I read some pretty random things things month!
First up, I read “Our Hotel in Bali” by Louise G Koke. This slim volume relates the author’s experience running (along with her husband) the very first hotel on Kuta Beach in Bali. This hard-to-find book had been on my “must read” list for a couple of years, and when an affordably priced copy became available a few months ago I snapped it up (and, what do you know, it was signed by the author!).
I’ve been to Bali many times over the years (for the first time around 2006, and most recently in 2024) but I haven’t ever stayed very long. Bali is terribly crowded now so I mostly use it as a stepping stone to quieter places in Indonesia. That said, I’ve long had a fascination with Bali as an historically important tourist destination. Koke’s book offers great insights into that period, as it tells about a period when there were only three or four hotels on the island. Meanwhile, quite a few of the famous names in early Bali tourism make appearances in her story. Highly recommended. I suspect I will spend more time exploring the history of travel to Bali through reading in the months ahead.
Next, I read the August/September 2025 issue of the “Capital Hill Citizen.” It contained a great article about the possibility of a “cashless society.” This paper is print only (and proudly so) so I can’t link to it, but it did inspire a new writing for an academic discussion task, which I published over on prepex.
Finally, I continued my journey through the Norton Library Podcasts, and read a modern translation of “Inferno.” You can listen to the podcast episodes starting over here. I do recommend that if you attempt to tackle this work that you seek out a modern translation as I did. My first attempt, using a old public domain translation, was an abject failure.
