Coming soon! The first major book from our new publishing venture Plum Rain Press (English translation): "Three Tribes in Dutch Formosa" by Dr. Chen Yao-chang 陳耀昌.
The History of Taiwan - Formosa Files

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files

Taiwan's Top-Rated History Podcast
Stories from the History of Formosa (Taiwan)


The Formosa Files Taiwan History Podcast is sponsored by
The FRANK CHEN FOUNDATION
(陳啟川先生文教基金會)
www.frank-chen.org.tw

HOSTS:
John Ross (author, co-founder of publisher Camphor Press)

Eryk Michael Smith (writer, broadcaster, journalist)

Both Ross and Smith have lived in Taiwan for well over 20 years and call the island home.

Formosa Files - Weekly Tales from the Wonderful History of Taiwan 

Recent Episodes

Nov. 5, 2024

FORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH30-荷蘭引進的臺灣物產—荷蘭人引入臺灣的動植物

荷蘭人來臺雖然只有短短的三十幾年,但為臺灣帶來深遠的影響。其中之一就是把原產南亞、東南亞的許多物種引入臺灣試驗養殖或種植。當然荷蘭人的嘗試並非完全成功,也不一定為臺灣帶來正面的影響,但的確有非常多的物種就此被「馴化」,成為臺灣的物產。這集 Formosa Files 中文版 Podcast 就由兩位主持人來跟大家聊聊,日常生活中意想不到的,由荷蘭人引入臺灣的一些物種。
Oct. 31, 2024

S4-E29 - Two Odd and Forgotten Books

Need a break from typhoons (Taiwan)? Need to escape the non-stop election-related noise (USA)? Or maybe you simply would like to hear John and Eryk babble about a couple of strange out-of-print books with a Taiwan connection…
Oct. 30, 2024

FORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH29-臺灣人的英文老師?—專訪ICRT總經理Tim Berge

說到臺灣人早期學習英文的機會,ICRT大概是其中一個大家最熟悉的媒介。ICRT這個廣播電台的歷史從1957年的美軍電台開始,到1979年因為中美斷交而將設備象徵性的「賣」給中華民國政府,並在同年催生了「ICRT」,台北國際社區廣播電台(International Community Radio Taipei)至今,已經用ICRT這個名字在臺灣播送了45年。由於是臺灣歷史上唯一的英語廣播電台,又容易收聽,自然成為臺灣人學習英文與接觸外國文化的重要…
Oct. 24, 2024

S4-E28 - The Pirate Husband-and-Wife Duo Who Terrorized Taiwan (1800-1809)

She loved opium, handsome pirates, and spoke English... plus she allegedly (it's almost certainly not true) sometimes went into battle topless! He was a pirate warlord who, at one point, had hundreds of ships and tens of tho…
Oct. 22, 2024

FORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH28-重獲自由的反共義士—韓戰與一二三自由日

國府在1949年播遷來臺的當下,美國發表聲明不再介入國共內戰,中華民國幾乎真的可說是風中殘燭。然而1950年的韓戰隨即改變了這一切,也改變了許多在韓戰中被俘的中共「志願軍」軍人的命運。究竟中華民國與韓戰還有什麼關係,又為什麼會有「一二三自由日」呢?這集 Formosa Files 中文版 Podcast 就由兩位主持人來跟大家聊聊一二三自由日的故事。
Oct. 17, 2024

S4-E27 - 1946

Taiwan in 1946. How will post-war Formosa turn out? Will the KMT be successful in managing the local economy? Will there be strife between the new Chinese rulers and – until very recently – Japanized Taiwanese people?  Who k…