Bali’s doyen of tropical island style, Made Wijaya has been penning his pithy column, Stranger in Paradise, for decades beyond count. A lush softcover compendium of these outpourings was published in 1979 by Wijaya Words, and since then it’s been an awfully long dry spell for Stranger fans, book-wise. 

Well, the cat is out of the proverbial bag. A local wag plied with lashings of bad Australian wine tonight revealed to me that Made’s going to be bound again (as in paperbound). A new compilation of Stranger columns has been lovingly edited by caring hands, and will be on our bedside tables soon. Word has it that the pdfs are done and we could see Stranger in Paradise II: The Sequel (just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water), before the end of the year. So don’t go Christmas shopping for all your relatives yet. Wait until the Stranger comes out of its closet, then buy a carton load of copies to send to your aunties, uncles and cousins who can’t yet understand why you still love Bali.

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