Turn Left, Turn Right

Turn Left, Turn Right is a Taiwanese picture book by writer Jimmy Liao.

Introduction

The lead female character is living in an old apartment building on the edge of the city. Every time she goes out, no matter where she goes, she always goes left first. The lead male character is living in an old apartment building on outskirts of the city. Every time he goes out, no matter where he goes, he always goes right first. He never meets her. But the city is like a maze, it lets people see the same scene, go the same route.

History 

She was used to turning left and he was used to turning right, but they never had a meeting with each other in the pictured fiction story, “Turn Left, Turn Right.” It was the first long fiction story written by Jimmy Liao, talking about the feelings between a man and a woman. The fiction story gives a detailed account of a very interesting relation in living between the leading man and the leading woman in chapter one. There are many bright ideas in this pictured fiction story including the lines and color, with much attention to detail, and good order changes. This book is not only one of his best fiction stories but also one of the greatest works of art. Jimmy Liao said that this fiction story’s idea began when one day he was too troubled to draw by the loud noises of workers from next door. He could not help but think specially pleasing thoughts on that day. All of a sudden, he got money from someone he never knew who was living nearby. He started imagining what would come about to this leading man and woman character if they never knew they were neighbors, but slept right next to each other only separated by only one thin wall.

Honors

• In 1999, Eslite bookstore year of Recommended books.
• In 1999, Jinshitana (book store name) year of Most influential books. 

Movie version

This book became a movie in 2003. Warner Brothers Studios produced it. Gigi Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro starred in it. The scenes are mainly in Taipei. For example: Beitou Hot Springs, Ximen-cho hiking area, Taipei MRT Station Warner Village、Taiwan Railway Sungai Station, Minsheng shequ fu jin street, and Taipei City Yangming Hospital.

TV version

• Became a TV series by the same name in 2004.