Last month I pulled up three newsletters in 3 weeks’ row! Whew. It was a combination of burnout from copywriting work, a little time off from teaching, and the festivity of Ramadan. A little reminder for those who are new to this newsletter, last month, we got a recipe for Bumbu Ungkep that you can use for chicken, tempe, tofu, fish, and even mushroom, I also released a podcast featuring Sarah from Galapung Bakehouse, and a short newsletter in Indonesian about maizena.
This month, I would like to take a little rest from the topic of food. Although cooking, eating, and (recently) baking take the most part of my life, I also see it as an escape from my work. So the media I consume most likely is the vice versa of that. The list below is compiled out of books and podcasts that I’ve been enjoying recently.
Oseng Tuna Basil, an Indonesian diaspora version of Oseng Tuna Kemangi. A no-fuzz comfy food that comes in 10 minutes - perfect for a burnout weekend. Best enjoyed without doomscrolling. The recipe can be found here
Books
Writers and Lovers by Lily King
If you enjoy Sally Rooney, you’ll love this book. I personally don’t really enjoy Sally Rooney, though. I can’t relate anymore to a coming-age story of a teenager or a 20-something. But I’d recommend it if you’re in that phase. For me, Writers and Lovers is a delightful sort of funny reading if you’re in your early 30s or late 20s. The main character is a passionate writer who works as a waitress, tangled in a series of broken relationships - while trying to make end meets.
No Money No Honey by Alison Jane Murray
I encountered this book after joining a book club from Reading Sideways Press . It’s a study of street traders and prostitutes in Kampung Manggarai and Kampung Bangka, Jakarta, in the 1980s. It was an interesting time in Jakarta, as ideas about class and sexuality, time and space are changing rapidly as capitalist transformation takes place. Households in the urban kampung rely on multiple income-earning strategies, and street trading is one of the few occupations which allows women to make a significant contribution - while self-employed prostitutes have their own networks of support and have relative autonomy in their everyday lives.
Happy Stories, Mostly by Norman Erikson Pasaribu
You should read this book by Norman that’s nominated for International Booker Prize this year. It’s an anthology of 12 beautiful and emotional stories about Indonesian queer. This book carves a new history in Indonesian literature! Please read it, share it, and recommend it to your friends - TELL THE WORLD!
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Okay. Food is an essential part of this book, but it’s a vessel that the writer uses to cope with the grief of losing her mother to cancer. This book is a reflection of grief, regrets, heartbreaks, and disappointment in oneself.
Podcast
Narrated by a couple who are both divers, Segara Biru is a podcast that dives into Indonesian waters. My favorite episodes are the ones about Indonesia’s spice and diet - shaped by trade and colonialism and the legendary Southern Coast Goddess, Nyai Roro Kidul.
You could tell that I love history. It was my favorite subject in school - no, not language. But the history we got in school is told from the perspective of men, of the winner, of the ruling government - in short, it’s shit. So I was excited when I hear about a podcast that tells stories of Southeast Asian female historical figures!
Some of you might know that my main job is as a fashion copywriter slash copyeditor for textile reports - so of course, I enjoy consuming media about one. Not about fashion trends, but the history, system, and how it impacts how we dress. Dressed podcast is an excellent one to start!
Series
After bawling my eyes out reading the book, there is a strong force to watch the adaptation of this book by Min Jin Lee . It follows the story of Sunja, starting from the days when she was born to the days when she’s old, making rice in a rice cooker in Japan, where she resides as a Korean immigrant.
I don’t usually watch K-dramas, but I make an exception for 39. I usually watch it after dinner, while folding clothes and sipping beer after a long day of work.
See you next month with an essay about Indonesian jajan pasar through the scope of history and anthropology!