Taiwan 101: Studying, Working, and Traveling in Today’s Taiwan

This title by Christensen (Chinese, Brigham Young Univ.; A Geek in China) and Yang (Chinese and linguistics, Univ. of Mississippi) is a concise but thorough overview of the people, the languages (more than 20 are spoken there), and the history of Taiwan, including a timeline from 239 AD to 2017. Taiwan offers an affordable rapid transit system, called MRT, that makes getting around easy and accessible for first-time visitors. Attractions such as shopping districts, gorges, and beaches are highlighted too. But the authors emphasize that their book isn’t intended to be a travel guide. Instead, they give practical advice for daily living in Taiwan, such as where to live, eat, and work. Readers who are thinking about working or studying in Taiwan will find, for example, information on workplace etiquette and strategies for landing an internship. There are tips for how to visit the numerous food stalls in Taiwanese markets, plus charts of the country’s top night-market dishes and breakfast foods. The cultural differences among Taiwan’s four regions are explained as well.