Synopses & Reviews
Relying on atmosphere and sensation over fact and statistic, Christine Jordis has written a deeply personal, vividly impressionistic account of several journeys to the Indonesian islands of Bali and Java. Dazzled, wide-eyed, but always astute, Jordis describes famous monuments, native dances, encounters with locals. She conjures up the various literary and artistic figures who sought refuge and inspiration in IndonesiaArthur Rimbaud, Herman Melville, Joseph Conradand brings ancient legends to life. She chronicles fascinating sociological observations and historical curiosities, but it is Jordis' sensual, emotional responses to her surroundings that most distinguish Bali, Java, in My Dreams from the average East-meets-West travelogue. From the heart of the lush tropical forests, Jordis guides her readers through the technicolor paradise that makes Paris seem grey in comparison.
Synopsis
Relying on sensation and atmosphere over fact and statistic, Christine Jordis has written a deeply personal, vividly impressionistic account of several journeys to the Indonesian islands of Bali and Java. Dazzled, wide-eyed, but always astute, Jordis gives us famous monuments, native dances, run-ins with locals. She conjures the various literary and artistic figures who sought refuge and inspiration there--Arthur Rimbaud, Herman Melville, Joseph Conrad. But it is her physical and emotional response to the islands' richness and color that make Bali, Java, in My Dreams an unforgettable journey. Christine Jordis, the English-language fiction editor at the French publishing house Gallimard, is the author of Gens de la Tamise, winner of the Prix Medicis.