Island of demons

I highly recommend this bit of historical fiction to get a glimpse into the heyday of Westerners "discovering" Bali in the 1920s and 30s. I've been coming to Bali for over a decade and this book had some delightful insights and generally captures the roots of the culture of this intriguing island. The focus of the book is the life of the artist Walter Spies and his flamboyant exploits on the island and the many many celebrities of the day that crossed his path, from Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson to Cole Porter to director F.W. Murnau. If you're at all interested in Bali this is worth the read.