'Taiwan Travelogue' (《臺灣漫遊錄》), a novel by Taiwanese author Yang Shuangzi, won the 2026 International Booker Prize at a ceremony held on May 19, 2026, at Tate Modern in London [1, 2, 3, 4]. Yang is the first Asian and first Taiwanese author to win the award since its inception [1, 2, 5].

The prize, awarded annually to a single book translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland, carries a monetary award of £50,000. The prize money will be split equally between Yang and the translator Jin Ling (金翎) [3, 5, 6]. The English edition was published in March 2026 by And Other Stories [6, 7].

Set in 1938 Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule, the novel explores the fraught relationship between a Japanese woman writer and a Taiwanese female translator. It uses Taiwanese and Japanese foods as key narrative elements, dedicating 12 chapters to dishes symbolizing the evolving ties between the protagonists [1, 2, 8]. The story critically addresses colonial history, power imbalances, female friendship, and identity issues in Taiwan [1, 2, 5, 8, 9].

Natasha Brown, chair of the Booker jury, said the novel "achieves an incredible double feat: it is both a successful romance and a sharp postcolonial novel" [3].

The English translation employed experimental techniques like footnotes and multiple pronunciation systems to retain Taiwanese cultural complexity [4, 10, 11]. Translator Jin Ling has committed to translating exclusively Taiwanese works, saying she will continue until Taiwan’s sovereignty is taken seriously in the English-speaking world [4].

Originally published in 2020 by Spring Hill Publishing, 'Taiwan Travelogue' has sold over 40,000 copies in Taiwan and more than 10,000 copies each in Japan, the US, and the UK. The novel’s rights have been sold in 24 countries [1, 4, 10, 11]. It also won the 2021 Taiwan Golden Tripod Literary Award, the 2024 Japan Translation Grand Prize, and the 2024 US National Book Award for translation [1, 12, 4].

The book has inspired adaptations including a manga licensed by Gaia, a musical by director Wang Xiwen, and an upcoming international co-produced TV series by Soft World Imaging [4, 10, 11]. Despite acclaim, the novel remains unpublished in Mainland China; Yang hopes it will reach Mainland readers eventually [5].

Yang, who is openly lesbian, incorporates queer themes and female friendship in her work. The novel has faced backlash in some Chinese-speaking areas from nationalist critics, which she rejects [1, 8, 9].

Yang and Jin Ling held promotional stops in New York City in September 2025, including events at Columbia University and the Brooklyn Book Festival [8, 9].