Lies, Loss, and Longing portrays the lives of those who survive violence. Sukanta delves deeply into sufferings, using his keen eye for the mundane to expose extraordinary contradictions. Many of the characters in this short story collection are faced with sad endings; nonetheless, there is strength in his characters that gives them, and us, insights into the predicaments and the changes that must happen in Indonesia. Sukanta's work transcends location and the longing he evokes in his stories are shared by all of us.

Translated by: Ven Cork, Leslie Dwyer