'Taiwan Travelogue' Hits Bookstores, Sales Surge After International Booker Prize Win

Central News Agency, Taipei, May 30. Following its International Booker Prize win, Yang Shuang-zi's 'Taiwan Travelogue' has been in high demand, with new copies arriving at bookstores today. Major chains like Eslite and Kingstone have begun restocking, though many locations remain sold out. Reporters observed Eslite's Songyan and NTU branches displaying the book prominently at entrances. Eslite Songyan also featured promotional materials and signs indicating that English and Japanese editions are being restocked. Kingstone's Tingzhou branch placed copies behind the counter, noting that most were pre-ordered, with more stock arriving next week. The Books.com.tw flagship store in Taipei also featured a prominent display celebrating the win. At the independent bookstore 'Little Bookroom' in New Taipei, copies sold out immediately upon arrival. Eslite reported that since the announcement on the 20th, daily sales increased over 30-fold, surpassing the growth seen during the National Book Award win in 2024. Total weekly sales across all versions (Chinese, English, Japanese) rose nearly 30-fold, with online sales jumping 250-fold. Other works by Yang also saw a 40-fold increase in sales. Kingstone Deputy General Manager Wang Hsin-tzu stated that physical stock was nearly depleted, with pre-orders continuing to accumulate. Larger shipments are expected after June 2nd, and the bookstore has set up a dedicated section for the author. Bookstores are advising customers to call ahead or pre-order to avoid disappointment.