Taiwan Travelogue Drives Strong Online Bookstore Performance for Local Authors in First Half of Year

(CNA Taipei, June 30) The online bookstore Books.com.tw has released its bestseller list for the first half of the year, with "Taiwan Travelogue" topping the charts and the Taiwanese Hokkien poetry collection "Shining Flowers in the Sun" ranking fifth, showcasing a strong performance by local authors.

According to a press release from Books.com.tw, Yang Shuang-tzu's "Taiwan Travelogue" has seen a surge in book purchases since winning the International Booker Prize in May. Coupled with the positive reception from winning the National Book Award in the US at the end of last year, the book secured the top spot on Books.com.tw's overall bestseller list for the first half of 2026 and ranked third on the e-book bestseller list.

New generation poet Wen Jo-chiao's Taiwanese Hokkien poetry collection "Shining Flowers in the Sun" has garnered significant discussion on social media and was also included in the President's reading list. The author is also set to translate the Taiwanese Hokkien version of "Taiwan Travelogue," further drawing attention. This indicates that local literature is continuously expanding its influence, driven by international awards and social media buzz.

Books.com.tw analyzed that an increasing number of readers are discovering good books on social platforms like Threads, demonstrating that word-of-mouth recommendations with a "human touch" are more effective in spreading reading trends. Examples include "Nordic Time," "90% of Illnesses Can Be Cured by Controlling Blood Sugar," "A Young Person's History of Taiwan," and "Rewire-Neuroplasticity."

In terms of new releases, comics accounted for the highest proportion of entries on the top 100 bestseller list for new books in the first half of the year, a 30% increase from last year. "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (Special Edition) Vol. 15," boosted by the new anime season, claimed the top spot on the new release list.

Literary works also performed strongly on the new release list, with "Shining Flowers in the Sun" at number 2 and "Between a Small Mountain and Another Small Mountain" at number 7. Dan Brown's new work "Secret of the Secret" secured the 4th position. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150630

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