Oh, oh, oh!

By Idrus (author), Ben Anderson, et al. (translator)

Through his work, Idrus helped to set new directions for the use of the Indonesian language, strengthening it with a measure of frankness and directness that was uncommon before his time. Idrus was a storyteller who wrote mostly about ordinary people who were distinguished by some odd characteristic, circumstance, or misfortune. He did not deal with larger, more “philosophical” issues, preferring to deal with simpler, human themes instead. With the eye of a journalist, Idrus combines factual reportage, either observed first-hand or gained from those who were on the spot, and fictions based on fact but reworked to heighten their impact and import.