Taiwan is often in the headlines as a possible trigger for a catastrophic war between China and the U.S., but behind the noise is a complex history. Ambiguity has been the defining aspect of Taiwan’s place in the world, since Nixon's rapprochement with China, with the island locked in a non-country limbo while growing into a dynamic economy and thriving democracy. The U.S. stance has varied with the prevailing winds in Washington, D.C., although the past few years have seen a more pro-Taiwan attitude. The Taiwanese population seems to be leaning toward independence while aware of the difficulties such a move would entail. Beijing regularly makes threats and provocations, seemingly unaware that its belligerence usually backfires.

Taiwan’s story is recounted in both books in a way that shows the importance of understanding the context of the conflict and is a starting point for us to delve into Taiwan’s past, finding critical clues to the turbulent present and future.

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