'I like the scribble in secondhand books'

======================================================= After bringing the reality of life around us to the stage last week with his latest play marking Teater Mandiri's 33rd anniversary, Putu Wijaya is still going full steam. The ideas continue to flow while he indulgges his other passions of reading and writing. Although reluctant to mention his age, Putu was more forthcoming about the books that he enjoys. ==================================================

What's on your bedside table?

Now I am reading a collection of selected essays published by Horison. I'm reading it because I want to learn about the development on the ways of thinking among Indonesian intellectuals in general. What they have in mind is interesting. I am using it to write a series titled Dangdut, now being published by Suara Merdeka daily in Semarang and in its sixth month.

Author, author -- who is your favorite?

I don't worship authors, I look more to the works. But the works of (Yukio) Mishima, (Ryunosuke) Akutagawa, Baso, Boris Pasternak, Samuel Beckett, (Edgar Allan) Poe, (Anton) Chekov, O. Henry, William Saroyan, Pramoedya (Ananta Toer), Goenawan Mohamad, W.S. Rendra, Sutardji Calzoum Bachri, (Umar) Khayam, Iqbal even Agatha Christie, to name a few, are always an interesting read.

Kid's choice?

Karl May's adventure, The Human Comedy by William Saroyan, Mahabharata. I love those books because they are not just telling stories but also teaching about morality.

Magazines for a good browse?

I like magazines with lots of pictures, don't talk too much but its content is comprehensive and selective. But I also like Penthouse and Playboy.

Favorite places to pick up a good book?

I really like buying secondhand books because the important thing for me is not the book but its content. In secondhand places, sometimes the books already have scribble in them, with comments by readers. For me, that's interesting because I know that I am in touch, in a way, with other readers.

-- Stevie Emilia