Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi

In June, we will be discussing the book, Taiwan Travelogue(Original Title: 臺灣漫遊錄) by Yang Shuang-zi(楊双子).

The book tells a bittersweet story of love between two women, nested within an artful exploration of language, history, and power.

Set in 1930s Taiwan, a Japanese author develops complex feelings for her local interpreter. With clever metafictional twists, this work is both a delicious romance and an incisive postcolonial novel.

🏆 Accolades:

• Winner of the 2021 Golden Tripod Award
• Winner of the 2024 US National Book Award for Translated Literature
• Shortlisted for the 2026 International Booker Prize.

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The Story

May 1938. The young novelist Aoyama Chizuko has sailed from her home in Nagasaki, Japan, and arrived in Taiwan. She’s been invited there by the Japanese government ruling the island, though she has no interest in their official banquets or imperialist agenda. Instead, Chizuko longs to experience real island life and to taste as much of its authentic cuisine as her famously monstrous appetite can bear.

Soon a Taiwanese woman – who is younger even than she is, and who shares the characters of her name – is hired as her interpreter and makes her dreams come true. The charming, erudite, meticulous Chizuru arranges Chizuko’s travels all over the Land of the South and also proves to be an exceptional cook.

Over scenic train rides and braised pork rice, lively banter and winter melon tea, Chizuko grows infatuated with her companion and intent on drawing her closer. But something causes Chizuru to keep her distance. It’s only after a heartbreaking separation that Chizuko begins to grasp what the ‘something’ is...

Taiwan Travelogue unearths lost colonial histories and deftly reveals how power dynamics inflect our most intimate relationships.

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“A witty, rapturous hymn to Taiwanese food and a stinging critique of Japanese colonialism"
―Fuchsia Dunlop

“Nesting-doll narrative about colonial power in its many forms."
―The New York Times Book Review

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📆Event Details

• Date & Time: Sunday, June 7th, 3:00 PM
• Venue: Las Palmas rooftop bar
• Note: Please support the venue by ordering at least one drink.

📚Club Guidelines

• Discussion: Please review the discussion questions before joining! I’ll post a link here about a week before the event so you can have a look before our offline discussion.
• Next Month's Pick: Following the discussion, our next book will be chosen by group poll—come prepared to champion your pick. Each month, we explore a different genre; for July, please bring at least one non-fiction recommendation. If your suggestion wins the vote, your book takes center stage! Even if not, you’ll get to explore beyond your reading comfort zone.

❓FAQ

• 1)"Do I have to finish reading the book to join the event?"
  YES. We’re here to discuss the book! To ensure a rich and meaningful conversation for everyone, all participants are expected to read the book in full before attending.
• 2)"Can I just listen and not join the discussion?"
  NO. We gather in person to share ideas. Your voice matters! Whether you agree, disagree, or interpret things differently, every perspective helps deepen our understanding of the book. There’s no right or wrong answer, and every opinion is equally cherished.

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Feel free to send me a message if you have any other questions.
See you in June, bookflies🦋!