Pramoedya Ananta Toer

“Every book that is banned is a badge of honor.”

“It is proper for people to have friends, friendships without self-interest. Without friends, life is too lonely.”

“I've often heard people say, “Your country is beautiful, a virtual paradise.” When will the people of Indonesia be as beautiful as their land, with a civilization and culture that contributes to the greater beauty of humankind and no longer smothers and strangles the mind?”

“Every award for me is important because it means a slap against militarism and fascism in Indonesia.”

“Capital dictates the fate of humanity.”

“She is like a meteor shooting off by itself, traveling through space, knowing no bounds, who knows ehere eventually to come to ground, on another planet or back on our earth again, or to disappear in the infinity of nature.”

“Kehidupan lebih nyata daripada pendapat siapapun tentang kenyataan.”

“People are raised to believe that happiness is the land to which they are destined to travel. But that belief, which one so easily accepts as true, might just as well be a mirage.”

“I don't write to give joy to readers but to give them a conscience.”

“The love I knew was from books..”

“I happen to be pretty productive when I am in jail. When you are in jail, you have to spend more time with yourself.”

“I don't follow any kind of 'isms.' If there is one, it will be Pram-ism.”

“Even though no one admits it, writers are leaders in their communities.”

“My words, my writing, my actions—these have never been for myself alone, either directly or indirectly. There is no such thing as an artist who creates art only for himself. That is masturbation.”

“All we can do is pray, Ma, pray.No, Child, these are the deeds of human beings. Planned by the brains of humans, and by the warped hearts of humans. It is to people we must speak our words. God has never sided with the defeated.”

“I'll do as I please. My mind is not to be imprisoned.”

“Lihat, ini Arok, yang tetap mempertahankan Tumapel. Dia dan pasukannya akan mempertahankannya sampai titik darah terakhir. Bukan karena imbalan uang, emas dan perak dan singgasana. Hanya karena kesetiaan pada janji.”

“Life can give everything to whoever tries to understand and is willing to receive new knowledge.”

“People must be just and fair, starting with what they thought.”

“You must first of all think justly. Don’t sit in judgment over others when you don’t know the truth of the matter.”