max havelaar
so when i went to bruna i happened to come across this brochure. 150 years celebration of Max Havelaar of Multatuli.
14 Mei 1860, to be exact is the date when Multatuli released the book of Max Havelaar. The book that proclaimed by Pramoedya Ananta Toer as the book that killed colonialism and Multatuli regards by the Dutch Society of Literature as the most important Dutch writer of all times.
the book that i read when i was like 14. the book that i forgot now except the sad story of Saijah dan Adinda. the same book that triggered the anger of the Dutch society and forced the government to change their politics into 'Ethical Policy' or as the Indonesian said it, 'Politik Balas Budi'. the book that made the government open Stovia in Jakarta, THS in Bandung, and send another hundreds student to studied in Nederland. One of them, of course, was the regal Hatta. And from THS came Soekarno. the books that changed, not only Indonesia's future, but also other colonial states of Nederland in Africa.
the book that change the world. after all the holy books, not much book gain that status. i just can't imagine how a writer feels when his or her writing actually changing other people's life, not by a few but by hundred thousands.
so maybe title of the most important Dutch writer of all times is not actually overrated at all.
and the fact that Multatuli's brother is actually the grandfather of Indonesian's national hero Danudirdja Setiabudi or Ernest Douwes Dekker just put the book into a more important perspective for Indonesian.
so have you read it?
14 Mei 1860, to be exact is the date when Multatuli released the book of Max Havelaar. The book that proclaimed by Pramoedya Ananta Toer as the book that killed colonialism and Multatuli regards by the Dutch Society of Literature as the most important Dutch writer of all times.
the book that i read when i was like 14. the book that i forgot now except the sad story of Saijah dan Adinda. the same book that triggered the anger of the Dutch society and forced the government to change their politics into 'Ethical Policy' or as the Indonesian said it, 'Politik Balas Budi'. the book that made the government open Stovia in Jakarta, THS in Bandung, and send another hundreds student to studied in Nederland. One of them, of course, was the regal Hatta. And from THS came Soekarno. the books that changed, not only Indonesia's future, but also other colonial states of Nederland in Africa.
the book that change the world. after all the holy books, not much book gain that status. i just can't imagine how a writer feels when his or her writing actually changing other people's life, not by a few but by hundred thousands.
so maybe title of the most important Dutch writer of all times is not actually overrated at all.
and the fact that Multatuli's brother is actually the grandfather of Indonesian's national hero Danudirdja Setiabudi or Ernest Douwes Dekker just put the book into a more important perspective for Indonesian.
so have you read it?
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