Renowned Taiwanese architect Peter Lee explores forty of Taiwan’s noteworthy buildings via his favorite approach to travel: straying from the path. Visiting each of Taiwan’s major cities, Lee guides readers to a deeper appreciation of the local culture and architectural landscape.

During the pandemic, the international tourist industry ground to a halt and remaining inside one’s borders became the norm. Fortunately, sensible health policies helped Taiwan to largely avoid lockdowns, and residents continued to enjoy freedom of movement within their own cities. It was under these conditions that Becoming a Traveller in Your Own City was born. In distinction to other travel writers, city sleuth Peter Lee focuses on Taiwan’s architectural edifices, and employs a Japanese approach to travel known as meisō, which translates as “straying from the path”.

The book arranges its sights into seven thematic chapters: “Setting Out”, “Forgotten”, “Healing”, “Oddities”, “Pilgrimage”, “Rebirth”, and “Utopia”. In “Setting Out” the author lays out his motivations for writing the book. Next, he explores “Forgotten” buildings, such as an unusual avant-garde Catholic church in Tainan. In the following chapters, he undertakes a “Healing” journey, which includes a train ride on the seaside Fangliao-Taitung line, and introduces readers to some local “Oddities”, such as a curated tour of some of Taiwan’s most bewildering statuary, representing everything from monsters, to dinosaurs, to Daoist gods, Buddhas, and even giant insects. Next up, he visits “Pilgrimage” sites, including a church used as a set in a popular music video, and sites undergoing “Rebirth”, such as the colorfully refurbished waterfront of Keelung harbor. Finally, the author seeks refuge in the “Utopia” of buildings and architectural designs far removed from the rush and clamor of daily life.

Packed with observations that draw on the author’s wide-ranging knowledge of film, architecture, and cultural peculiarities, Becoming a Traveller in Your Own City takes readers on a tour of buildings and sites that inspire the imagination, or grant a fresh perspective, encouraging readers to explore their familiar environments with new eyes.