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Människans jord - en kärleksroman från Java (Tetralogi Buru #1)

by Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Sonja Berg Pleijel (Översättare)

4.36 · Rating Details · 9,380 Ratings · 1,057 Reviews

Minke är en javanesisk pojke som växer upp i 1890-talets Indonesien. Han kommer från en förnäm javanesisk släkt och rör sig hemtamt bland de holländska kolonisatörerna. När han en dag blir våldsamt förälskad i den vackra Annelies, dotter till en holländsk affärsman och hans javanesiska konkubin, blir det början till ett uppvaknande.

Hardcover, 266 pages

Published August 1992 by Norstedts (first published 1975)

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Jan 20, 2010 erry rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sastra-dalam-negeri

“ Cerita..selamanya tentang manusia, kehidupannya, bukan kematiannya. Ya biarpun yang ditampilkannya itu hewan, raksasa atau dewa ataupun hantu. Dan tak ada yang lebih sulit dipahami daripada sang manusia.. jangan anggap remeh si manusia, yang kelihatannya begitu sederhana; biarpun penglihatanmu setajam mata elang; pikiranmu setajam pisau cukur, perabaanmu lebih peka daripada dewa, pendengaranmu dapat menangkap musik dan ratap tangis kehidupan; pengetahuanmu tentang manusia takkan bakal bisa kem ...more

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Oct 28, 2010 Harry Rutherford rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: around-the-world, asia, south-east-asia

This Earth of Mankind is the first novel of the Buru Quartet, so called because it was composed when Pramoedya Ananta Toer was a political prisoner on Buru Island in the 60s. I say ‘composed’ rather than ‘written’ because the first version of it was told orally to his fellow prisoners. He had apparently just about finished the research and planning when he was arrested and all his notes and books were destroyed.

Which is an immediately intriguing back-story, although the relationship between the This Earth of Mankind is the first novel of the Buru Quartet, so called because it was composed when Pramoedya Ananta Toer was a political prisoner on Buru Island in the 60s. I say ‘composed’ rather than ‘written’ because the first version of it was told orally to his fellow prisoners. He had apparently just about finished the research and planning when he was arrested and all his notes and books were destroyed.

Which is an immediately intriguing back-story, although the relationship between the novel and his imprisonment is not particularly direct, in that Pramoedya was imprisoned by Suharto’s military dictatorship as part of an anti-Communist purge, whereas the novel is set at the very end of the C19th — 1898, in fact — in a Java which is part of the Dutch East Indies.

Still, it is, among other things, a clearly political novel; it deals with the political awakening of a young man growing up in a society structured as a formal racial hierarchy, with ‘Natives’ at the bottom, ‘Pures’ (i.e. Europeans) at the top, and a layer of ‘Indos’ (Indo-European, mixed race) stuck in the middle, operating as a local elite.

The hero of the novel is a Native, but an unusually privileged one; because of the importance of his family, he is the only Native* at an elite high school for Europeans and Indos. So he’s awkwardly positioned in between worlds, brought up to believe that his European education makes him better than other Natives. But of course when he comes into conflict with the establishment, he discovers how fragile his privilege is, and how much he is dependent on the goodwill of the colonial powers.

I enjoyed it; it reminded me rather of one of those European novels from between the world wars, with a whiff of melodrama, and characters having long wordy conversations about ideas. Slightly old-fashioned, but in a good way. I’m certainly tempted to pick up the second in the quartet.

This Earth of Mankind is my book from Indonesia for the Read The World challenge.

* it feels very weird to keep capitalising ‘Native’ like that, but I’m following the practice of the novel, or the translation, which capitalises the racial terms to emphasise their formal legal status.
...more

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Jan 03, 2010 Harun Harahap rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: punya, indonesian, fiksi-sejarah

Tokoh yang menarik perhatian saya dalam novel ini adalah Nyai Ontosoroh. PerEMPUan pribumi yang istimewa. Nyai Ontosoroh merupakan gundik dari Seorang Belanda lemah dan tidak bertanggung jawab. Nyai Ontosoroh menjalankan dan membesarkan berbagai perusahaan yang telah ditinggal suaminya. Nyai Ontosoroh tak pernah bersekolah tapi ia bias menulis dan membaca, bertutur kata dan berperilaku secara Jawa, Melayu ataupun Belanda.

Gundik memang bukan ‘sebutan’ yang enak didengar. Tapi Nyai Ontosoroh tidak ...more

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Mar 21, 2010 Nilam Suri rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Nilam by: prince manoharun, triana

Shelves: literature, historical-romance

So, what can i say...after prolonged it for quite sometime i finally read one of Pramoedya's books.I'm not sure if my review can do justice for this phenomenal book,but let's try, shall we.

Honestly,this book didn't impress me that much.

Saya nggak tau apa yang saya harapkan saat membaca buku yang dipuja2 banyak orang,yang dijadikan bahan skripsi dan thesis,bahkan menjadikan penulisnya salah satu nominator penerima nobel. Buat saya,buku ini sama saja seperti buku-buku lainnya yang digarap dengan s So, what can i say...after prolonged it for quite sometime i finally read one of Pramoedya's books.I'm not sure if my review can do justice for this phenomenal book,but let's try, shall we.

Honestly,this book didn't impress me that much.

Saya nggak tau apa yang saya harapkan saat membaca buku yang dipuja2 banyak orang,yang dijadikan bahan skripsi dan thesis,bahkan menjadikan penulisnya salah satu nominator penerima nobel. Buat saya,buku ini sama saja seperti buku-buku lainnya yang digarap dengan serius. Paling perbedaan terbesarnya terletak pada setting cerita,dan hal remeh temeh lainnya yang berhubungan dengan setting.Atau mungkin kehebatan sang penulis yang bisa membuat kita lintas waktu ke masa kolonial dulu yang bikin buku ini spesial? Yah entahlah.

Namun satu hal yang pasti, buku ini menempatkan perempuan pada tempat yang tidak biasa. Hampir semua tokoh-tokoh penting dan hebat dalam buku ini adalah perempuan, mulai dari sang Nyai sampai Magda Peters. Bahkan Bunda pun adalah seorang wanita yang exceptional. Cuma Annalies agak mengganggu saya. Oke saya tau dia masih muda,nah justru karena itulah,setiap melihat ulahnya saya nggak bisa berhenti berpikir, "drama banget sih, dasar ABG!" walaupun dia memang menunjukkan sisi lain dirinya di bagian akhir buku sih,tapi sepanjang buku dia lebih sering membuat saya geleng-geleng kepala.Namun saya jadi penasaran, kalau buku ini benar difilmkan siapakah bintang yang secantik itu sampai kita bisa melihat kejora di matanya, ya? Semoga pilihan Mira dan Riri tidak membuat kecewa.

Bagaimana dengan Minke sendiri?Hm...nggak banyak yang bisa saya katakan tentang dia,kecuali 'tukang nyosor' hahaha...well,sebutan apalagi yang harus saya berikan pada pemuda yang langsung mencium seorang gadis pada perjumpaan pertama? ;p tapi ada kalanya saya menyukai Minke,kadang dia lucu,walau saya sempat berpikir kalau dia seorang pengecut dan lemah hati. Mungkin itu karena dia masih muda. 18 is a very young age indeed.

Saat membaca buku ini saya juga harus berkali-kali mengingatkan diri saya kalau kejadian dalam buku ini terjadi saat kita masih dijajah Belanda,soalnya kalau saya tak melakukannya mungkin saya akan emosi melihat kerasisan para bule itu,dan kedangkalan bangsa pribumi yang berlebihan memuja mereka. Oh,okay, mungkin buku ini memang hebat ternyata. Dia berhasil membangkitkan rasa nasionalisme saya yang nyaris nol.

Good job, old man!*sambil berdoa semoga ga dikutuk* ...more

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Nov 17, 2014 Glenn Ardi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classic-literature, sastra-indonesia

Dulu seorang teman pernah berkata :

" Jika Amerika memiliki F.C Fitzgerald,
Perancis memiliki Victor Hugo,
Rusia memiliki Fyodor Dostoyevsky,
Jerman memiliki Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
dan Jepang memiliki Haruki Murakami
Maka, Indonesia memiliki seorang Pramoedya Ananta Toer "

Penasaran, karena saya sudah baca beberapa karya sastra dunia, tapi baru sedikit karya sastra Indonesia yang saya baca. Maka pada suatu kesempatan saya sempatkan membaca karya Pramoedya yang paling dikenal - Bumi Manusia.

Bu Dulu seorang teman pernah berkata :

" Jika Amerika memiliki F.C Fitzgerald,
Perancis memiliki Victor Hugo,
Rusia memiliki Fyodor Dostoyevsky,
Jerman memiliki Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
dan Jepang memiliki Haruki Murakami
Maka, Indonesia memiliki seorang Pramoedya Ananta Toer "

Penasaran, karena saya sudah baca beberapa karya sastra dunia, tapi baru sedikit karya sastra Indonesia yang saya baca. Maka pada suatu kesempatan saya sempatkan membaca karya Pramoedya yang paling dikenal - Bumi Manusia.

Bumi Manusia adalah buku pertama dari Tetralogi Pulau buru yang menceritakan tentang pertentangan batin yang dialami seorang intelektual Indonesia pada masa pra-kemerdekaan bernama Minke (terinspirasi dari RM Tirto Adisuryo). Bersama Minke kita sebagai pembaca diajak untuk mengalami langsung serta terlibat dalam masa perjuangan pra-kemerdekaan Indonesia, juga tentang pandangannya terhadap pendidikan serta bagaimana pendidikah dapat merubah derajat manusia dan juga nasib bangsanya.

Naskah cerita ini dibuat pada masa Pram diasingkan di penjara Pulau Buru. Setelah naskah ini berkali-kali disembunyikan, kejar-kejaran sama sipir, sampai mungkin dikubur di dalam tanah, disita, ditulis ulang kembali, diceritakan dari mulut ke mulut oleh kawan-kawan Pram di penjara, kemudian ada juga sebagian dari naskahnya yang diselundupkan ke luar negeri (Australia) sampai pada akhirnya diterbitkan dalam bahasa Inggris dan Indonesia pada tahun 1975.

Setelah membaca bukunya, saya menjadi begitu paham arti dari kebesaran nama seorang Pramoedya Ananta Toer. Pram yang lebih lama menghabiskan hidupnya dalam penjara, yang mencoba menulis jejak langkah pemikirannya - agar tetap abadi, tidak hilang ditelan jaman. Ternyata, nama besarnya memang bukan cuma isapan jempol belaka.

Memang pantaslah jika buku ini disebut-sebut sebagai karya sastra terbesar Indonesia. Pantaslah jika buku ini mendapat 12 perhargaan internasional.

dan memang pantas.. jika karya sastra Indonesia yang satu ini, disejajarkan dengan karya-karya besar sastra dunia.
...more

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Mar 21, 2008 R. Sanyoto rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

"Mas, kan kita pernah berbahagia bersama ?"
"Tentu, Ann."
"Kenangkan kebahagiaan itu saja, ya Mas, jangan yang lain."

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Aug 27, 2008 Naeem rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: perhaps Maura, perhaps Lisa

Recommended to Naeem by: Sara-Maria, Manu

First, thanks to Sara-Maria and Manu (hard as this is for me to do, a debt is a debt) for encouraging me to read the Buru Qurtet. These four books and Max Havelaar made for superb summer reading.

All the book covers say that Toer is "Asia's leading candidate for the Nobel Prize." I have no doubts about that. This not because he is a great stylist of prose (at least not in the English translation), nor because he uncovers new ground in form. Rather, I think it is Toer's ambition and vast knowled First, thanks to Sara-Maria and Manu (hard as this is for me to do, a debt is a debt) for encouraging me to read the Buru Qurtet. These four books and Max Havelaar made for superb summer reading.

All the book covers say that Toer is "Asia's leading candidate for the Nobel Prize." I have no doubts about that. This not because he is a great stylist of prose (at least not in the English translation), nor because he uncovers new ground in form. Rather, I think it is Toer's ambition and vast knowledge that is astounding.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I recall the statement that Benedict Anderson, he of Imagined Communities fame, was influenced by Toer. I can see that. In the first three books, Toer is developing a theory of colonial resistance and colonial consciousness. He also formulates a theory of nationalism. All this is done within dramatic plots and very engaging characters. I continue to believe that some of the best third world theorizing is done through fiction.

The strength and weakness of the four novels is the vast amount of detail that Toer offers. You will learn more about Dutch Indonesia than you ever thought was possible. These details had the effect of completely transporting into a different time and place. I kept thinking to myself: "Why is it that I know next to nothing about Southeast Asia's struggle with the Dutch colonialism?" Reading these books was like looking out at your back yard and realizing that, in it, there is a trail that leads to whole another dimension.

The fourth novel, House of Glass was rather unsettling for me. First the point of view shifts. The first three books are written from the point of view of Minke -- a gifted "native" who internalizes the Dutch and Western norms of his white education and who comes to see the impossibility of realizing the values of equality and justice within the colonial setting. House of Glass shifts the point of view to another native but one who is a collaborationist. In some ways this novel reminds me a bit of the first essay in Memmi's colonizer and the colonized. Second, it is not difficult to identify with the tragedy that befalls Minke since his character has integrity. But the collaborationist in House of Glass, while intelligent, falls further and further into self-hatred. I found the fourth book emotionally difficult.

All in all an enthralling experience. I am very impressed with Toer's historical and theoretical grasp, although I wished he had done more work on the daily operations of the sugar factories that ruled Indonesia.
...more

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Sep 25, 2007 Cintoenxz Abstraxz rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Sebuah novel sejarah yang mengisahkan perjalanan intelektual seorang anak manusia (yang diberi nama oleh Pram Minke=monyet) untuk menemukan arti kemanusiaan dan identitas kebangsaan awal abad 20-an. Berhadapan dengan kolonialisme dan sistem hukumnya yang diskriminatif, Minke melihat banyak ketimpangan-ketimpangan, penindasan-penindasa, politik pecah belah, pembagian kelas, dan politik kolonial yang menyengsarakan manusia Indonesia dan menjatuhkan kemanusiaan ke titik yang paling rendah dalam per ...more

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Jan 09, 2009 Bunga Mawar rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: indonesia, fiction, buku-boleh-pinjem

Malangnya nasibmu, Inlander. Dipecah-belah lalu dikuasai Belanda yang rakus. Bebal. Biadab.

Malangnya nasibmu, Sanikem. Diambil madu dan kemanisanmu, diperas otak dan jiwamu, dihinakan status nyai-mu, tak bisa menyelamatkan darah dagingmu sendiri.

Malangnya nasibmu Annelies. Muda, cantik, berbudi halus. Dibuat lemah oleh kuatnya pribadi mamamu, kesempitan duniamu, dan butanya cintamu.

Malangnya nasibmu Minke. Ganteng, cerdas, berani. Punya nama lahir kok tidak dipakai. Apa kurang bagus pemberian or ...more

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Jul 18, 2014 Scott Smith rated it it was ok · review of another edition

If this is a great work of literature, Its greatness eluded me. But I enjoyed the book, learning a bit of Indonesian history and imagining what life would've been like for Natives under Dutch colonial rule.

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Aug 10, 2016 Daniel Simmons rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Pretty awful as a work of literary fiction (or else a truly terrible translation of a masterpiece?), but interesting as an anthropological document of colonial-era Java.

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Feb 19, 2016 Leonart Maruli rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: novel, favorites, life-wisdom, 2016-books-challenge

Saya memang telat baca novel ini, bisa dibilang sebagai kerugian. Tapi ada beruntungnya juga karena pengalaman membaca karya-karya Eropa Classic yang lain turut membantuku memahami novel ini. Risetnya luar biasa! Luar biasa Pram, dia sampai-sampai tau juga tentang pedalaman jiwa, cuma dia ga pakai bahasa id, ego dan superego. Gue yakin banget Pram baca Sigmund Freud... Sebelumnya gue udah baca Jejak Langkah dan Rumah Kaca terlebih dahulu... Kalau dari sisi melankolia, novel Bumi Manusia memang y ...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Michiyo 'jia' Fujiwara rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, asian-literature, novel-dewasa, roman, favorites, indonesian-literature, indonesian-classic-literature, pramoedya-ananta-toer

Menangis dan sedih diakhir bab terakhir ini..dan semua ditutup dengan sebuah dialog:

“Kita kalah, Ma” bisik Minke

“Kita telah melawan, nak, Nyo, sebaik-baiknya, sehormat-hormatnya.” Nyai Ontosoroh

Ini adalah perkenalan pertamaku pada kisah para manusia..tentang kisah cinta pria pribumi dan wanita Indo nan cantik jelita; Minke dan Annelies Mellema..tentang kewibawaan seorang wanita pribumi tangguh; Sanikem atau kita lebih mengenalnya sebagai Nyai Ontosoroh..tentang seorang pria pribumi yang gamang a ...more

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Mar 10, 2012 Diane rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Malays

Recommended to Diane by: Literature Professor

Shelves: my-library, required-reading, asian-literature, 2012-reads, indonesian-literature

In all honesty, I didn’t like the novel as much as I liked the other two required reading novels for Oriental Literature class, “The Temple of the Golden Pavilion” and “The Rope of Ash”, nor do I think it is as
impressive as the other Asian Literary works that we have read in class, like the short stories of Lu Xun. The first few parts actually didn’t get my attention. There are points in the story that I asked myself where the book was getting at or what it is trying to say. I know it is a pos
In all honesty, I didn’t like the novel as much as I liked the other two required reading novels for Oriental Literature class, “The Temple of the Golden Pavilion” and “The Rope of Ash”, nor do I think it is as
impressive as the other Asian Literary works that we have read in class, like the short stories of Lu Xun. The first few parts actually didn’t get my attention. There are points in the story that I asked myself where the book was getting at or what it is trying to say. I know it is a post-colonial literature, so naturally I was looking for a Political commentary but was disappointed that I got a love story that lacks backbone. Minke and Annelies fell inlove immediately after they met and I am not really a fan of the kind of story. I was annoyed by Annelies. She was being immature and helpless. She was very anti-feminist and she doesn’t do much except become sick and follow
Minke around. She was so weak and needy. But I liked reading about everyone else, especially the European friends of Minke, who supplied the information about colonial Indonesia. The Mellema’s family doctor, Dr. Martinet, who explained the condition of Annelies and what the
author was trying to communicate when he wrote about Annelies, and the La Croix sisters who were trying to help Minke become a successful Javanese who could lead Indonesia to rebel against Dutch rule. They supplied vital ideas and information not only to Minke but to the
readers as well.
I liked that I get to learn about the condition of Java during the Dutch rule and was sad to discover that their condition is as worse as the Philippines have experienced during the Spanish,
Japanese and American rule. The natives, although it is their land, are being oppressed by the colonizers, the trespassers. The natives are being denied of their rights in their own land and the colonizers thinking that they are superior in every way.
I think the writer was brilliant when he wrote this story as a ‘love story’ to hide his political commentaries. As a result, it wasn’t nauseating to read, unlike other political novels.The Malay culture isn’t really presented much, either. There is no vivid picture on what Java is like before the Dutch conquered Indonesia, except when Minke’s family would appear in the book, like Minke and Annelies’ wedding. The author gave a very vivid picture of the event and it was very exciting to read because their customs, when it comes to weddings are different from what we have here in the Philippines.
What I like most about reading the novel is that I get to learn about Indonesia: the History and their Culture. It is a part of Asia, of home, that, in all honesty, I wasn’t very familiar with. I have been reading too much Western novel and I was surprise that I found this book rather strange when I’m Asian and a Malay at that. We are very Western indeed and it is sad that we did not keep our culture. Our culture is probably as colourful or as different as that of other Asian countries and if we kept our culture, it would probably keep us grounded, just like what the Malayan culture has made Minke and Nyai as they are. Their education is that of the West but their heart and morals remained Javanese. That made them not just tough, but humble as well. Robert Mellema has the the mind of a Westerner and look at what happened to him. Nyai and Minke, although defeated, fought with dignity and fought for what they believe is right and fair.
I think, this is a call for Indonesia, and maybe to all parts of Asia, to fight against Western rule. The author thinks it is okay to be educated by the West because the Asians could use this education as a tool for rebellion but it is also important to keep our Asian morals that is unique. Our morals, our culture and traditions not only defines our identity as Asians but it keeps us grounded, always reminding as that it is not power that we want but Freedom. Freedom to practice our religion, our culture, our tradition. Freedom to live and rule our own land. Freedom to be who we are.

~~I'm not a very good writer, am I? :P~~ ...more

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Dec 03, 2015 Jenny (Reading Envy) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: around-the-world, location-indonesia, own, read2015, worldlit2015

This is a complex novel about Dutch-Indo relations through the eyes of Minke, an intelligent Javanese boy who is sent up through Dutch schooling. He falls in love with the daughter of a nyai (a concubine, or slave, as she would put it) whose father is Dutch but whose mother is native. He calls the nyai "Mama" through most of the novel. He is forced to confront his own preconceived notions on intelligence, hierarchy, and personal value, largely because of Mama:

"Stories about happy things are ne

"Stories about happy things are never interesting. They are not stories about people and their lives, but about heaven, and clearly do not take place on this earth of ours."

There are co-existing governments in Indonesia during this time period - Minke's father is a bupati, a regional nobleman post that is given honor and authority until it involves a non-native person, and then all bets are off. Minke could actually have moved up into a similar role (because of his blood) but seems to be positioning himself to have more of an influence in crossing the lines, something that is not a popular approach, but one gaining a lot of attention, referred to as "Association Theory," this idea of equal governance with the Europeans. It looks like Child of All Nations continues Minke's story as he takes on a larger role. Since this volume ends so tragically, I would be interested in knowing what happens next.

I have read a handful of books set in Indonesia (more than a handful if you include West Papua) but this is the only one translated from a native author. It actually is against the law to sell or purchase his work within Indonesia, and the quartet that this novel introduces were originally composed orally while the author was in jail for political reasons, recited to other inmates, until he was allowed to have paper. The author's life is reflected in the tensions of the novel - native vs. European, tradition vs. religion, etc.

"Science was giving birth to more and more miracles. The legends of my ancestors were being put to shame. No longer was it necessary to meditate in the mountains for years in order to be able to speak to somebody across the seas. The Germans had laid a cable reaching from England to India! And these cables were multiplying and spreading all over the face of the earth. The whole world could now observe the behavior of any person. And people could now observe the behavior of the whole world.

But mankind and its problems remained as they have always been. And no more so than in the matters of love."

Also discussed on Episode 044 of the Reading Envy Podcast. ...more

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Aug 14, 2011 Erik Angriawan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Kutipan Tetralogi Pulau Buru

==''Bumi Manusia''==

* "Berbahagialah dia yang makan dari keringatnya sendiri bersuka karena usahanya sendiri dan maju karena pengalamannya sendiri " (''Mama/Nyai Ontosoroh, hal 39''
* "Seorang terpelajar harus juga belajar berlaku adil sudah sejak dalam pikiran, apalagi perbuatan. (''Jean Marais, hal 52'')
* "Cinta itu indah, Minke, terlalu indah, yang bisa didapatkan dalam hidup manusia yang pendek ini. (''Jean Marais, 55'')
* "Tak ada cinta muncul mendadak, karena dia Kutipan Tetralogi Pulau Buru

==''Bumi Manusia''==

* "Berbahagialah dia yang makan dari keringatnya sendiri bersuka karena usahanya sendiri dan maju karena pengalamannya sendiri " (''Mama/Nyai Ontosoroh, hal 39''
* "Seorang terpelajar harus juga belajar berlaku adil sudah sejak dalam pikiran, apalagi perbuatan. (''Jean Marais, hal 52'')
* "Cinta itu indah, Minke, terlalu indah, yang bisa didapatkan dalam hidup manusia yang pendek ini. (''Jean Marais, 55'')
* "Tak ada cinta muncul mendadak, karena dia anak kebudayaan, bukan batu dari langit. (''Jean Marais, 55)
* "Melawan, Minke, dengan segala kemampuan dan ketakmampuan. (''Jean Marais, 60)
* "Hidup bisa memberikan segala pada barang siapa tahu dan pandai menerima. (''Mama, 73)
* "Jangan anggap remeh si manusia, yang kelihatannya begitu sederhana; biar penglihatanmu setajam elang, pikiranmu setajam pisau cukur, perabaanmu lebih peka dari para dewa, pendengaran dapat menangkap musik dan ratap-tangis kehidupan; pengetahuanmu tentang manusia takkan bakal bisa kemput. (''Mama, 119)
* "Cerita tentang kesenangan selalu tidak menarik. Itu bukan cerita tentang manusia dan kehidupannya , tapi tentang surga, dan jelas tidak terjadi di atas bumi kita ini. (''Mama, 120)
* "Duniaku bukan jabatan, pangkat, gaji, dan kecurangan. Duniaku bumi manusia dengan persoalannya . (''Minke, 135)
* "Semakin tinggi sekolah bukan berarti semakin menghabiskan makanan orang lain. Harus semakin mengenal batas. (''Bunda, 138)
* "Kau terpelajar, cobalah bersetia pada katahati. (''Jean Marais, 203)
* "Suatu bangsa yang telah mempertaruhkan jiwa-raga dan harta benda untuk segumpal pengertian abstrak bernama kehormatan. (''Miriam de la Croix, 212)
* "Melawan pada yang berilmu dan berpengetahuan adalah menyerahkan diri pada maut dan kehinaan. (''Miriam de la Croix, 213)
* "Suatu masyarakat paling primitif pun, misalnya di jantung Afrika sana, tak pernah duduk di bangku sekolah, tak pernah melihat kitab dalam hidupnya, tak kenal baca-tulis, masih dapat mencintai sastra, walau sastra lisan. (''Magda Peters, 233)
* "Kalian boleh maju dalam pelajaran, mungkin mencapai deretan gelar kesarjanaan apa saja, tapi tanpa mencintai sastra, kalian tinggal hanya hewan yang pandai. (''Magda Peters, 233)
* "Tak pernah ada perang untuk perang. Ada banyak bangsa yang berperang bukan hendak keluar sebagai pemenang. Mereka turun ke medan perang dan berguguran berkeping-keping seperti bangsa Aceh sekarang ini...ada sesuatu yang dibela, sesuatu yang lebih berharga daripada hanya mati, hidup atau kalah-menang. (''Jean Marais, 250)
* "Cinta tak lain dari sumber kekuatan tanpa bendungan bisa mengubah, menghancurkan atau meniadakan, membangun atau menggalang. (''Dr. Martinet, 279)
...more

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Aug 28, 2011 Irwan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: finished, 2011, favorites

Jatuh cinta sejak adegan pertama:
-- pada kecantikan seorang Annelies Mellema. Yang sepanjang cerita membuai dengan lembutnya kecantikan dan rapuhnya kemudaan yang berkembang ditengah konflik keluarga berlatar belakang kolonial.
-- pada pandangan dan keteguhan seorang Sanikem, atau Nyai Ontosoroh. Seorang otodidak yang mengjungkalkan semua stereotip wanita yang ada di posisinya, seorang gundik Belanda.
-- pada kepujanggaan seorang Minke. Aku cemburu dengan segala kehebatan dan keberuntungannya. B ...more

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Jan 02, 2016 Andres Eguiguren rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: novels

This is a long-delayed review, partly because I must admit I never finished reading it and partly because I so wanted to like this Indonesian author having read about his time as a political prisoner in the 1960s. As a history teacher, I did appreciate how Ananta Toer captures 19th Century colonial life and the caste-like system that was instituted by the Dutch. The romantic story between the native Javanese boy and the mixed race girl at the centre of the novel, however, did not feel realistic ...more

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Jan 06, 2008 Jackie rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Recommended to Jackie by: Frank Brodhead

Three stars because it introduced me to a slice of Javanese-Indonesian history and Dutch colonialism there, but was a difficult read at times. Though Toer takes a pretty clear side against the Dutch and its imperialism, he gives a more complex telling and analysis of Javanese life. However, the language felt a bit old (which it is), and so got got a little repetitive and dry. Still, it's worth reading and admiring the clarity that Toer had at the time in looking at his country.

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Oct 03, 2010 Michael rated it it was ok · review of another edition

This book (English title: The Earth of Mankind) was recommended by an academic friend who learned Indonesian to read it in the author's native language - impressive! The subject is serious: a love affair between a pure-blood Javanese and a mixed-race Indo set against the backdrop of the emergence of Indonesian anti-colonial sentiment near the start of the 20th century. Unfortunately, I found the almost soap-opera-ish style hard to get accustomed to.

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Mar 16, 2016 Heidi rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I got this book to read while I was on Java. I didn't dislike it, but it definitely dragged. I was also hoping for something that would give me more of a feel for the island than this did, more akin to "The Gift of Rain" or "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" in terms of being really steeped in the setting.

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Apr 15, 2015 Lauren Prince rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Recommends it for: those interested in colonial studies

Recommended to Lauren by: for class

Shelves: classics, pacrim, school

I write this review primarily to remind those who may see my rating that: GOODREADS REQUESTS HOW MUCH THE USER ENJOYED THE BOOK. It does not ask you to rate the quality of the book.

It is a book.
It is not one I enjoyed reading.

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Sep 29, 2015 Chelsea Mcgill rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: onblog

My interest in this book is primarily literary and cultural. Pramoedya Ananta Toer has masterfully combined a devastating critique of colonialism with a poignant love story, set in the late 1800s before Indonesia had even been named.

Minke is the only Native Javanese student in the H.B.S., one of the best high schools in the Dutch Indies. Despite his obvious academic abilities, he would not have gained admission to this prestigious school if it were not for his grandfather's status. It turns out My interest in this book is primarily literary and cultural. Pramoedya Ananta Toer has masterfully combined a devastating critique of colonialism with a poignant love story, set in the late 1800s before Indonesia had even been named.

Minke is the only Native Javanese student in the H.B.S., one of the best high schools in the Dutch Indies. Despite his obvious academic abilities, he would not have gained admission to this prestigious school if it were not for his grandfather's status. It turns out that Minke is descended from Javanese royalty! But his high position in Javanese society doesn't help much in his school or when mingling with the Europeans. Due to his race, all of his western education and ideas, his ability to speak and read fluent Dutch, and his dreams of being a journalist or writer cannot gain him real admission to colonial society. He is inherently a lesser being because he is a pure-blooded Native. The Indos, or part-natives, will always be higher than him, and of course the Pure Europeans will always have the most authority of all.

This is the world that Minke inhabits. While he recognizes and chafes against these restrictions from the beginning, he doesn't quite grasp their full implications until he falls in love with Annelise Mellema, an Indo girl who is the daughter of a wealthy Dutch businessman and his concubine, or nyai. For the last five years, the Nyai has run her master's company single-handedly, only assisted by her daughter. The Nyai is incredibly well educated and a wonderful leader and administrator, self-taught and educated by her master. But because she is a pure-blooded native and, even worse, just a nyai, she has no real power over anything in this colonial society – not even the company that she built from scratch or the land purchased in her name.

When Minke and Ann fall head over heels in love, both colonial and Javanese society see their relationship as scandalous. This is especially so when rumors begin to spread about how Minke is staying at their house. And then there is the controversy of Minke’s Dutch writings being published to critical acclaim in the papers…

Critique of Colonialism

This book is, first and foremost, a devastating critique of Colonialism, specifically Dutch Colonialism in the Indies.

Time and again, Minke highlights the Europeans' hypocrisy: the same people simultaneously teach him about the vast benefits of European society and systematically debase Native Javans for no reason other than their race. He is reminded again and again that, although he is mostly treated as an equal in school, he can be completely cast aside at a moment’s notice. Although his family is powerful in Native society, he is only allowed admission to colonial circles due to the good nature of the Europeans.

Read the rest here: http://thegloballycurious.blogspot.in... ...more

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May 10, 2013 Yukanatha Svanidza rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, novels

Novel inilah yang membuat saya berpaling dari yang namanya teenlit. Maklumilah, pertama kali saya baca novel ini saat masih pakai seragam putih-merah. Faktor pemicu saya baca novel ini adalah rasa penasaran karena kakak saya pernah bilang, Pramoedya Ananta Toer lah seorang penulis yang karya"nya wajib dibaca. Mengingat kakak saya bukanlah orang yang bisa bilang begitu secara sembarang, maka akhirnya saya mulai membuka halaman demi halaman buku ini.

Karena buku ini terlalu tebal bagi ukuran saya s Novel inilah yang membuat saya berpaling dari yang namanya teenlit. Maklumilah, pertama kali saya baca novel ini saat masih pakai seragam putih-merah. Faktor pemicu saya baca novel ini adalah rasa penasaran karena kakak saya pernah bilang, Pramoedya Ananta Toer lah seorang penulis yang karya"nya wajib dibaca. Mengingat kakak saya bukanlah orang yang bisa bilang begitu secara sembarang, maka akhirnya saya mulai membuka halaman demi halaman buku ini.

Karena buku ini terlalu tebal bagi ukuran saya saat itu, saya cuma baca bab 1 nya, lalu tidur dan memutuskan untuk melanjutkan nanti... yang terealisasi saat saya berganti seragam jadi putih-biru.

oh... damn, God. Kenapa bisa-bisanya elu menunda baca buku ini selama sepersekian tahun? - inilah yang ada di otak saya setelah saya kupas total buku ini. Membaca ini membuat saya penasaran dengan sosok Pram, dan mulai hunting buku-buku Beliau yang lain. Tapi tetap -yang mungkin mengandung unsur buku ini adalah karya Pram yang saya baca perdana- buku ini yang paling 'the best' nya.

well - buku ini menjadi debut bagi saya untuk menyukai tokoh 'sampingan'. Saya memang menyukai Minke, tetapi saya lebih terperana melihat sosok Nyai Ontosoroh. Saya nggak sangka bahwa seorang wanita dengan titel 'Nyai' dapat sehebat itu. Dia benar-benar tokoh yang belajar dari pengalaman - yang membuatnya menjadi sarkas, namun mempesona. Ia juga bukan wanita yang terpuruk terhanyut takdir yang telah melemparkan dirinya pada Tuan Belanda bejad. Bahkan satu quote yang paling saya ingat dari dia:

"Berbahagialah dia yang makan dari keringatnya sendiri, bersuka karena usahanya sendiri dan maju karena pengalamannya sendiri”

Nyai Ontosoroh benar" mengubah presepsi saya, menjadikan saya tidak kaget ketika saya membuka lembar demi lembar Supernova kepemilikan Dee.
Secara tak langsung, saya berpaling dan mengakui, bahwa sebuah buku tidak selalu bisa dinilai dari sampulnya belaka.

Kisah romance di sini, benar-benar menyayat. Saya speechless begitu tahu akhir dari buku ini. Betapa mengaduk-ngaduk emosi.

Yah, saya nggak tahu mau review apalagi. Dan sebenarnya, buku seapik ini (mungkin) tidak layak mendapat review seperti ini. Saya cuma bisa kasih bintang lima dan empat jempol saya (sebanyak yang saya punya) untuk menilai novel ini.

...more

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Apr 04, 2008 mahatma rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

saya baru lama kemudian menghargai karya ini.
setelah membacai sendiri koran-koran lama dari awal abad XX. koran-koran yang juga jadi sumber penulisan pak pram.
lalu, saya juga mendekati karya pak pram ini setelah membacai tulisan-tulisan ben anderson dkk dari cornell.
saya seperti dipanggil untuk kembali ke jawa. kembali memelajari rajutan lama yang membentuk diri.
dan JAWA yang ditampilkan oleh pram memang beda, tapi cocok dengan bacaan saya dari arah antropologi, sejarah, sosiologi, seni bangunan ...more

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Dec 06, 2014 Andrew added it · review of another edition

Shelves: southeast-asian-fiction

Rest in peace to the postcolonial novel of characters. There were once droves of them, from all parts of the newly liberated world, but they're a rare commodity in an era where the “ethnic” novel in the U.S. has been reduced to level one alienation and occasional italicized references to spices.

Toer wrote a fucking four-volume epic without a pen on a prison island in Indonesia (and you think you're a writer...). And the first volume is a novel of beautifully drawn characters. Like E.M. Forster i ...more

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Oct 22, 2015 A. Fedosia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

An introduction to the novels of an internationally read Indonesian author, Pramoedya Ananta Toer. This one begins his Buru Quartet. The tetralogy's title refers to the prison in which he first told then wrote it. The setting begins around 1898 Surabaya, Java, a period of Dutch Indies colonization. The story begins with two privileged, optimistic, competent natives. Nyai (concubine) Ontosoroh has been educated by her Netherlands European consort Herman Mellema. She's competent in the Dutch langu An introduction to the novels of an internationally read Indonesian author, Pramoedya Ananta Toer. This one begins his Buru Quartet. The tetralogy's title refers to the prison in which he first told then wrote it. The setting begins around 1898 Surabaya, Java, a period of Dutch Indies colonization. The story begins with two privileged, optimistic, competent natives. Nyai (concubine) Ontosoroh has been educated by her Netherlands European consort Herman Mellema. She's competent in the Dutch language and in European ways and is the successful owner-manager of their dairy business. They have two grown children, Annelies and Robert. The native is Minke, a name given to him when his teacher was exasperated with him. His family is among the native nobility, and Minke has the privilege to attend the elite Dutch high school. His schooling in modern, European enlightened education and science and in Dutch language makes him impatient with traditional Javanese customs of obeisance. As this first book of the Quartet introduces the themes, characters, and setting, some unknown parts of the story will be revealed in the sequels. The two complacent, independent characters above find themselves in a conflict. When Mellema dies in a seedy brothal, his Netherlands's son of a former marriage wants Nyai's business, money, and daughter Annelies. Nyai and Minke attempt to fight Maurits Mellema's greedy grab at his father's inheritance and at Annelies (she and Minke have married). Though Nyai and Minke have the support of many natives, the powerful directive of the Netherlands court is supported by the local Dutch Indies court. In other words, Nyai and Minke can petition for their human rights, but the European court in Java does not recognize their class. The conflict over the inheritance and Annelies reveals the hidden social inequality of the natives Nyai and Minke when they make their rare contact with the courts and teaches them that their own ancestry might be as worthy as that of the colonizers. ...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Martha rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: punya

Woaaahh.. udah habis.. n penasaran sama lanjutannya.

Buku bagus. Walaupun settingnya jadul (eh gak jadul2 amat sih, cuma jamannya kolonial Belanda bercokol di Indonesia), tapi saya tetep bisa mengikuti, memahami, dan menikmati jalan cerita dan penokohoannya. Asik mbacanya. Padahal sebelum baca agak khawatir, takutnya terganggu sama ejaan atau pemilihan kata/diksi/gaya bahasa yang ketinggalan jaman, atau terlalu serius dan sarat dg pesan2 perjuangan, terlalu idealis, dll. Eh ternyata saya salah d ...more

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Apr 04, 2008 Pera rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: novel, sosial, indonesia

diawal, alurnya lambat, membuatku membaca tersendat sendat. Hanya karena penasaran, kenapa buku ini selalu di rekomendasi sebagai salah satu novel terbaik, aku mmemaksakan diri menyelesaikannya.

Cerita novel ini berputar pada tiga tokoh utama, Mingke, Nyai Ontosoroh, dan anaknya yang jelita, Annelis.
Setting pada masa penjajahan Belanda. Pram, melalui 3 tokoh ceritanya menggambarkan perbedaan kelas yang ada,antara pribumi, bangsawan, Belanda, Keturunan Belanda, dan steorotip di masing-masing kelas ...more

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Aug 12, 2016 Andi Aumi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

finally understand why all recent lights to Pram (even back to my fresh year) are not just because we claim oldish trend is a new kekinian, but mainly because Bumi Manusia isnt only a love story between Minke and Annelies, it covers what historians would call: a supplementary narrative of class struggle, media, and patriarchy. I realize how much I claim all my feminist chance and law protection for granted, thanks to you Pram.

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topics	posts	views	last activity
This Earth of Mankind	11	241	Sep 20, 2016 05:38PM
"Imagi sejarah yang hidup"	9	104	Nov 12, 2015 04:47PM
Pembaca Buku Pram...: Jual Bumi Manusia C1 Hasta Mitra (Bisa Tukar dengan Arus Balik)	6	76	Dec 04, 2014 05:29AM
Goodreads Indonesia: Ada yang tau beli tetralogi buru dimana?	6	188	Oct 08, 2014 04:36PM
Goodreads Librari...: A Dutch version of 2008 #978-90-445-1231-1	7	44	Feb 14, 2012 11:57PM

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About Pramoedya Ananta Toer

Pramoedya Ananta Toer was an Indonesian author of novels, short stories, essays, polemics, and histories of his homeland and its people. A well-regarded writer in the West, Pramoedya's outspoken and often politically charged writings faced censorship in his native land during the pre-reformation era. For opposing the policies of both founding president Sukarno, as well as those of its successor, t ...more

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