Taiwan Travelogue wins 2026 International Booker – a deftly translated tale of food, love and history

By Eva Cheuk-Yin Li, Lecturer in Screen Industries, King's College London

Set in 1930s Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule, Taiwan Travelogue follows fictional Japanese novelist Aoyama Chizuko and her Taiwanese interpreter, Ō Chizuru (or Ông Tshian-ho'h), as they journey across colonial Taiwan by rail, encountering its diverse local food cultures. But Taiwan Travelogue is far more than a historical travel narrative. Through meals, translation and silences, Yáng explores colonial power, intimacy and the limits of empathy.

At first glance, the novel almost resembles a cookbook. Each…

Read complete article

~	How employers can support workers when they take medical leave

~	Liberia: School Fees Block Children’s Access to Education

~	The illusion of online public opinion in Lebanon’s political conflicts

~	Politics with Michelle Grattan: Margaret Thornton on the landmark Tickle v Giggle transgender case

~	New ‘AI scientists’ are improving – but reveal their fundamental limits

~	For decades, Australian institutions have displayed stolen human remains. But there’s a way forward

~	How does street lighting impact wildlife and when should we turn off the lights?

~	How switching to smarter lighting can cut energy bills and boost your health

~	Why early medieval Ireland had laws for bees

~	Cathedrals by Claudia Piñeiro is a gripping Argentinian crime story about gender violence and the weaponisation of religion