Scott Crawford and John Ross continue their ten-part read-along of Dr. Chen Yao-chang’s A Tale of Three Tribes in Dutch Formosa. Part Six of the novel, “At War,” brings us to 1661 and the invasion of Dutch Formosa. Koxinga’s fleet appears out of the fog and brings his forces ashore by an unexpected route. Fort Provintia falls, Dutch civilians flee through the countryside, and Fort Zeelandia becomes the last major VOC stronghold. The episode also brings us to one of the siege’s most famous scenes, as Reverend Antonius Hambroeck is sent into Fort Zeelandia with Koxinga’s demand for surrender – will he urge the Dutch defenders to yield or to keep fighting?This ten-part series is an experiment – hopefully the first of many such projects. But we need your feedback. Is this read-along useful and enjoyable? What other books about East Asia (fiction or non-fiction) would you like to see given this long-form treatment? We’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.To buy the book:A Tale of Three Tribes in Dutch Formosa – e-bookhttps://www.plumrainpress.com/product-page/a-tale-of-three-tribes-in-dutch-formosa-e-bookA Tale of Three Tribes in Dutch Formosa – paperback / collector’s editionhttps://www.plumrainpress.com/product-page/a-tale-of-three-tribes-in-dutch-formosa

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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