Heaven Does Not Block All Roads: A History of Taiwan Through the Life of Huang Chin-tao

Huang Chin-tao was born in 1926, when Taiwan was still part of the Japanese Empire. By the time he died in 2019, Taiwan was a bustling, high-tech democracy--and Huang had lived through every twist and turn along the way. He served as a Japanese soldier in China during World War II; joined an armed uprising against Taiwan's Chinese Nationalist post-war government; spent twenty-four years imprisoned during the island's decades of martial law; and finally emerged to help lead the pro-democracy movement of the 1980s in his hometown, Taichung. Drawing upon archives, memoirs, interviews and more, Anna Beth Keim tells the story of Taiwan through the journey of one extraordinary individual. From his childhood scuffling with Japanese children to his transformation into a 'democracy farmer', Huang's life vividly reflects contemporary Taiwanese history, and continues to inspire young Taiwanese today who are fighting to keep their home independent. Over roughly a century, the island transitioned from an imperial outpost to an authoritarian state to a democracy--one still at risk of being snuffed out by China. This story is uniquely Taiwanese, yet illuminates experiences shared by countries everywhere: of colonisation and its aftermath, and the ongoing struggle to be free.

About the Author :
Anna Beth Keim is a freelance writer and translator, who has been reporting on Taiwan since 2015. Her work has appeared in ChinaFile, Foreign Policy, YaleGlobal and The Foreign Service Journal. This is her first book.

Review :
‘The tides of history still rip through the Taiwan Strait. In crystalline prose, Keim traces their impact on the nigh incredible life of an impetuous Taiwanese nationalist. Safe haven or pirate kingdom, gulag or Asian Tiger, the island’s story has never been better told.’ ‘A Japanese soldier, a Chinese rebel, and a Formosan prisoner of conscience; commended by the president, celebrated in death metal and worshipped as a god, this is a gripping story of a man who contains multitudes, like Taiwan itself.’ ‘An extraordinary story of Taiwanese resistance, written with the vitality and beauty of a novel.’ ‘A vivid account of the dramatic story of Taiwan over the last century through the life of one person. Anna Beth Keim’s unique approach makes Taiwan’s path to today more knowable and easier to relate to—and above all, very human.’ ‘The extraordinary story of Huang Chin-tao is beautifully told by Anna Beth Keim. Fighting for his homeland from Nantun to Tokyo, Hainan to Green Island, Huang never lost hope and ultimately became a reluctant hero for democratic Taiwan.’ ‘This is the history of today’s Taiwan through the life of the indomitable Huang Chin-tao: soldier, freedom fighter, prisoner and democracy activist. A first-class introduction to Taiwan and its people, beautifully written and narrated.’