With a little more than 100 days to go, the Festival has just unveiled the second wave of remarkable writers and thinkers joining the 2025 event between 29 October and 2 November. Here is a star-studded sneak peek of authors from near and far who will take to the stage to share spectacular stories and inspiring ideas.
Following the highly praised first lineup, which included three Booker Prize winners and some of Indonesia’s brightest literary talents, this new roster reaffirms the Festival’s commitment to showcasing writing that challenges, inspires, and uplifts. Aligned with this year’s theme, Aham Brahmasmi, the authors explore identity, human connection, and how we shape and are shaped by the world around us.
Leading the lineup is William Dalrymple, renowned British historian and co-founder of the Jaipur Literature Festival, whose works on South Asian history have captivated readers for decades. From Australia, Antoinette Lattouf joins the program, an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Media Diversity Australia, recently in the spotlight after winning a landmark court case on freedom of political expression.
From Ireland, Sinéad Gleeson brings her award-winning essay collection Constellations, alongside her new novel Hagstone, which weaves together folklore, art, and mysticism. Also joining from Ireland is John Boyne, bestselling author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, translated into over 40 languages and with more than five million copies sold worldwide. Boyne’s works delve into themes of history, identity, and moral complexity with striking emotional resonance.
From Indonesia, Leila S. Chudori returns to Ubud with her latest novel Namaku Alam, continuing the world of her acclaimed work Pulang. Also featured is Okky Madasari, a sociologist and novelist whose powerful explorations of censorship, identity, and civil resistance have been translated widely and are studied in academic institutions around the world.
Rising literary talents also take the stage, including Sasti Gotama, winner of the 2025 Kusala Sastra Khatulistiwa Award for her genre-defying novel Korpus Uterus; Titah AW, a freelance journalist and writer whose stories blend ecology, culture, and magical realism; and Gus Dark, a Balinese cartoonist whose satirical illustrations have sparked public conversations through visual storytelling.
Beyond its main program, the 2025 Festival will also host a variety of initiatives to support the next generation of storytellers. The 2025 School Program invites young readers to engage with literature through interactive workshops held in schools and during the Festival weekend in Ubud. These sessions offer children and students rare opportunities to meet authors, ask questions, and discover the joy of storytelling in creative and inclusive spaces.
As part of UWRF’s international exchange program, Indonesian author and 2025 Emerging Writers curator Ratih Kumala will represent the Festival at the OzAsia Festival in Australia. This project is supported by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.
