Like many others, around the time Elizabeth Gilbert turned 30, she went through an early-onslaught midlife crisis. Although she had everything an educated, ambitious American woman was supposed to want, including a husband, a home, and a successful career as a magazine writer, she was consumed with panic, grief, and confusion. This is an account of her yearlong worldwide pursuit of pleasure, spiritual devotion, guidance, and what she really wanted...

"Although at times religious and ethnic tensions have risen to the surface, Indonesians live in relative harmony and have developed a distinct Indonesian identity since becoming an independent republic in 1949. With its multi-party democracy and free elections, modern Indonesia is a much more politically mature and tolerant place than it was during the Suharto era, when authoritarian one-party rule held sway. Today, Indonesia has become a prime example...

"An entertaining and thought-provoking portrait of Indonesia: a rich, dynamic, and often maddening nation awash with contradictions. Jakarta tweets more than any other city on earth, but 80 million Indonesians live without electricity and many of its communities still share in ritual sacrifices. Declaring independence in 1945, Indonesia said it would 'work out the details of the transfer of power etc. as soon as possible.' With over 300 ethnic groups...