Reviews

In order to prepare for my long-planned trip to Taiwan I tried to find relevant materials regarding Taiwan history both in written and audio forms. Luckily came cross this podcast in time! It provided tremendous tips and accents into my three-week-itinerary. Thanks to this podcast I was able to approach aboriginals, find the connection between today and the past, understand why Taiwan is Taiwan.

The Formosa Files podcast is a highly accessible yet in-depth look at key events over the past 400 years, presented by John Ross and Eryk Michael Smith. The division of air-time is roughly equal. Oftentimes, it’s Smith asking questions and Ross giving answers. Neither lapses into lecture mode, but nor is there much idle banter. A great deal of information gets conveyed in the 25-plus minutes of each episode.

In an interview on June 1, Smith, who is also the ICRT Southern correspondent, talked about the inspiration for the show and its very first episode about a fake Formosan. He also shared excerpts of tales about Mao Zedong's (毛澤東) famous Taiwanese spymaster, the "murder of the century," the last Japanese soldier to hold out from WWII, and Richard Nixon's fruitless groveling to Mao. According to Smith, the book "Taiwan in 100 Books" was the impetus for the show, which is advertisement-free thanks to sponsorship by a foundation started by a former mayor of Kaohsiung. The show's first episode covered the story of a European man who was able to fool the courts of London for a time into believing he was a native of Formosa.

I had been enjoying the weekly treat to interesting, sometimes delightful stories from Taiwan’s past. If I wanted to listen to American war propaganda, I would have tuned into one of those from US because there are plenty. I hope the Taiwanese people will choose a strong and clear thinking leader come next Jan. I am certain that they want peace and maintain the status quo and abide time…not to be used as a pawn by the war-mongers…2023jun15.

A great source of Taiwan history for English speakers. The hosts have a great rapport and keep the storytelling interesting. Great job with the research and broader historical context , too, that are integral to any history-based podcast.

Looking for a better understanding of Taiwan as an English speaker who sees it in the news but is otherwise ignorant… this podcast is for you! Looking to understand history not just as a narrative but with many human interests through the lens of this unique place that’s far more than just a island nation… then this podcast is for you! Looking to just be purely entertained with ecliptic topics both serious and not but always with hosts that will make you smile… then this podcast is for you!

Please keep up the great work

This podcast is highly entertaining and probably most accurate about Taiwan's history before the year 2000. If you are interested in Taiwan or living in Taiwan, it is a weekly must to listen.