Putnam patriot., 1930-06-12
BOOK REVIEW
(The Last Paradise)
 By Hickman Powell introduction and Photographs By Andre Roosevelt

The people who really enjoy travel books, can be divided into two classes, those who have been Co the places written about, and those who expect to 20 there. Others usually look at the pictures with more or less interest and skim through the book The Last Paradise will 1 think prove an ex- ception. It is so pleasantly written, and there Is so much that Is new in this wonderful island of Bali, that even the blase woman of the world and the man who reads only detect i've stories will read 1t Co the end.
 Andre Roosevelt begins his intro duetion by saying For five years l have lived happy and contented life in Bali" And as you go on you see what he means, and feel the charm of life in this tropical island, although you may think you could not do with out many things you have grown to feel are necessary to civilized ex- istance. He then very candidly sums up what he feels he can do successful ly, he can take pictures both still and movies, he can hold the interest of an audience to the end of a lecture but he positively asserts he cannot write. After reading this introduction one is inclined to disagree with this last statement He certainly can write as the introduction shows, any one who reads il is keen Co read the book. He has proved himself fine advance agent, whether he would do as well in something longer. remains to be seen. feel that he would. This book is the first ever written in Egg fish about Bali. and as it was inspired by a man who not only knows Bali but dearly loves it, and written by one who also Is conscious of it's charm, it is naturally full of enthus- iasm which is communicated to the reader.
 Hickman Powell is a journalist and writes like one, that is not said in disparagement, but simply to state a fact. His style is graphic, and makes you see, and better still feel what he describes. The people he write about become very real to you, even when you are uncertain about the pronounciation of their names.
 There Is just one thing the book lacks, that is glossary of the native words so freely used many times you are at a loss Co know quite what t is all about. but l must admit as you go on. after while you grasp the meaning of many of them. One in- dividual who figures prominently in the book is Moman kuka Powell says Put q shirt and trousers on him and he would look like a sun burnt Sicilian of Noble birth, naturally he does not near anything of the kind, he Is far more pieturesquely dressed in a head cloth of batik design and a batik "kainY that hangs from the waist to the shins, and is gorgeous in the extreme. He has a curly black moustache and is called kumis, the native word for moustache. Andre Roosevelt and Hickman Powell were great pals of kumis and spent a good deal of time at his house, seeing much native life there, they could never have seen in any other way. It is the account of this we in time" that makes the book so interesting. Like all Balinese kumis apparently never worked, although he had rice fields and at planting time and harvest he was busy, but the rest of the time he did nothing. Just sat around, smiled, l lathed and smoked any cigarettes that came his way. His great joy was his l fighting cocks. he spent much time fondling them. They had all won many fights. but one was especially fine. When the Dutch first took over the island they prohibited cock fights except on special holidays. But in many secluded places, the sport Is still indulged in, as Powell says "the cocks remained as ubiquitous as hip tiasks in a Broadway cabaret" Kumis had his wives. neither as good looking a: he, they were getting on in age were in their thirties which is old in Bali. where the wo;Gen fade young They had no children but little boy Babad belonging to a large family spent most of his time with them. H., was ten years old and always wore s brighter "kain" than any one else Once kumis had very beautiful "sarouf" given him. The next da, Babad came running home iron school with it wrapped around him tucked up about the waist, under hi arm he carried his slate and littl' white shirt which the Dutch made hin put on when he went to school, wher he studied Malay and arithmetic, bu took 1t of as soon as possible. kumis home like thousands of others. was walled enclosure of about forty squar, yards. containing seventeen smal buildings. At the rear was a famil! temple, very plain, but good enougi for family worship. Every one keeps open house in Bali.
 Roosevelt and Powell got used (, having the entire village come in anC out of their house at all hours. The, were there when they went to bee and came in large numbers when they got up Co admire the automatic strop, ping of their razors. In fact Bali i: SO full of people, privacy is unknown at first it Is annoying to the Ameri cans and Europeans, but they sooT become used to it, and realize that no one could be more modest thar these half clad villagers. The womer are the ones who work in Bali, they do the simple cooking, bring thu