Entranced: My Travels in Bali in the 1970s

For the millions worldwide who have traveled to the magical isle of Bali seeking a certain paradise, this book will provide you with a true snapshot of the life and culture on the island prior to the onset of broad international tourism. The words of artist/sculptor Isamu Noguchi used to describe Bali in 1950 were still true in the 1970s: “[Bali was] the land of the imagination where what is real is what is dreamed. Where people all inhabit the same dream, hear the same music from their heart.” Author and photographer Houchin’s book of nearly a hundred pages of photos from the 1970’s were taken over four visits to Bali. In addition to the photos, forty pages of text describe Houchin’s own poignant and vivid experiences, but also include a brief history of Bali in the 20th century, chapters that cover the trajectory and acceleration of tourism development in subsequent decades, and Bali today. Houchin’s observations are enhanced by his citing of various expert anthropologists and historians on Bali’s transition from a poor, agrarian society to one that by 2020 had become 86% tourism-based. The island that was referred to by Nehru as ‘The morning of the world,’ and by others as ‘the last paradise’ today has intense traffic jams, twenty Starbucks and bewildering challenges involving infrastructure, waste management and unbridled over–development. For those who have never visited Bali but always wanted to, this book vividly illustrates and documents the charm, culture and social life in Bali’s past. Photos in the book, all from the 1970s, include chapters on Daily Life, Temples, Landscapes/Seascapes, Children, Ceremonies/Performances, and Paintings. Read more