1. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
(
By J.K. Rowling (Translated by Peng Chien-wen).
The long summer vacation has finally ended and Harry Potter can't wait to go back to magic school. But a string of strange and terrifying things begins to occur and Harry must find the culprit behind them.
2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
(
By J.K. Rowling (Translated by Peng Chien-wen).
Mysterious letters lead the 11-year-old Harry Potter into a kingdom of sorcerers, who send their mail by owl messengers and travel on brooms.
3. Endless Love (
By Oh Soo-yeon(
Translated by Tung Yao.
A Chinese translation of a Korean soap opera series which has taken Taiwan airwaves by storm.
4. Platonic Sex (
By Iijima Ai (
An autobiography by former Japanese "adult video" star Iijima Ai, who tells the story of Ai's introduction to the porn industry.
5. Say It To Your Heart
(
By Liu Yung (
A meditation by the maestro of inspirational books -- this time about speech and the right ways to express oneself.
6. Yesterday's Memories, A Clear Day's Leisure
(
By Betty Wu (
An autobiographical piece about how Wu came out of her labyrinth of suicidal desires -- described in the light of her younger brother's suicide at the age of 24. The book also explores the social problems reflected in Taiwan's rising suicide rates.
7. Time Verse Plaza (時光詞場)
By Chang Man-chuan (張曼娟).
This is a collection of short stories built around famous verses from China's different dynasties, including Su Shih (蘇軾) and Li Ching-chao (李清照). A fun way to read classical Chinese literature.
8. The Works of Shakespeare
(莎士比亞全集)
By William Shakespeare.
A selection of the works by the bard in translation.
9. La Rive Gauche D'amour
(愛情左岸)
By Wu Ruo-chuan (吳若權).
As the title suggests, this book talks about history's most popular subject -- love. But despite its French title, the book is a Chinese original.
10. Stray Bird (pocket edition) (漂鳥)
By Rabindranath Tagore.
Another Chinese rendering of Tagore's classic poetry collection.
11. The Human Nature You Have To Know II
(你不可不知道的人性)
By Liu Yung (劉墉).
The author reveals the dark side of human nature through stories of events that happened to people around him. The book also takes a look at human weakness from a constructive perspective.
12. Breaking into Perdition: Regeneration
(闖入陰魔界之重生)
By Carmelita Chao (趙慧娟).
This is an exploration into Chinese spirituality by Hong Kong-born meditation teacher Carmelita Chao, who spent much of her life in Taiwan and is now based in the San Francisco Bay area. This book is another installation in her Story of Karma series.
13. Sky of the Gods: Greek and Roman Myths of the Zodiac
(諸神的星空:希臘羅馬星座神話)
By Homer and Ovid.
This is a retelling of Greek and Roman myths about the gods that rule the Zodiac signs.
14. Ruse of the Empty City
(空城計)
By Cheng Wen-chin (鄭文金).
A history of China's legendary minister Chu Ke-liang (諸葛亮) and his famous strategies against his enemies.
15. Hooligan Professor
(流氓教授)
By Lin Chien-lung (林建隆).
This is an inspiring autobiography of a man who grew up in a shady environment, was arrested and convicted for attempted murder at the age of 23, but later found his own calling and became an English professor.
16. Soul Mountain (靈山)
By Gao Xingjian (高行健).
The best-known novel by Gao Xingjian, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, is a patchwork of travel notes, magical tales, philosophical musings, and eroticism.
17. Aesop's Fables (pocket edition) (伊索寓言)
A Chinese rendering of the eternal Aesop.
18. Love Returns to the Beginning (愛回到最初)
By Kuang Yu (光禹).
A collection of 42 essays about love.
19. A Garden In My Hear
(我的心中每天開出一朵花)
By Jimmy (幾米).
Another addition to Jimmy's popular series of cartoon sketches and literary musings.
20. Love needs no restraint
(愛又何必矜持)
By Liu Yung (劉墉).
A new collection of short inspirational stories from the bestselling writer Liu Yung.
Source: Kingstone Books (金石堂書店)
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