B99 A Boy and the Crocodile: The Legend of East Timor
Illustrated by children from the Familia Home Orphanage

The Boy and the Crocodile is the legend of East Timor, about how the island of Timor got its curious shape. It is also a parable about kindness, and now a children's book that is benefiting vulnerable kids. The book was illustrated by children from the Familia Hope Orphanage in East Timor, including many who lost their parents in the country's violent struggle for independence. proceeds from sales go to the orphanage.

B92 Peace of Wall: Street Art from East Timor
by Chris Parkinson (foreword by Jose Ramos-Horta)

The images and words adorning the walls of East Timor reflect the country's tumultuous history, precarious present and hopeful future. They endow the social landscape with a rawness and honesty absent from their media, and echo the struggle towards new nationhood. Peace of Wall is widely contradictory, emotionally charged, instantly engaging and consistently dramatic. It's life in East Timor.

Chris Parkinson spent four years living and working in East Timor. Throughout this time, he documented the changing political and social climate in East Timor through its street art. He amassed over 3000 photographs and hundreds of hours of interviews. Peace of Wall showcases a selection of these inspirational stories and artwork.

Affirm Press 2010 191 pp. Full-color, Flexibound $35

Chris Parkinson's blog

B64 Timor-Leste Land of Discovery
by Dan Groshon
This gorgeous coffee table picture book illustrates the great beauty of new nation's landscape and people. An ideal gift.

I am Timorese, living abroad (in Portugal), since I was 11 years old. I want to thank you for your book, Timor-Leste Land of Discovery, which gives me some images of Timor, my homeland, that I left 24 years ago. The images are absolutely fantastic and many are of parts of Timor still unknown to me. Timor-Leste Land of Discovery gives me a fantastic free journey to Timor where I hope one day I can return. The title of the book is a perfect resume of the images that you can find within. -- Ângelo Gonçalves

This book brings new images of this new land. This book will surely offer everyone great unforgettable moments of contemplation on the natural beauties of Timor-Leste. -- President Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão.

These evocative photographs present our culture and our traits in a way no other book has done before. José Ramos-Horta

TAYO PHOTO GROUP Ltd. 2006. Hardcover, large-format, 189 pp. $50

Profile of photographer in The Oregonian
HK Magazine review of Timor-Leste Land of Discovery

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B103 Sounds of the Soul: The Traditional Music of Timor-Leste/ Lian Husi Klamar: Musika Tradisional Husi Timor-Leste
with Lafaek Holds a Party
by Ros Dunlop

The first book about the traditional music of Timor-Leste will appeal to those interested in the traditional culture of Timor, particularly its music, and the visual splendor of the country. The book, the culmination of ten years research,  features visually-rich pages in full color, with 20 reproductions of contemporary paintings by selected East Timorese artists. Twenty traditional songs complete with text and music notation in both Western and Indonesian systems. A separate 52-page coloring booklet, Lafaek Holds a Party, introduces Timor's traditional instruments to children aged 5 to 12, with delightful illustrations by Timorese artists, Tony Amaral and Pelle Pereira.

Author and musician Ros Dunlop made her first trip to Timor-Leste in April 2002 with Timor activist brothers Robert and Martin Wesley-Smith. Ros and Martin gave concerts of Martin’s audiovisual pieces about East Timor. Ros then began visiting Timor-Leste regularly to record its special music. The skilled musicians who participated were acutely aware of the importance of recording their music for posterity. The translators and assistants who helped to organize the recording sessions, the artists from Arte Moris Art School, and the young Timorese from the audiovisual archive, Centro Archivo Max Stahl Timor-Leste, helped to make this project happen.

The text is in both Tetun and English.

2012, 160 pp. $75
includes DVD video and CD audio recordings of traditional music and performances and separate 52-page coloring booklet, Lafaek Holds a Party

The book is wonderful and everyone love it. I am playing the music the sound in my car. Loving it. The book is so genuine, like the music inside, ‘genuine, innocence and spontaneous’. --Josh Trindade, Advisor, Research, Analysis and Social-Cultural Issues, Presidential Palace, Dili

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