Taiwanese author Yang Shuangzi’s long novel “Taiwan Travelogue” has won the Translation Literature Grand Prize at the National Book Awards in the United States, marking an important milestone in the history of Taiwanese literature. With the support of the Ministry of Culture, the Taipei Cultural Center in New York and the Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles collaborated to invite Yang Shuangzi and translator Jin Ling to the United States in February to hold literary lectures on both the East and West coasts. This redesigned lecture series for American audiences focuses on “Roaming Taiwan with Miss Chizuru: The Fictional Engineering of ‘Taiwan Travelogue’,” covering topics such as the inspiration behind the novel’s creation, the process of gathering information, anecdotes from field research, how historical material is used to construct the story, and the various challenges of cross-cultural translation.
“Taiwan Travelogue” is set against the backdrop of Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period in 1938, painting a picture of the island’s history and culture through railway travel and food stories. The novel uses 12 Taiwanese and Japanese snacks and dishes such as “sesame soup” and “okonomiyaki” as chapter themes, reconstructing the lifestyle and relationships of the time, portraying emotional exchanges between Japanese and Taiwanese women, while also exploring various cultural and historical issues.
The literary lectures will run from February 12 to 20, with a total of 8 events co-organized by various institutions in New York and Southern California. These include independent bookstore Yu & Me, the New York Public Library, Hunter College in New York, Skylight Books, University of California campuses in Los Angeles, Irvine, Santa Barbara, and Chapman University.
The Taipei Cultural Center in New York stated that in recent years, the four Taiwanese foreign missions in the United States have cooperated to promote lectures by Taiwanese literary authors, establishing strong partnerships with local cultural institutions and universities, and expanding the readership of Taiwanese literature. The invitation of Yang Shuangzi, the recipient of a significant literary award in the United States, and translator Jin Ling to the United States has attracted widespread attention across various sectors, with expectations that through the lectures and their work, readers will further understand Taiwan’s place in world history and the cultural influence of Taiwanese literature.
– Event Schedule –
1. Yu & Me Bookstore
Date: February 12 (Wednesday) 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: 44 Mulberry St. New York, NY 10013
Online registration link: [Link]
2. CUNY Hunter College
Date: February 14 (Friday) 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM
Location: Roosevelt House 47-49 East 65th St. New York, NY 10065
Online registration link: [Link]
3. Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, New York Public Library
Date: February 14 (Friday) 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: 7th Floor, 455 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016
Online registration link: [Link]
4. Chapman University
Date: February 18 (Tuesday) 12:00 PM
Location: Beckman Hall Room 404
5. University of California, Irvine
Date: February 18 (Tuesday) 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Location: Humanities Gateway 1030
Online registration link: [Link]
6. University of California, Los Angeles
Date: February 19 (Wednesday) 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM
Location: Kaplan Hall, Rm A51
Online registration link: [Link]
7. Skylight Books
Date: February 19 (Wednesday) 7:00 PM
Location: 1818 N Vermont Ave Los Angeles, CA 90027
Online registration link: [Link]
8. University of California, Santa Barbara
Date: February 20 (Thursday) 3:30 PM – 4:50 PM
Location: Harold Frank Hall 1104
Online registration link: [Link]