Through the written word, authors and publishers on Asia's Most Influential list present a wider range of perspectives
Whether as writers, publishers or bookstore owners, the champions of literature on the Asia’s Most Influential list advance the tradition of the written word. Their work explores the complex questions of culture and identity or confronts pressing realities through fanciful allegories—allowing readers to experience wider perspectives even as they are carried along by the narratives. And then there are also the people who are responsible for bringing books to the reading public, the publishers and bookstore owners who essentially make sure that these stories can be enjoyed by anyone. They underline the importance of literature as a source of knowledge, a catalyst for imagination, a vehicle for entertainment, and a way to develop critical thinking. As they foster a love for reading, they enrich the lives of those who are hungry for new ideas and take time to turn the page.
Also read: Environmental heroes fighting for the conservation of endangered animals and plants
Ming-Yi Wu, Taiwan
Ming-Yi Wu’s The Stolen Bicycle was longlisted for the 2018 Man Booker International Prize—the first novel from Taiwan to be included in the prestigious literary award. In the book, the search for a lost bicycle drives the narrative, leading to detours involving the oldest elephant that ever lived, butterfly collages and World War II soldiers. Before The Stolen Bicycle, the celebrated author explored the idea of interweaving manifold plots in The Man with the Compound Eyes. The book, which has been described as “a masterpiece of environmental literature” in the Asymptote Journal and was the first of Wu's work to be translated into English, features even more fantastical elements, including a trash vortex that crashes on the coast of Taiwan, to reflect the reality of environmental disasters.
In fact, Wu is known for writing environmentally focused works, which also include essays along with his short fiction and novels. Considered one of the most important Taiwanese writers of his generation, his work has been translated into a number of languages, including English, French, Turkish, Japanese, Korean, Czech and Indonesian. Interestingly, in Chinese he is known for The Book of Lost Butterflies and The Tao of Butterflies, non-fiction works which he also designed and translated. The latter won Wu the China Times’ Open Book Award.
Ming-Yi Wu is also a professor at the Department of Sinophone Literatures at the National Dong Hwa University in Taiwan.
