To the Contrary: Stories (Modern Library of Indonesia)

To the Contrary contains seventeen of A. A. Navis’s most provocative and engaging stories. These range from a light-hearted comedy of errors between a husband and wife to heavy-hitting critiques of corruption, patrimonialism, bureaucratic morass, and self-righteous pretension. One of the reasons that Navis’s short stories have had such staying power is their biting satire that provides insight into everyday situations familiar to any reader. Although the stories are firmly rooted in West Sumatra, they speak to common problems of the modern era and shine a light on many of the cultural dilemmas that Indonesia has had to face.

A. A. Navis (1924–2003) was the leading cultural and literary figure in his home province of West Sumatra during his lifetime and widely respected at the national level as well. He wrote novels, plays, non-fiction, and poetry, but is best known for his short stories. To the Contrary contains seventeen of the author’s most famous, most provocative, and most engaging stories. These range from a light-hearted comedy of errors between a husband and wife to heavy-hitting critiques of corruption, patrimonialism, bureaucratic morass, and self-righteous pretension. One of the reasons that Navis’s short stories have had such staying power is their biting satire that provides insight into everyday situations familiar to any reader. Although the stories are firmly rooted in his native Minangkabau ethnic context, they speak to common problems of the modern era and shine a light on the cultural dilemmas of Indonesia at different points over the author’s fifty-year career. An expert in allegory, irony, and surprise, Navis is an author who had a long-term impact on the literary and political scene of modern Indonesia.