Jakarta: History of a Misunderstood City

by Herald van der Linde

Jakarta is a fascinating city. Its attraction lies in the incredibly wide variety of people – Indonesians, Chinese, Indians, Arabs and Europeans – who have arrived over the centuries, bringing with them their own habits, folklore and culture. Their descendants have resulted in a vibrant mix of people, most of them making a living along the thousands of small lanes and alleys that criss-cross the kampungs of this enormous city. Artefacts indicate that this area was inhabited from the fifth century. Hundreds of years later, a small trading post on the coast named Kelapa was founded and eventually grew into the mega-city of Jakarta with over twenty million people.

This book provides a unique look at the history of Jakarta through the eyes of individuals who have walked its streets through the ages, revealing how some of the challenges confronting the city today – congestion, poverty, floods and land subsidence – mirror the struggles the city has had to face in the past.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Asia

240 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2020

About the author

Herald van der Linde has traveled, lived, and worked in Indonesia and Hong Kong since the '90s. Married to an Indonesian, he is passionate about the social and cultural history of Indonesia and is the author of Jakarta: History of a Misunderstood City (2020), Asia’s Stock Markets From the Ground Up (2021), and Majapahit: Intrigue, Betrayal and War in Indonesia’s Greatest Empire (2024). He also co-authored A Very Good Year To Learn About Wine (2012) and A(nother) Very Good Year to Learn About Wine (2013).

Reviews

[Whimsicalmaria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was at first attracted to the book because it offers a glance at Jakarta through the eyes of the people who have lived there throughout this past few centuries. I imagined a book like One Thousand Roads to Mecca which is a collection of memoirs with commentaries from the editor. That certainly would give an interesting read, and knowing Indonesia, I expected some degree of astounding drama.

I was wrong about the memoir, but was definitely right about the drama. That being said, I loved the book.

The author had succinctly summarized almost 500 years of the history of Jakarta in a moderately-sized book, all arranged chronologically. Being an outsider who does not have much knowledge about the complexities of Indonesian history and politics, this book is certainly a good one to start with. It is not only concise, it makes an enjoyable read too.

From the book we also learn how places in Jakarta got their names. It includes the name Jakarta itself (which is an abbreviated form of the Javanese word Jayakarta, which means the victorious city), Menteng, Mangga Dua, Bukit Duri (❤️), Tanah Abang, Blok M, and many more. We also briefly get to know heroes like Fatahillah, Pengeran Diponegoro, Tjokroaminoto, right through Raden Saleh, MH Thamrin and of course, the first president, Soekarno.

We learn how the Dutch and Chinese compete each other to plunder the riches that Jakarta (also Java Island and the rest of the archipelago) had to offer. The stories from 17th to 18th century were mainly about greed, which in the end expanded the city but at the same time gradually caused major destructions. We could see that Jakarta has always been a crowded city that floods every so often since hundreds of years ago.

While going through the pages, I spent a lot of time going back and forth to the now-familiar map of Jakarta (on Google map, of course). Having gone there a few times, the map helped me plan my excursions around the city, hence some city names and places are familiar and brought fond memories to me.

The story about Deep Purple's concert in 1975 is so stirring, but I have to say, unsurprising. Jakarta certainly is a vibrant city with friendly and open people. However, there is still a big socioeconomic gap that is in dire need for improvement, or else tragic episodes awaits, like the dormant volcanoes throughout the island.

[Agnes Pingkan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.
I grabbed this book in Jakarta airport on a whim.
Unbeknownst to me, this is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. The words are so descriptive, without rambling. Here and there as a reader I am perpetually amazed by how Herald vigorously poured his passion in history, his own genealogical research, and the city into a century-old narrative. Meticulously well-done.
I want more.

[Dea · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MAN.. CAN HERALD WRITE... WHAT A FUN BOOK and i am saying this to a point where all i want to read for the foreseeable future is strictly books on Indonesian history

[Andi Dirgantara · Rating 5 out of 5]

As expected, Herald van der Linde, who also wrote a book on Majapahit, proves once again to be a fantastic writer. He has a unique talent for turning historical topics into something easy and enjoyable to read, even for people with no background in history. Maybe that’s because he doesn't have a historian's academic background himself, which makes his writing feel more approachable and fun for anyone.

Personally, I just recently moved to the Jakarta area. While I don’t live in the heart of the city, I’m based in BSD, which is much more organized, less congested, and doesn’t have the chaotic vibe most people associate with Jakarta. Still, I used to find Jakarta quite uncomfortable at first.

After reading this book, though, I started to understand the city better. Its history is actually pretty amazing. Jakarta evolved from a port town conquered by the Dutch VOC into Batavia. It was built to be a trading post and fortress, with strong colonial social and political influences. Over time, it grew into the massive metropolitan city it is today, and, at least at the time I’m writing this review, it's still the capital of Indonesia. Even so, I still personally find Jakarta a bit hard to love.

The book has a great chronological flow. It’s well-structured, easy to follow, and packed with solid historical references. It makes you curious to see Jakarta as more than just a noisy, crowded city. Instead, it invites you to explore its deeper layers of history that deserve to be learned and appreciated.

Some of the key events that took place in and around Batavia, the shifts in social dynamics from the VOC era to the present, and the unique development of Jakarta’s society over time are what really make this book interesting. If you’re curious about Jakarta beyond its traffic and chaos, this book offers some solid answers.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are lots of very interesting details in this book about a city and a country which is not very well known: Jakarta, Indonesia. The author is dutch and has roots in Indonesia going back many years.

The Chinese element in the development of Jakarta is very fascinating. The early years are well narrated, but the post independence development of Jakarta is very short.

[Nuraini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melihat potret Jakarta dari kelahirannya hingga masa kini dari sudut orang2 yg pernah menghuninya di ruang waktu yg berbeda.
Narasinya menarik, ga kayak baca buku berlatar sejarah yg biasa.
Saya yg lahir di jakarta tapi ga pernah tau detail latar belakangnya merasa makin kenal. Jadi pingin menelusuri tempat2 yg disebut di dalam buku. A great read.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Understanding city of Jakarta

Book: Jakarta: a misunderstood city by van der linde

The book is written from the accounts of Van Der Linde and his Dutch ancestors who made a living in Batavia (old Jakarta) and their witness of the growth of Jakarta for over 500 years.

Key takeaways:
1. History, politics, society of Kelapa, Jayakarta, Batavia and Jakarta

[Bram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light and fun history of Jakarta

It’s not a dense academic history, but he tells a good story of the city of Jakarta. I like how each chapter revolves around two or three main characters. If you’re visiting Jakarta, this is a perfect read to learn about the history of the city.

[Ivo Nicolay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Een goede gids om met historische gegevens de ontwukkeling van Jakarta te leren kennen. De auteur vertrekt met het zoeken van mogelijke voorvderen om daarrond geschiekundige gegevens in verband met Jakarta aan te brebgeb .

[Neale Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written and accessible history of a fascinating city. The author combines archival research, personal experience and family history.

[Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful

[Ridy Sudarma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of interesting historical facts that are relevant to our understaning of Jakarta today. While i have lived in jakarta for more than 20 years, i have never heard most of the stories before.

[kiat jitu terampil menjahit · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very pleasing book to read casually

[Benny Padilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great overview of the evolution from Jayakarta to Batavia to Jakarta, though the transitions to vignettes and testimonials from historical figures was often awkward and/or repetitive.