The Foreign Service Journal, November 2004

In 1989, following the fall of communism, Poland embarked on a program of radical economic reform. This book, clearly and concisely written, and with com- prehensive data and source material, assesses where Poland and its “Economic Transformation Program” stand nearly 15 years after the transition. The authors evaluate the impact of foreign direct investment and international trade on the development of Poland’s post-communist market system, assess the evolution of the Polish taxation system, and appraise Poland’s readi- ness for accession into the E.U. Leo V. Ryan CSV, a retired FSO, is professor of man- agement emeritus at DePaul University. Richard J. Hunter Jr. is professor of legal studies in the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University. Robert E. Shapiro is associate professor of accounting and taxation at the Stillman School of Business and a specialist in inter- national taxation. This work is a follow-up to an earlier study by Ryan and Hunter, From Autarchy to Market: Polish Economics and Politics, 1945-1995 (1998). A Short History of Bali: Indonesia’s Hindu Realm Robert Pringle, Allen & Unwin, 2004, $16.95, paperback, 266 pages. Two million tourists visit Bali every year. This book surveys the fabled island’s complex history from before the Bronze Age to the presi- dency of Megawati Sukarn- oputri and the tragedy of the Kuta bombings in October 2002, and offers insights into some of Bali’s enduring mys- teries along the way. As reviewer Prof. Jamie Mackie, of Australian National University’s Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, wrote: “This beautiful little book is a gem. Its striking cover photo entices you in; then Robert Pringle’s engaging style takes over with crisp, well- informed accounts of Balinese society, culture, politics, agriculture and ecological conditions that add up to some- thing far more than a conventional history.” F O C U S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 4 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 27