Why Taiwan Matters

A Short History of a Small Island That Will Dictate Our Future

By: Kerry Brown

Narrated by: Kerry Brown

This program is read by the author.

Taiwan expert Kerry Brown sums up the history of Taiwan and the danger of a Chinese takeover in this succinct and authoritative book.

When the bloody Chinese Civil War concluded in 1949, two Chinas were born. Mao’s Communists won and took China’s mainland; Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists fled to Taiwan island. Since then, China and Taiwan have drifted into being separate political and cultural entities.

Taiwan is now a flourishing democracy and an economic success story: just one of its companies produces over 90 per cent of the semiconductors that power the world’s economy. It is a free and vibrant society. For the United States and the West, the island is a bastion of freedom against China’s assertive presence in the region. And yet China, increasingly bellicose under Xi Jinping, insists Taiwan is part of its territory and must be returned to it. Should China blockade the island and mount an invasion, it would set off a chain reaction that would pitch it against the US—escalating a regional war into a global one. Taiwan is thus a geopolitical powder keg.

Why Taiwan Matters helps us understand how and why we’ve arrived at this dangerous moment in history. With unparalleled access to Taiwan’s political leaders and a deep understanding of the island’s history and culture, Professor Kerry Brown provides a new reading of Taiwan, its twenty-three million people, and how they navigate being caught in this frightening geopolitical standoff. Why Taiwan Matters is the essential audiobook for understanding Taiwan’s unique story told in an accessible, expert and urgent way.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

©2025 Kerry Brown (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"A cogent and unsettling exploration of one of the key geopolitical issues of our time."–Publisher's Weekly

“A thorough and unbiased overview. An excellent introduction for those newly curious about Taiwan and a handy refresher or useful reference for more seasoned readers.”–William Hurst, Chong Hua Professor of Chinese Development in the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge

“Why Taiwan Matters is an excellent account of a complex issue that is commonly misunderstood. The style is accessible, and the combination of political and historical context with on-the-spot observations is superb. Completely up-to-date, it presents information from the Taiwan side of the China–Taiwan conflict that is not readily available. This is the best introduction for anyone trying to understand this conflict.”–Michael Dillon, author of We Need To Talk About Xi

How little we actually understand about Taiwan

This book provides a comprehensive understanding of the precarious situation Taiwan, the United States, and China are currently facing. A negative outcome in Taiwan could potentially lead to a global war (possibly nuclear) and the collapse of the world economic system, not seen since the end of World War I. The author refrains from offering simplistic solutions to this intricate problem and elucidates why the current policy of the United States is likely the most prudent course of action.

Redundant

Why Taiwan Matters does not offer any new revelation(s) into the Taiwan/China issue. I appreciate the authors rundown on Taiwan’s semiconductor production, but he didn’t illuminate any of the military differences between the main actors. The author also did not give any insight into any political/economic/military treaties or partnerships that have shaped the INDOPACOM arena over the last couple decades. I heard this book recommended in one of my usual podcasts but I feel this credit was better spent elsewhere.

If you know very little about this subject, this book will catch you up, to a degree, on the matter (from Taiwan’s aspect). I would recommend On China, by Kissinger, or The Hundred Year Marathon by Pilsbury to better understand China’s history and approach to reunification.