This month, Ian, Bev, and Alo discuss Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi, the winner of the 2026 International Booker Prize. Blending food, travel, history, and colonial politics, this richly layered novel invites readers on a journey through 1930s Taiwan, where every meal tells a story and every encounter reveals the complexities of identity, power, and belonging.
In this episode, we unpack the novel's meditation on culture and colonialism, and discuss why this quietly ambitious work resonated so strongly with the International Booker judges. We also chat about the joys—and occasional challenges—of reading a novel that asks you to slow down and savour every detail.
Whether you've already fallen in love with Taiwan Travelogue or are simply curious about this year's International Booker winner, join us for a thoughtful conversation about one of the most distinctive novels of the year.
Books mentioned in this episode:
The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran by Shida Bazyar
She Who Remains by Rene Karabash
The Director by Daniel Kehlmann
On Earth As It Is Beneath by Ana Paula Maia
The Witch by Marie NDiaye
Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
John of John by Douglas Stuart
Whistler by Anne Patchett
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai
Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor
The Vegetarian by Han Kang
Greek Lessons by Han Kang
Fruit Fly by Josh Silver
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