Olenka
$42.80
- Paperback
320 pages
- Release Date
25 August 2026
Summary
A new English translation of an existential tale of obsession by Indonesia’s celebrated writer of absurdist realism.
In Bloomington, Indiana, Fanton Drummond’s life changes when he encounters Olenka Danton in an elevator. Infatuated at first sight, Fanton begins to see Olenka everywhere, from bus stops and parks to the imagined settings of his mind’s eye. Soon they begin an affair, and Fanton steps deeper into Olenka’s mysterious world. But one day, Olenka vanishes. Fanton’s subsequen…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780143138532 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 0143138537 |
| Author: | Budi Darma, Tiffany Tsao |
| Publisher: | Penguin Books Ltd |
| Imprint: | Penguin Classics |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 320 |
| Release Date: | 25 August 2026 |
| Weight: | 500g |
| Dimensions: | 35mm x 129mm x 198mm |
You Can Find This Book In
Critics Review
“Imagine a supercollider into which a series of seemingly disparate elements are placed: a knowing look at the world of literary magazines in the late 1970s; a narrator’s unexpected romantic pursuits; a collection of found photographs; and the inspirational sports drama Breaking Away. Olenka somehow combines all of these into a structurally sound whole while also adding some formally impressive aspects into the mix. It’s like nothing else you’ll read this year.” — Tobias Carroll, Words Without Borders
“This playful novel twists and turns like a Rubik’s cube.” — Publishers Weekly
Budi Darma
Budi Darma was a novelist, short-story-writer, and literary critic. He received several national literary awards and international honors, including the Southeast Asian Writers Award (S.E.A. Write Award) and the Mastera Literary Award. He held a PhD in English literature from Indiana University Bloomington and was a professor at the State University of Surabaya.
Tiffany Tsao is a literary translator and writer. Her translations have been awarded the PEN Presents and PEN Translates prizes. She has translated numerous Indonesian works and is the author of The Majesties (2020), the forthcoming But Won’t I Miss Me (2026), and the Oddfits series. She holds a PhD in English literature from UC-Berkeley.
Returns
This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.