These entertaining interviews richly depict the character of the Taiwanese people, including the majority, Han Chinese, and minority Bunun tribe. They provide readers with insights into culture and ways of thinking that are at once more vivid and authentic than culture sections of guidebooks.While inspired by the work of the late and great Studs Terkel, thepresentation in Taiwanese at Work takes a different approach. The question and answer format is preserved, giving readers a fuller picture of the ebb and flow of the conversation. The interviews show the varied ways people on the small island of Taiwan make a living, and reveal their thinking and aspirations. From the opening interview, when a local politician declares his goal to create an independent Taiwanese country, the conversations arefull of surprises. Readers will see the wealth that some citizens of one of Asia's "little dragons" have achieved, as well as some of their struggles to earn enough to live well. Through these interviews we also see the toll modernization is taking on the environment. Readers of Taiwanese at Work will enjoy learning about contemporary Taiwanese people and their dreams.