Book Review: Do’s and Don’ts in Taiwan by author Steven Crook

A practical and very informative guide to Taiwan, Do’s and Don’ts in Taiwan shines a spotlight on Taiwanese culture and customs, and includes some very helpful behavioral tips that every visitor to Taiwan should be aware of.

British author Steven Crook has investigated every facet of life in Taiwan, starting with a brief introduction about Taiwan and its inhabitants and covering essential topics such as entering the country and getting around, but Crook does not stop there. His 200-page guide delves into informative sections that explain everything from eating, and drinking to information on shopping, love, marriage, gift giving, and festivals. There’s also plenty of information on taboos and polite behavior for specific social occasions such as banquet dinners, weddings, and funerals. I personally found the chapter on gods and ghosts to be fascinating. That section in particular answered a lot of questions that up until now, I had merely speculated upon.

Do’s and Don’ts in Taiwan is a excellent primer for anyone who is thinking of planning on visiting or living in Taiwan. I wish I could have laid my hands on a book like this when I first moved to Taiwan.

The book is not available in Taiwan yet. Email the author at sccrook@yahoo.com or visit Steven Crook’s blog for more information.

About the author

British-expat Steven Crook has lived in Taiwan since 1991. He has been writing about Taiwan as a travel destination since 1996. Crook has been writing about Taiwan for newspapers and magazines around the world since 1996. He is the author of more than 600 published articles and he has penned three books on life in Taiwan.