Half Baked in Taiwan

by Beth Fowler

Half Baked in Taiwan is a humorous, insightful, no-holds-barred account of one true-blue Yankee's two-and-a-half years of living in Taiwan, a quintessentially Chinese island that gets battered in the international shuffle. Beth Fowler's anatomy of culture shock will make you grin, giggle and reconsider the cliché "It's a small world."

168 pages, Paperback

First published July 18, 2000

About the author

Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Fowler was a teacher with a fondness for Broadway theatre when she decided to audition for Gantry in 1970. She was signed for the chorus and as understudy for the lead, but the show unfortunately closed on opening night. She had better luck with her next outing, Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music. Additional Broadway credits include 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Peter Pan, Baby, Teddy & Alice, the 1989 revival of Sweeney Todd, in which she portrayed Mrs. Lovett, Beauty and the Beast, in which she originated the role of Mrs. Potts, Bells Are Ringing, and The Boy from Oz where she portrayed Peter Allen's mother Marion.

Fowler has been nominated for the Tony Award twice, as Best Featured Actress in a Musical for The Boy From Oz and as Best Actress in a Musical for Sweeney Todd as Mrs. Lovett, which garnered her a Drama Desk Award nomination as well.

Fowler's film credits include Sister Act, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, and Mulan, in which she sang "Honor to Us All." On television, she has appeared in Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Ed.

Since 2000, Fowler has been a resident of New Milford, New Jersey, having previously resided in Rutherford, Teaneck, Hawthorne and Glen Rock

Reviews

[Tenma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too negative and cynical. While trying to make a comic spin on her experiences, the author’s anecdotes come across as disparaging and critical of Taiwanese culture and norms. While a fine book if you are interested in travel memoirs, I would not recommend this book if you want to learn more about the living experience in Taiwan.