"Poets, Stay true because your words are not going to heal until you do." “The subtlety of Ayu’s words sometimes play a trick on her readers. Smooth and unassuming, but suddenly the warmth of her poetry will embrace you without a warning. The beauty of Tigress lies on how Ayu meticulously crafted her lines word by word with a touch of emotional force. It’s personal but visible and accessible, like a garden at your front yard. Don’t let her gentleness deceive you into thinking that her ...

Saman is a story seen through the lives of its feisty female protagonists – Cok, a businesswoman; Laila, a 30-year-old writer/photographer; Shakuntala, a dancer; and Yasmin, a lawyer – as well as the enigmatic hero Saman, a catholic priest turned human rights activist. The author was born in Bogor, grew up in Jakarta and obtained a B.A. in literature from the University of Indonesia. She worked as a journalist for Matra, Forum Keadilan, and D&R. Not long after the New Order regime closed ...