To the Contrary
contains seventeen of A. A. Navis’s most provocative and engaging stories. These range from a light-hearted comedy of errors between a husband and wife to heavy-hitting critiques of corruption, patrimonialism, bureaucratic morass, and self-righteous pretension. One of the reasons that Navis’s short stories have had such staying power is their biting satire that provides insight into everyday situations familiar to any reader. Although the stories are firmly rooted in West Sumatra, they speak to common problems of the modern era and shine a light on many of the cultural dilemmas that Indonesia has had to face.