Ghost Nation

If you think it’s an exaggeration to say that Taiwan is the fulcrum on which the world’s balance of power rests, then Chris Horton’s book should change your mind. Apart from crushing a vibrant democracy, a Chinese takeover of Taiwan would be a victory for authoritarianism everywhere. Few books qualify as essential reading but Ghost Nation is one of them – Clive Hamilton, author of The Hidden HandIndispensable and timely — this is an urgent moment for everyone to better understand Taiwan, one of the most interesting democracies in the world — written engagingly by the international journalist who knows the country best – Melissa Chan, Emmy-nominated International Affairs Correspondent and author of You Must Take Part in RevolutionThrough fascinating details and keen insights, Chris Horton’s exemplary storytelling brings to life Taiwan’s complex political and social circumstances. Ghost Nation is an absolutely compelling read – Shawna Yang Ryan, award-winning author of Green IslandFor the past decade, Horton has been one of the most reliable and incisive foreign journalists based in Taipei. He has used that experience, knowledge and access to produce an unmissable account of Taiwan’s political trajectory … Accessible, entertaining and immaculately researched – Dr Jonathan Sullivan, co-author of Taiwan: A Contested Democracy Under Threat and former Director of the China Policy InstituteHorton’s retelling of Taiwan’s past and present through the eyes of everyday people who experienced Taiwan’s highs and lows firsthand will leave readers with a deep sense of empathy and hope. It is a must read for anyone invested in peace and understanding on either side of the Taiwan Strait – Lev Nachman, Assistant Professor at National Taiwan University and author of Contested Taiwan: Sovereignty, Social Movements and Party FormationAccessible and borne from on-the-ground reporting. Delves far beyond the headlines, deep into the history and the forgotten personalities that helped make modern Taiwan – Dr Samir Puri, author of Westlessness: The Great Global RebalancingTaiwan is too often reduced to a geopolitical talking point … In Ghost Nation, journalist Chris Horton offers a vivid, clear-eyed account of a place that has defied the odds. Far from a passive player, Taiwan emerges here as a vibrant democracy shaped by its own history, people and political will. Drawing on over a decade of reporting, Horton reveals the deeper stakes of Taiwan’s survival—and why its future matters to us all – Clarissa Wei, author of Made in TaiwanGhost Nation is a vivid, timely, and deeply informed portrait of modern Taiwan that has been masterfully crafted through Horton’s unparalleled on-the-ground insights. His work blends digestible insights on contemporary Taiwan with richly drawn historical anecdotes, culminating in a must-read for anyone seeking to understand how Taiwan’s complex past has made it into the vibrant democracy it is today – Lauren Dickey, Senior Associate at the China Power Project and former senior advisor and acting director for Taiwan policy in the US Department of DefenseFrom the longest period of martial law in Asia to the region’s greatest beacon of freedom and democracy, Taiwan has had a history of extremes. Chris Horton’s incisive political history unpacks a remarkable and unknown story – Joe Studwell, journalist and author of How Asia WorksNews headlines constantly warn that Taiwan may bring the US and China to war. But Horton takes us beyond the sabre-rattling to reveal Taiwan on its own terms — a country whose history and culture are unique, and whose people have forged a democratic nation against all odds – Bethany Allen, author of Beijing Rules

Chris Horton is a reporter who has covered cross-strait politics, domestic politics, the economy, culture and breaking news in Taiwan for The New York Times, Bloomberg News, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Financial Times and Quartz. He has lived in Taiwan since 2015 and in China and Hong Kong for the decade preceding that. He is the last foreign journalist to interview former President Lee Teng-hui, arguably the midwife of Taiwanese democracy and one of the most underappreciated post-war Asian leaders. He is fluent in Mandarin. Ghost Nation is his first book.