Taiwanese writer Chi Ta-wei (紀大偉)'s 1996 novel “The Membranes” has seen global success in recent years, with translations in French, English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Italian, Finnish, Spanish, Danish, and forthcoming editions in Portuguese, Greek, and Vietnamese.

“The Membranes” is a dystopian fiction set in the 22nd century. Climate change has devastated Earth, and humans now live at the bottom of the sea. The protagonist is a dermatologist named Momo who can read her clients’ memories through their skins.

Chi Ta-wei is an important voice in Taiwanese queer literature. 

We talk about the year 1994 - the era of Pulp Fiction, Nine Inch Nails, and Nirvana. In Taipei, a bookstore called FemBooks (女書店) was opened. Artists and students wanting international cinema flocked to the Golden Horse Film Festival. 

One of Ta-wei’s contemporaries is the late author Qiu Miaojin (邱妙津). Ta-wei talks about why he and Qiu shared a fondness for Europe. We also talk about the Australian writer and translator Ari Heinrich who worked on English translations for both Chi Ta-wei and Qiu Miaojin.

Chi Ta-Wei also talks about his appreciation for translators, and advice for writers, editors, and publishers who are working on bringing Taiwanese books to the world. 

For French listeners, here’s our Interview with theater director Cédric Delorme-Bouchard on the stage adaptation that premiered in Montreal 2024: https://ghostisland.media/en/shows/france-taiwan/membrane-cedric-delorme-bouchard

More on Chi Ta-wei: www.taweichi.com/

Links to the novel “The Membranes”:

(In English) “The Membranes” translated by Ari Heinrich (University of Columbia Press, 2021) - https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-membranes/9780231195713

(En français) “Membrane” traduit par Gwennaël Gaffric (L'Asiathèque. 2020) 
https://www.asiatheque.com/fr/livre/membrane

《膜》繁體中文版 (聯經出版, 1996) https://www.linkingbooks.com.tw/LNB/book/Book.aspx?ID=184182&vs=pc

Tag and follow Ghost Island Media on social media: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Support us by donating on Patreon - http://patreon.com/taiwan

EPISODE CREDIT

Host / Emily Y. Wu @emilyywu
Editing / Zack Chiang, Wayne Tsai
Researcher / Skylar Nguyen
A Ghost Island Media production / @ghostislandme

Taiwanese writer Chi Ta-wei (紀大偉)'s 1996 novel “The Membranes” has seen global success in recent years, with translations in French, English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Italian, Finnish, Spanish, Danish, and forthcoming editions in Portuguese, Greek, and Vietnamese.
“The Membranes” is a dystopian fiction set in the 22nd century. Climate change has devastated Earth, and humans now live at the bottom of the sea. The protagonist is a dermatologist named Momo who can read her clients’ memories through their skins.
Chi Ta-wei is an important voice in Taiwanese queer literature. 
We talk about the year 1994 - the era of Pulp Fiction, Nine Inch Nails, and Nirvana. In Taipei, a bookstore called FemBooks (女書店) was opened. Artists and students wanting international cinema flocked to the Golden Horse Film Festival. 
One of Ta-wei’s contemporaries is the late author Qiu Miaojin (邱妙津). Ta-wei talks about why he and Qiu shared a fondness for Europe. We also talk about the Australian writer and translator <a href="https://www.ariheinrich.com/about.html">Ari Heinrich</a> who worked on English translations for both Chi Ta-wei and <a href="https://www.nyrb.com/products/last-words-from-montmartre?variant=1094930009">Qiu Miaojin</a>.
Chi Ta-Wei also talks about his appreciation for translators, and advice for writers, editors, and publishers who are working on bringing Taiwanese books to the world. 
For French listeners, here’s our Interview with theater director Cédric Delorme-Bouchard on the stage adaptation that premiered in Montreal 2024: <a href="https://ghostisland.media/en/shows/france-taiwan/membrane-cedric-delorme-bouchard">https://ghostisland.media/en/shows/france-taiwan/membrane-cedric-delorme-bouchard</a>
More on Chi Ta-wei: <a href="https://www.taweichi.com/">www.taweichi.com/</a>
Links to the novel “The Membranes”:
(In English) “The Membranes” translated by Ari Heinrich (University of Columbia Press, 2021) - <a href="https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-membranes/9780231195713">https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-membranes/9780231195713</a>
(En français) “Membrane” traduit par Gwennaël Gaffric (L'Asiathèque. 2020)  <a href="https://www.asiatheque.com/fr/livre/membrane">https://www.asiatheque.com/fr/livre/membrane</a>
《膜》繁體中文版 (聯經出版, 1996) <a href="https://www.linkingbooks.com.tw/LNB/book/Book.aspx?ID=184182&amp;vs=pc">https://www.linkingbooks.com.tw/LNB/book/Book.aspx?ID=184182&amp;vs=pc</a>
Tag and follow Ghost Island Media on social media: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostislandme/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ghostislandme/">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostislandme">Twitter</a>
Support us by donating on Patreon - <a href="http://patreon.com/taiwan">http://patreon.com/taiwan</a> 
EPISODE CREDIT
Host / Emily Y. Wu <a href="https://twitter.com/emilyywu">@emilyywu</a> Editing / Zack Chiang, Wayne Tsai Researcher / Skylar Nguyen A Ghost Island Media production / <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostislandme">@ghostislandme</a>

A current affairs podcast on Taiwan and the world. Every episode, we invite a journalist to a conversation with an expert to get the big picture context of what we need to know. These are global issues, and this is The Taiwan Take. 

Nominated for Best News Podcast at 2020 Excellent Journalism Award in Taiwan. Produced by Ghost Island Media in Taipei, Taiwan.

2020年台灣卓越新聞獎 Podcast 新聞獎入圍者．這是一個專門討論臺灣時事的訪談性英文節目， 以「縱觀世界議題，以臺灣觀點論述」為主軸，由記者採訪跨領域專家、名人與來賓等，第一手將臺灣的故事推向國際．

鬼島之音製作播出．

A current affairs podcast on Taiwan and the world. Every episode, we invite a journalist to a conversation with an expert to get the big picture context of what we need to know. These are global issues, and this is The Taiwan Take. Nominated for Best News Podcast at 2020 Excellent Journalism Award in Taiwan.&nbsp;Produced by Ghost Island Media in Taipei, Taiwan. 2020年台灣卓越新聞獎 Podcast 新聞獎入圍者．這是一個專門討論臺灣時事的訪談性英文節目， 以「縱觀世界議題，以臺灣觀點論述」為主軸，由記者採訪跨領域專家、名人與來賓等，第一手將臺灣的故事推向國際． 鬼島之音製作播出．