Bali: Heaven and Hell

Description

Phil Jarratt's critically acclaimed book, Bali: Heaven and Hell, is now in paperback and includes an additional chapter. Phil Jarratt shares his personal, first-hand experience from early-70s Bali and the stories and opinions collected through extensive interviews with Indonesian locals. Bali: Heaven and Hell takes the reader on a fascinating and personal journey into another time and place. Showcasing a lively cultural and social history of Australia's favourite holiday island, this book details the island's tumultous and often violent past, its mythology, religion and politics, and the last 50 years of western colonization and modern development. The additional chapter, 'Bali in the Time of Jokowi', examines the impact of the Jokowi regime on Bali with particular emphasis on the headline-grabbing issues of the death penalty for drug offenders, and the new constraints on foreign ownership. Th Jokowi is the "first government of the people" meant to reflect the broad diversity of political thought in Indonesia with "one size fits all" legislation. Phil looks in detail at how the spectre of the Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran case has affected expats and tourists; assesses social change in relation to Jokowi's attitude to drugs and alcohol; and considers the issue of foreign ownership and its effect on future residential leasehold in Bali.

Phil Jarratt is a journalist, author and publisher. A former editor of Tracks, Surfer and Australian Surf Journal, he is regarded as one of the foremost authorities on surfing and has worked in surf publishing for over 40 years. He has written over 20 books covering largely sport-related biography, surfing, and surf history including Salts and Suits, Kelly Slater: For the Love, Hottest 100 Surf legends, Surfing Australia: A Complete History of Surfboard Riding in Australia, and That Summer at Boomerang. A 3-time recipient of the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame Media Award, Jarratt lives between Noosa, Bali and Hawaii or wherever the surf's up!

"Jarratt's patchwork of individual stories makes for a far more complex, contradictory and interesting picture than the standard journalistic cliche of paradise lost." - Sydney Morning Herald "a work that Bali deserves and that honours it." - Weekend West "a valuable short history for those wanting a richer experience." - Adelaide Advertiser