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Looks at the history, geography, population, wildlife, economy, religion, and culture of Taiwan.

144 pages, Library Binding

First published March 1, 2006

8 people want to read

About the author

David C. King

125 books8 followers
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

David has written--and published--more than 70 books, primarily nonfiction in American history and biography; there have also been about 20 studies of other cultures, including Taiwan, Rwanda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the United Arab Emirates. While most of his books have been for young-adult readers, many have been cross-overs, directed to both adult and young-adult audiences.

A former teacher of both English and History, David has also been a consultant to the State Department of Education, UNICEF, UNESCO, the World Bank, Lincoln Center Institute for the Arts in Education, Public Broadcasting Corporation, and several state departments of education.

"I love to write," he explains, "and my goal is to make encounters with history and culture as interesting, dramatic, and colorful as possible."

In his book on Taiwan, King explained why he felt comfortable writing about countries he has never lived in or even visited: "The important thing in writing about any other culture is to research your subject thoroughly and to develop a sensitivity for the people and their way of life. A good example is the classic study of Japanese culture, The Sword and the Crysanthemum. It was written by Ruth Benedict, who had never been to Japan."

David and his wife Sharon live in the picturesque Berkshires, surrounded by historical sites and cultural events. Sharon provides David with vital research assistance and is also the author of a young-adult novel--A Secret Star--now in its third printing. They have worked together on several projects, including an award-winning history of the Statue of Liberty.

(source: http://authordavidcking.com/index.php)

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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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100 reviews
July 1, 2015
Taiwan's history and current political standing is complicated. The author did a great job of explaining the past and gave a succinct overview of the life in Taiwan today.
3 reviews
April 30, 2017
This book is accurate in the description of the political history and Taiwanese people. It is a devastating loss that the newer version of this book (2014, same title and publisher - different author) omits a lot of the accurate, detailed research and information. If a library is going to carry ONE book to teach children about Taiwan, it should be THIS book. Bring it back!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews

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