stevendedalus's review
4.0
A book of reportage rather than history, Parry admirably sticks to his experiences filled in with basic context, presenting the horrors of Indonesias throes of democratic transition as well as the hopes and struggles of its people.
The book is very much an outsider's perspective and makes no apologies for that. Parry is a stranger in a syrange land and has a tendency to sensationalize, but with a self-awareness.
As fans of his other books should know, he is an excellent writer with a reporter's spare and focused style. It's a compelling mix of memoir and history, and its documentary style is an admirable contribution to the record.
The book is very much an outsider's perspective and makes no apologies for that. Parry is a stranger in a syrange land and has a tendency to sensationalize, but with a self-awareness.
As fans of his other books should know, he is an excellent writer with a reporter's spare and focused style. It's a compelling mix of memoir and history, and its documentary style is an admirable contribution to the record.
dkeane2007's review
3.0
I knew nothing about modern Indonesian history and this gave me a little bit of background. I found some of the sections on East Timor to go on a little long, but since I knew almost nothing I needed to start from the bottom!
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