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Ghost Nation

Author Chris Horton
Publisher Pan Macmillan
Run Time 10 hours
Format Audio
Genre Asian history, Colonialism and imperialism, Cultural policies and debates, Geopolitics, Human rights, civil rights, Indigenous peoples, Invasion, conquest and occupation, Military history, Political geography, Political structures: democracy, Revolutions, uprisings, rebellions.

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What to expect

'Indispensable and timely' Melissa Chan, Emmy-nominated international affairs correspondent

'Few books qualify as essential reading but Ghost Nation is one of them' - Clive Hamilton, bestselling co-author of The Hidden Hand

The gripping story of Taiwan's past and precarious present from one of Taiwan's top foreign correspondents.

With all eyes on Ukraine and the Middle East, Taiwan is emerging as the next geopolitical tinderbox. Despite sitting at the heart of the tense relationship between China and the US, Taiwan’s history and its people have long been overlooked and misunderstood. In Ghost Nation, Taiwan-based journalist Chris Horton tells their stories and explores why this diplomatically isolated country has become such an important player on the world stage.

As China’s military preparations continue apace, the stakes have never been higher. Perched precariously on the fault-lines of global power, the fate of this vibrant democracy and tech colossus will shape Asia’s future – either containing or facilitating China’s expansionist goals.

Drawing from over a decade of living and reporting in Taiwan, and informed by interviews with everyday citizens, presidents and other key figures, Horton provides a panoramic view of this fascinating country. Ghost Nation will leave readers with a profound appreciation for Taiwan’s struggle for self-determination – and its pivotal role in our shared future.

'An unmissable account . . . Accessible, entertaining and immaculately researched' - Dr Jonathan Sullivan, co-author of Taiwan: A Contested Democracy Under Threat and former Director of the China Policy Institute

Critics Review

If you think it's an exaggeration to say that Taiwan is the fulcrum on which the world's balance of power rests, then Chris Horton's book should change your mind. Apart from crushing a vibrant democracy, a Chinese takeover of Taiwan would be a victory for authoritarianism everywhere. Few books qualify as essential reading but Ghost Nation is one of them

Clive Hamilton, author of The Hidden Hand

Indispensable and timely — this is an urgent moment for everyone to better understand Taiwan, one of the most interesting democracies in the world — written engagingly by the international journalist who knows the country best

Melissa Chan, Emmy-nominated International Affairs Correspondent and author of You Must Take Part in Revolution

Through fascinating details and keen insights, Chris Horton’s exemplary storytelling brings to life Taiwan’s complex political and social circumstances. Ghost Nation is an absolutely compelling read

Shawna Yang Ryan, award-winning author of Green Island

For the past decade, Horton has been one of the most reliable and incisive foreign journalists based in Taipei. He has used that experience, knowledge and access to produce an unmissable account of Taiwan's political trajectory . . . Accessible, entertaining and immaculately researched

Dr Jonathan Sullivan, co-author of Taiwan: A Contested Democracy Under Threat and former Director of the China Policy Institute

Horton’s retelling of Taiwan’s past and present through the eyes of everyday people who experienced Taiwan’s highs and lows firsthand will leave readers with a deep sense of empathy and hope. It is a must read for anyone invested in peace and understanding on either side of the Taiwan Strait

Lev Nachman, Assistant Professor at National Taiwan University and author of Contested Taiwan: Sovereignty, Social Movements and Party Formation

Accessible and borne from on-the-ground reporting. Delves far beyond the headlines, deep into the history and the forgotten personalities that helped make modern Taiwan

Dr Samir Puri, author of Westlessness: The Great Global Rebalancing

Taiwan is too often reduced to a geopolitical talking point . . . In Ghost Nation, journalist Chris Horton offers a vivid, clear-eyed account of a place that has defied the odds. Far from a passive player, Taiwan emerges here as a vibrant democracy shaped by its own history, people and political will. Drawing on over a decade of reporting, Horton reveals the deeper stakes of Taiwan’s survival—and why its future matters to us all

Clarissa Wei, author of Made in Taiwan

Ghost Nation is a vivid, timely, and deeply informed portrait of modern Taiwan that has been masterfully crafted through Horton's unparalleled on-the-ground insights. His work blends digestible insights on contemporary Taiwan with richly drawn historical anecdotes, culminating in a must-read for anyone seeking to understand how Taiwan's complex past has made it into the vibrant democracy it is today

Lauren Dickey, Senior Associate at the China Power Project and former senior advisor and acting director for Taiwan policy in the US Department of Defense

From the longest period of martial law in Asia to the region's greatest beacon of freedom and democracy, Taiwan has had a history of extremes. Chris Horton's incisive political history unpacks a remarkable and unknown story

Joe Studwell, journalist and author of How Asia Works

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