Jakarta Jive looks at the lives of Jakarta residents the economic collapse, riots, and other tumultuous public events that accompanied the end of Soeharto’s New Order government in 1998. At times humorous, at others harrowing, Jakarta Jive evokes the multifaceted character of that seminal period in the Indonesian nation's eventful history. Through accurate portrayal of public events and intriguing insight into private lives, Jakarta Jive will become a must-read for anyone with an interest in modern Indonesia.
What others have said about Jakarta Jive:
The reader benefits from Allan’s observation, as well as his trials and tribulation, which he describes in his raconteur style. And not less important, as he paints a particular angle of Jakarta life, the picture develops depth beyond the initial visible aspects, simply because Allan keeps his refreshing boyish curiosity over a well-developed, mature humility. —Dewi Anggraeni The Jakarta Post
Jeremy Allan’s book Jakarta Jive is very readable, so much so that I read it all in one go. And it wasn’t until I had finished the book that I realized I had devoured a total of 225 pages. Jakarta Jive is literally a breath of fresh air after the volumes of “bad news only” about Indonesia. —George Mitrowijoyo Tempo
If anyone ever asked what it must have been like to live through those heady days directly before, during and after the fall of Soeharto, you could do no better than to recommend Jakarta Jive. Having lived in Indonesia for over twenty years, the author Jeremy Allan has gained the kind of in-depth understanding of Indonesian culture and society that is rarely seen in foreigners. —Adam Fenton Garuda Magazine
The writer does an excellent job of describing the key events surrounding Soeharto’s downfall. For those of us living in Jakarta at the time, Allan’s account will, no doubt, act as a sobering reminder of an awful period in Indonesia’s recent history. —Tim Paterson Jakarta Kini
