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)
Japan is celebrated for its exceptional levels of customer service. But the behavior of a growing number of customers and clients leaves a lot to be desired. The rise of the abusive consumer has prompted authorities in Tokyo to introduce the country’s first ordinance — a locally approved regulation — to protect service industry staff from kasuhara — the Japanese abbreviated form of “customer harassment.” While the Tokyo ordinance, which will go into effect in April, does not carry penalties, experts hope the move will highlight a growing social problem and, perhaps, encourage people to think twice before taking out their frustrations
There is perhaps no better way to soak up the last of Taipei’s balmy evenings than dining al fresco at La Piada with a sundowner Aperol Spritz and a luxuriant plate of charcuterie. La Piada (義式薄餅) is the brainchild of Milano native William Di Nardo. Tucked into an unassuming apartment complex, fairy lights and wining diners lead the way to this charming slice of laid-back Mediterranean deli culture. Taipei is entirely saturated with Italian cuisine, but La Piada offers something otherwise unseen on the island. Piadina Romagnola: a northern Italian street food classic. These handheld flatbreads are stuffed with cold
Oct. 14 to Oct. 20 After working above ground for two years, Chang Kui (張桂) entered the Yamamoto coal mine for the first time, age 16. It was 1943, and because many men had joined the war effort, an increasing number of women went underground to take over the physically grueling and dangerous work. “As soon as the carts arrived, I climbed on for the sake of earning money; I didn’t even feel scared,” Chang tells her granddaughter Tai Po-fen (戴伯芬) in The last female miner: The story of Chang Kui (末代女礦工: 張桂故事), which can be found on the Frontline
In the tourism desert that is most of Changhua County, at least one place stands out as a remarkable exception: one of Taiwan’s earliest Han Chinese settlements, Lukang. Packed with temples and restored buildings showcasing different eras in Taiwan’s settlement history, the downtown area is best explored on foot. As you make your way through winding narrow alleys where even Taiwanese scooters seldom pass, you are sure to come across surprise after surprise. The old Taisugar railway station is a good jumping-off point for a walking tour of downtown Lukang. Though the interior is not open to the public, the exterior
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