Indonesia Handbook

Bill Dalton's Indonesia Handbook, published by Moon Publications in California, was the main English language tourist information guide book for the whole of Indonesia before the Lonely Planet book on Indonesia became the main guide book seen in the hands of foreign tourists in Indonesia. Dalton's publication reached six editions between 1977 and the early 1990s - while the Wheelers' Lonely Planet "Indonesia" started in 1986 and reached the eighth edition in 2007.

The earlier editions in the late 1970s were much smaller than the later editions. During the Suharto era the guide book was at times banned. Copies of the later editions were relatively heavy and could be found discarded at many backpacker locations throughout the Indonesia archipelago.

Other publications

The Department of Information of the Government of Indonesia published a volume with exactly the same title between 1970 and 1977 - and it had been compiled and produced by Japenpa Foreign Languages Publishing Institute.

Publication details

* Dalton, Bill. 1982 "Indonesia handbook" 2nd ed., Chico, Calif.: Moon Publications.(rights in Hong Kong - location of printer) (486 p.) ISBN 0-9603322-0
* Dalton, Bill. 1985 "Indonesia handbook" 3rd ed., updated and rev. Chico, CA : Moon Publications. (588 p.) ISBN 0918373042
* Dalton, Bill. 1988 "Indonesia handbook" 4th ed. Chico, Calif., USA Moon Publications. (1058) p. ISBN 0918373123

External links

* http://www.rolfpotts.com/writers/dalton.html - Biographical details and interview with Dalton