These two books complement each other nicely and contribute greatly to our understanding of Indonesian society. They are also timely in that Indonesia is the world's most populous Islamic nation and a volatile democracy rocked by secessionist struggles and terror bombings; both authors help explain the roots and context of contemporary problems.
Theodore Friend's book is an intimate, opinionated, gossipy and stimulating read that focuses on post-World War II developments up until the end of 2002, while Jean Gelman Taylor provides a fresh and insightful overview of Indonesian history that stretches from misty origins until the end of the 20th century.
"Indonesian Destinies" is divided into three sections -- Sukarno, Suharto and Succession -- with more coverage on more recent events.