You are invited to the launch of Kai-Yin Lo's autobiography at Fine Art Asia 2019 in Hong Kong. To launch Designing a Life: A Cross-Cultural Journey, Kai-Yin Lo will be in dialogue with Ms Suhanya Raffel, Executive Director of M+ Museum, and Dr Edmund Lee, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Design Centre. The talk will be moderated by Ms [...]
Here we present an excerpt from Hong Kong Noir, an anthology of noir stories set in Hong Kong and written by a dozen authors. Each story takes place in a different district of the city. This one, by Carmen Suen, is set in Wah Fu, a housing estate on the southwest coast of Hong Kong Island. Co-editor Susan Blumberg-Kason says: [...]
Any reviews of our books on Amazon are most welcome, but especially when they are as detailed as these ones. The Mercenary Mandarin (Amazon link here) tells the story of William Mesny, a Jersey boy who ran off to sea and arrived in Shanghai in 1860 when he was just 18. Amid the chaos of civil war in 19th-century China, [...]
We were pleased to see The Tiger Hunters of Tai O next to The World of Suzie Wong on the shelves at Bookazine in IFC, Hong Kong. Fact fans (or, er, fiction fans) might not know that Suzie's boyfriend, Robert Lomax, makes a cameo appearance in Tiger Hunters! "When the action in Tiger Hunters led to a late-night drinking episode [...]
For the "Dad and me love history" podcast, Paul Letters and son James invited Lindsay Varty to talk about the traditional tradespeople of Hong Kong. "Pirates, poo collectors and toymakers: did the Chinese have the best jobs in history?" is the question. Click here to listen to the answer!
Join us for a book talk & signing with Paul French for his latest book Destination Shanghai: a collection of 18 biographical vignettes of the famous and infamous who travelled to Shanghai during the city's golden age. Wednesday 10th April 2019 6.30pm–7.30pm Bookazine Prince's Building, Shop 326-328, Landmark Prince's, Central, Hong Kong Free event – RSVP or enquiries: enquiries@bookazine.com.hk / [...]
Paul French is a well known British author whose work focuses on China's 20th-century history. One of his most successful books, Midnight in Peking, has won several awards, including both the CWA Gold Dagger and the MWA Edgar Award. His latest book is Destination Shanghai. He'll be at Vibe Bookshop in Mui Wo, Lantau Island, on Sunday 7th April at [...]
Ahead of his appearance at the Shanghai International Literary Festival this month, Paul French shares a snippet of his new book, Destination Shanghai. He'll be presenting a session on March 23 at 4pm. How well do you know your old Shanghai sojourners? Over the decades so many foreigners – rich, poor; famous, infamous; European, American; dodgy, legit – came to Shanghai. It’s hard to [...]
I was in England for the new year, and I took the chance to visit Barbara Anslow, author of Tin Hats and Rice which was published five months ago. Barbara lives in a tiny village on the borders of Essex and Suffolk, with stocks on the green and a doll's-house shop next door to her timbered 17th-century house. Although she [...]
Malaysia-based journalist Terence Netto has reviewed the third volume of David T. K. Wong's family memoir. Sometimes the arrival of a book dovetails nicely with an issue that's sparking in the public arena. Such is Hong Kong Confidential: Life as a Subversive by David TK Wong, a Hong Kong-born author living out his sunset years in Kuala Lumpur. Wong served 21 [...]
We published 12 new books in 2018. Now, to celebrate the new year, we are giving away one copy of each! Go to Facebook to take part in the prize draw. It ends on January 24, and we will mail the books anywhere. Good luck, and happy new year!
Join author Lindsay Varty as she shares the stories of the people keeping Hong Kong’s traditional industries alive, accompanied with photographs by Gary Jones. Evening presentation, Tuesday January 22nd, 2019 Asia Society, 9 Justice Drive, Central, Hong Kong Drinks reception 6:30pm Presentation 7:00pm Close 8:00pm Sunset Survivors tells the stories of Hong Kong’s traditional tradesmen and women through stunning [...]
Please join us at Kidnapped Bookshop in Sai Kung for the launch of the second novel from Paul Letters: a Hong Kong wartime drama entitled The Slightest Chance! Hong Kong, 1941. Anglo-Australian civil servant Dominic Sotherly’s colonial sojourn in Hong Kong becomes complicated by his double life in both war and love. Enigmatic Englishwoman Gwen Harmison possesses secrets of her [...]
On Monday this week, Barbara Anslow gave a talk at the annual dinner of the Hong Kong Society in London. It was a fully booked event. In the photo above, she is signing copies of her book Tin Hats and Rice, which is the story of her time as a prisoner of war in Hong Kong from 1941 to 1945. [...]
Join us at Bleak House Books in Kowloon on Saturday, November 24, for the launch of Hong Kong Noir -- an anthology of crime/mystery fiction set in different neighbourhoods throughout the city! Contributors Susan Blumberg-Kason, Jason Y. Ng, Marshall Moore, Christina Liang, James Tam, Ysabelle Cheung and Shannon Young will be talking about how they chose the locations for their [...]
In this excerpted chapter from Hong Kong Confidential, author David T. K. Wong recounts his time as Hong Kong’s deputy postmaster general in 1980, and explains what scheme Special Branch were operating in the basement of the GPO. Chapter 16 The Q List When I was installed as the Deputy Postmaster General at the General Post Office at Connaught [...]
Sunset Survivors: Meet the people keeping Hong Kong’s traditional industries alive By Lindsay Varty, with photography by Gary Jones When: Thursday, September 20, 6-8pm Where: G.O.D., 48 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong Who: All welcome. Drinks will be served! Sunset Survivors tells the stories of Hong Kong’s traditional tradesmen and women through stunning imagery and candid interviews. Covering a myriad [...]
This photo from Barbara Anslow was taken in December 1941, just hours before Hong Kong surrendered to Japan in the second world war. But the roll of photos was only developed in 1945, when she was released from three years and eight months of captivity in Stanley camp. Barbara tells her story in Tin Hats and Rice: A Diary of [...]