Bali: A Paradise Created

To this "old Bali" has been added the lush and erotic Bali of the European imagination - the tropical paradise that in the 193Os became an extension of salon life for the rich and famous, providing inspiration for artists and Hollywood writers. During the 196Os, "hippie" surfers discovered Bali's beaches, waves and cheap digs, and today young European, Australian and Japanese visitors barter for bargains and dance till dawn on Kuta Beach.
Tourists, students and armchair travelers alike will appreciate the fresh insights which this book brings to the history and culture of a traditional island faced with a massive invasion of paradise-seekers. After reading this book, your view of Bali will never be quite the same again!

From the artists and writers of the 1930s to the Eat, Pray, Love tours so popular today, Bali has drawn hoards of foreign visitors and transplants to its shores. What makes Bali so special, and how has it managed to preserve its identity despite a century of intense pressure from the outside world? Bali: a Paradise Created bridges the gap between scholarly works and more popular travel accounts. It offers an accessible history of this fascinating island and an anthropological study not only of the Balinese, but of the paradise-seekers from all parts of the world who have invaded Bali in ever-increasing numbers over the decades. It shows how Balinese culture has pervaded film, art, literature and music so that even those whoÆve never been there have enjoyed a glimpse of paradise. This authoritative, much-cited work is now updated with new photos and illustrations, a new introduction, and new text covering the past 20 years.