Ayu Utami
Ayu Utami Ayu Utami is an Indonesian writer. She has written novels, short-stories, and articles. Saman (1998) is widely considered her masterpiece. It was translated into English by Pamela Allen in 2005. By writing about sex and politics, Utami addressed issues formerly forbidden to Indonesian women, a change referred to as sastra wangi. Ayu Utami is a leading voice among the new generation of Indonesian artists and writers emerging after the fall of Suharto. Utami was born in Bogor and grew up in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. She obtained her Bachelor's degree from the University of Indonesia, where she studied Russian language and literature. During her college years she had already begun publishing reports and essays in various newspapers. In 1990, she was selected as a finalist in Wajah Femina, a beauty pageant in Indonesia. However, she didn't pursue a modeling career because of her dislike of cosmetics and make-up. She has been a journalist for various Indonesian ...