台灣是全球科技供應鏈的關鍵，也是美中角力的前線；擁有成熟的民主制度與高度自主的社會，卻長期在國際體系中處於模糊而特殊的位置。《幽影之國》（Ghost Nation）寫的，正是這個既真實存在、又經常在世界舞台上被「隱形」的台灣。
資深駐台美籍記者何貴森（Chris Horton）以多年第一線採訪與在台生活的經驗，從歷史、政治、外交與認同等面向，梳理台灣如何一步步走到今天。書中回望數百年來不同政權的統治與社會變遷，從威權體制、民主化進程，到台灣主體意識的形成，再將視野拉回當代，理解兩岸關係、美中競爭與國際局勢如何交織成今日台灣的處境。
「幽影之國」是作者理解台灣的一個重要隱喻，台灣的產品與科技遍布世界，護照通行許多國家，民主成就受到國際關注，「台灣」之名卻經常在外交、國際組織與跨國體系中被淡化甚至消失。這種存在與缺席並存的矛盾，貫穿全書，讓我們重新理解台灣在世界中的位置。
這次我們邀請到作者何貴森來到飛地，從《幽影之國》的採訪與寫作歷程出發，分享一名長期駐台的外國記者如何閱讀台灣的歷史與當下，以及他在無數採訪、人物與故事之中，看見了怎樣的台灣。
時間：9月5日（六）19 : 00 – 20 : 30
地點：飛地書店 (台北市萬華區中華路一段170-2號)
講者：何貴森 CHRIS HORTON（《幽影之國》作者、記者）
報名表單：https://forms.gle/
*講座將以英文進行*
Taiwan is a vital link in the global technology supply chain and stands on the front line of U.S.-China rivalry. It has a mature democracy and a highly autonomous society, yet its place in the international system remains uniquely ambiguous. Ghost Nation is a book about this Taiwan—a place that undeniably exists, yet is so often rendered “invisible” on the world stage.
Journalist Chris Horton draws on years of frontline reporting and life in Taiwan to trace how the country arrived at where it is today, exploring its history, politics, diplomacy, and evolving sense of identity. The book looks back at centuries of shifting rule and social transformation, from authoritarianism and democratization to the emergence of a distinct Taiwanese identity, before turning to the present to examine how cross-Strait relations, U.S.-China competition, and global politics have shaped Taiwan’s current predicament.
The idea of a “ghost nation” is central to Chris’s understanding of Taiwan. Taiwanese products and technologies are found around the world; its passport offers visa-free access to numerous countries; and its democratic achievements have earned international recognition. Yet the name “Taiwan” is routinely diminished or erased in diplomacy, international organizations, and multinational institutions. This tension between presence and absence runs throughout the book, offering a new way to understand Taiwan’s place in the world.
We are delighted to welcome Chris Horton to Nowhere Bookstore for a conversation about the reporting and writing behind Ghost Nation. Drawing on years of interviews, encounters, and firsthand experience, Chris will share his perspective as a foreign journalist who has made Taiwan his home—exploring its history, its present, and the stories that have shaped his understanding of the country.
Date : 5 Sept 2026 19:00-20:30
Venue：Nowhere Bookstore
(No.170-2,Section1, Zhonghua Rd, Wanhua District, Taipei City)