Anyone even slightly familiar with Taiwan history has likely heard of Kano Tadao, the Japanese naturalist who made early, groundbreaking advances in the fields of biogeography and anthropology on the island. He arrived in Taiwan first as a student and then as a naturalist fresh into his career. An average student in the classroom, Kano found his calling outdoors – amidst Taiwan’s forests and mountains. In A Blazing Star, naturalist author Liu Ka-Shiang fleshes out young Kano Tadao’s early years in Taiwan as a student and young naturalist. He digs deep into the historical record as well as retraces Kano’s footsteps across mountain wilds to tell a compelling story that, while epic, is tethered to the actual achievements of a dedicated, pioneering scientist.