiful landscape of Padang and taste the delicious Padang food.  Now, let's  follow Hepi's engaging adventure with his friends and find out how their activities as detective wannabe finally end up.  

Yang Bertahan dan Binasa Perlahan by Okky Madasari

Reading Okky's works are never boring. There is always something to ponder. This time Okky brings her short stories collections. The themes as usual tell about the unfortunate people, the unfairness of life, the struggle to survive, and such. Okky said that the short stories consist of 19 stories that have already been written down within a decade (2007-2017).    

Forgotten Colors by Vabyo

I always love Vabyo's witty way in delivering his stories. This book is special because it was written down after Vabyo got stroke and suffered a kind of memory loss. This book is a therapy for the writer and a lesson for us to understand what happens to people with stroke. A touching story.

Koran Kami with Lucy in the Sky by Bre Redana  

Bre Redana is a senior Kompas journalist. I always wait for his column in Kompas Minggu. He delivers an up-to-date article in a playful yet deep way.  

In his latest book of Koran Kami, he wrote about newspaper company, how a newspaper is managed, the process, the people behind it, the stress, the friendship, and all. The story seems simple but I know it has a very important meaning since Bre said that after 35 years as a journalist, he just needs to write something about his work and he MADE it. This book was launched on his retirement day. A good way to end a working period.

I enjoy the book a lot. I laughed here and there and think for lots of smart statements and quotes. If you are looking for a light with a deep meaning read, try this one. You'll love it.

Some of the quotes I love:

"Itulah bahayanya memori: ia mampu memperdayai kita. Selalu sediakan  ruang untuk mencurigai memori diri sendiri."

"Di zaman fundamentalisme ini orang gampang percaya pada apa såja kecuali kebenaran, ..."

"Agama sekarang adalah persoalan gaya hidup, persoalan politik, dan di atas segalanya bisnis. Tuhan sudah lama menjauh dari agama. Sudah lama Tuhan pindah alamat,..."

"Mabuk bir orang jadi jujur; mabuk agama orang jadi pembohong."

See? There're still more. A must read.