The subtitle says it all: 'Sultans, Spices, and Tsunamis: The Incredible Story of Southeast Asia's Largest Nation.' Indonesia expert Hannigan offers a highly readable and entertaining narrative that highlights the many personalities who have shaped the nation - and our perception of it. English pirates, Indian mystics, Chinese pilgrims, American surfers, Dutch spice barons join a cavalcade of Javanese royals, ... Read moreBalinese dancers and more. -Lonely Planet ...[Tim Hannigan's] books are charmingly free of pre-conceived notions of specialization. They entertain readers while offering sharp insights into Asian history. -PopMatters Magazine Tim Hannigan presents Indonesia as a place of high drama, with a past marked by European trade battles, explorers like Magellan and Christopher Columbus, and waves of immigrants. He guides the reader through the reign of Sukarno (1945-1967) and others of lesser, but no less corruptible, reputation, to settle with guarded optimism with the current president, Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi. -Foreword Magazine Light and entertaining, A Brief History of Indonesia is a highly readable, informative, solid and irreverent introduction to this sprawling island nation. -Tempo (English) A Brief History of Indonesia packs a few thousand years of history into a relatively slim volume. It's no mean feat for its author Tim Hannigan, who punctuates stories from the past with his own experiences. -Western Morning News ...Hannigan, a feature writer who hones his writing skills by reading a lot of fiction, manages to capture this heavy and rich history in a very easy to understand and entertaining narrative. -The Jakarta Post The book has been a best-seller in Indonesian bookshops, with the publisher having to order a second print run within a month of publication. -The Cornishman A Brief History of Indonesia is an intelligent and lucidly-written piece of work that has more than enough content and drama to attract the general Asian history reader; and is the perfect companion for travellers and tourists who wish to delve deeper than their travel guide's history section and get closer to the beating heart of this troubled yet remarkable nation. -Asian Review of Books Show Less