Book Reviews

Secrets of Bali:

New Light on the Morning of the World

by Jonathan Copeland with Ni Wayan Murni

2010, 312 pp., 110 line drawings, 1 map, glossary, bibliography, index, 21.5 x 14 cm., softcover.

ISBN-13: 978-974-524-118-3 $30.00
(E-book edition $11.99)

Book review by Bill Dalton

(Bali Advertiser ‘Toko Buku’ column, 17 February, 2016)

Secrets of Bali, Fresh Light on the Morning of the World, co-authored with Jonathan Copeland, was published by Orchid Press in 2010. This comprehensive account of Bali's history and culture arose from questions that guests staying at Murni’s Houses asked her to explain The persistence of inquiries gave her the idea of researching specific subjects in more detail and putting it all down on paper so that it was available for everyone.
The book offers succinct and wide ranging information about Balinese life, religion, festivals and offerings, architecture, music, dance, textiles, dress, carvings and paintings, manuscripts and food Secrets of Bali is not a guidebook per se. but a valuable and authoritative reference source as well as an entertaining read for the visitor, scholar and Bali aficionado. Encyclopedic in its coverage, the result of prodigious research, difficult subjects from the sublime to the arcane are simply explained in this well written and up to date work which will reveal a great number of facts and misconceptions that are little known to even long-term residents of Bali.

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