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BOOKS |
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In the selection of books below, where a book is published in the UK
and the US, the UK publisher is given first, followed by the us one; the
abbreviation "o/p" means "out of print".
David Attenborough Zoo Quest for a Dragon (o/p). A youthful
Attenborough's travels through the archipelago during the 1950s as a
wildlife collector and filmmaker, peaking with the capture of a Komodo
dragon.
Nigel Barley Not a Hazardous Sport (Penguin). Humourous, double-sided
culture-shock tale, as the anthropologist author persuades craftsmen
from Sulawesi to return to London with him in order to build a
traditional Torajan rice barn in the Museum of Mankind.
Lawrence and Lorne Blair Ring of Fire (Bantam). Possibly the definitive
account of a tour around the Indonesian archipelago. The photos are
great, the tales are occasionally tall and certainly not lacking in
genuine passion for the country and its inhabitants.
Guy Buckles Dive Sites of Indonesia (New Holland). Exhaustively
researched, attractive, up-to-date guide with strong practical details.
Vern Cook (ed.) Bali Behind the Seen: Recent Fiction from Bali (Darma
Printing, Australia). Interesting collection of short stories by
contemporary Balinese and Javanese writers.
Cubitt & Whitten Wild Indonesia (New Holland). Plenty of good pictures
and text in this overview of Indonesia's natural history, including
coverage of national parks.
Jacques Dumarcay The Temples of Java (OUP Asia). Slim but entertaining
rundown of all the major historical temple complexes in Java.
Fred B Eisemann Jr Bali: Sekala and Niskala Vols 1 and 2 (Periplus,
Singapore). The fascinating and admirably wide-ranging cultural and
anthropological essays of a contemporary American, thirty years resident
in Bali. His pieces encompass everything from the esoteric rituals of
Balinese Hinduism to musings on the popularity of the clove cigarette.
Anna Forbes Unbeaten Tracks in Islands of the Far East (OUP Asia).
Island life in remote corners of Maluku and Nusa Tenggara as observed by
the resourceful wife of nineteenth-century naturalist Henry Forbes.
John Gillow and Barry Dawson Traditional Indonesian Textiles (Thames &
Hudson). Beautifully photographed and accessible introduction to the
ikat and batik fabrics of the archipelago.
Rio Helmi and Barbara Walker Bali Style (Thames & Hudson). Sumptuously
photographed glossy volume celebrating all things Balinese, from the
humblest bamboo craftwork to the island's most fabulous buildings.
Paul Jepson and Rosie Ounsted Birding Indonesia: A Bird-watcher's Guide
to the World's Largest Archipelago (Periplus, Singapore). Excellent
introduction to the subject with plenty of photographs and practical
detail.
Garret Kam Perceptions of Paradise: Images of Bali in the Arts (Yayasan
Dharma Seni Neka Museum, Bali). One of the best introductions to
Balinese art, with helpful sections on traditions and practices, and
plenty of full-colour plates.
Hugh Mabbett The Balinese (January Books, New Zealand). Accessible
collection of anecdotal essays on contemporary Balinese life, from the
role of women to the impact of tourism.
Anna Matthews Night of Purnama (o/p). Evocative and moving description
of village life and characters of the early 1960s, focusing on events in
Iseh and the surrounding villages from the first eruption of Gunung
Agung until 1963.
Jean McKinnon Vessels of Life: Lombok Earthenware (Saritaksu).
Fabulously photographed and exhaustive book about Sasak life, pottery
techniques and the lives of the women potters.
George Monbiot Poisoned Arrows: An Investigative Journey Through
Indonesia (Joseph). The author travels through some of the less well
known areas of Irian Jaya, researching the effects of the Indonesian
government's transmigration policy.
Kal Muller Underwater Indonesia: A Guide to the World's Best Diving
(Periplus, Singapore). This is the must-have handbook for anybody
planning to dive in Indonesia. Exquisitely photographed, with useful
maps.
Sri Owen Indonesian Regional Cooking (St Martin's Press, US). Relatively
few recipes, but plenty of background.
M C Ricklefs A History of Modern Indonesia Since c.1300 (Macmillan).
Acknowledged as the most thorough study of Indonesian history, but
probably best dipped into rather than consumed from start to finish.
Neville Shulman Zen Explorations in Remotest New Guinea: Adventures in
the Jungles and Mountains of Irian Jaya (Summersdale). Not a drop of
rain escapes without some obscure explanatory proverb or quotation, but
even if you find his determination to find the zen in everything
irritating, you can't escape the author's genuine enthusiasm for his
journey.
Tara Sosrowardoyo, Peter Schoppert and Soedarmadji Damais Java Style
(Thames and Hudson). Sumptuous volume, evocatively photographed, with
illuminating descriptions of buildings and design all across the island.
John G Taylor Indonesia's Forgotten War: The Hidden History of East
Timor (Zed Books/Humanities Press). Clear and incisive account of the
disastrous events in East Timor, from the fifteenth century to the
present.
Adrian Vickers Bali: A Paradise Created (Periplus, Singapore). Detailed,
intelligent and highly readable account of the outside world's
perception of Bali, the development of tourism and how events inside and
outside the country have shaped the Balinese view of themselves.
Alfred Russell Wallace The Malay Archipelago (OUP o/p). A thoroughly
readable account of the eight years that British naturalist Wallace
spent in Indonesia collecting and studying wildlife during the
mid-nineteenth century.
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