I have sometimes dreamt that when the Day of Judgment dawns and the great conquerors and lawyers and statesmen come to receive their rewards—their crowns, their laurels, their names carved indelibly upon imperishable marble—the Almighty will turn to Peter and will say, not without a certain envy when he sees us coming with our books under our arms, “Look, these need no reward. We have nothing to give them here. They have loved reading.” —Virginia Woolf, The Second Common Reader
If book readers are envied by the gods themselves, then what about bookshop owners? To live in a fortress of books—is this not the most desirable of professions?
Our cover story this month focuses on independent bookstores set up in remote or less-populated areas. We introduce several bookstores that are far from downtown areas, each with a unique approach that challenges traditional bookstore operating models, such as exchanging books for fruit and vegetables, or perhaps for a room for the night; being a haven for dialogue with young people in the community, or a platform for people coming from near and far to exchange their life stories; selling only books that have been personally read and enjoyed by the owner.... Behind each bookstore is a touching story, and everyone involved—owners, readers, even casual visitors—can set aside their reserve and feel free to be themselves. They are places to find new impetus in life.
Booksellers are not the only ones making an impact in small or remote communities. Former Cloud Gate dancer and choreographer Bulareyaung has gone back to his hometown of Taitung County to found his own dance company. This internationally applauded maestro says it is both his dream and his duty to bring dance to the children of this mainly rural and largely Aboriginal county.
This issue of Taiwan Panorama really does have a lot of stories to tell! Surely the most “dramatic” is that of the TV “idol drama” series The Fierce Wife, which was a big hit in Taiwan, and now, thanks to the efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been dubbed into Spanish and is soon to make a splash in Latin America. The goal is to give wider exposure to Taiwan’s high-quality TV productions, so as to enhance exchanges of popular culture with countries that have friendly relations with Taiwan.
As we wait hopefully for the month of May to bring the “plum rains” to our drought-stricken island, we hope that this month’s issue will bring a sun-shower of refreshing vitality into your life!
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