Welcome!
The world is looking at the Asia-Pacific region with new interest. Blacksmith Books publishes non-fiction about Hong Kong, China and the wider region – mostly in the fields of biography, business, culture, current affairs, food, history, photography and travel. And through bookshops in Asia, the US, Canada, Australia and the UK, we present the works of our local and expat authors to a worldwide readership.
From this website, we deliver books all over the world. Delivery within Hong Kong, Macao and other parts of China is free of charge.
Please use the links to explore. And thanks for reading.
Recent publications
What people are saying about our books
“Through Carter’s journey of self-discovery, we end up discovering a little more about ourselves — and a land so vast, so disparate, that 638 pages of photos barely manage to scratch the surface.”
“Tom Carter is an extraordinary photographer whose powerful work captures the heart and soul of the Chinese people.”
“The recipes are clear, with many dishes illustrated with mouth-watering pictures and, best of all, they work. This is a valuable contribution to the Chinese culinary scene.”
“It’s that sense of commonality that makes Street Life Hong Kong by its end a celebration of our city and the spirit of the people who inhabit it.”
“Hui’s story gives us glimpses of a Hong Kong – the opium dens, the pool halls, the nightclubs, the casinos and the girls, girls, girls – not adequately reflected in official histories of the city.”
“Year of Fire Dragons is not only a riveting coming of age story, but also a testament to the distance people will travel for love.”
“Jason Y. Ng is back with a new book of insights after casting his perceptive gaze over the good, bad and ugly side of city life.”
“Hong Kong for Kids is an invaluable resource for helping us design fun, wonderful learning activities for our students all over Hong Kong.”
Recent blog posts and news
Blast from the past, and repeating history: the first books we published
I was making space in the storeroom this week for new books coming in, and I pulled a box down from the top rack of shelving. What a surprise. It contained a few copies of the first two books we ever published, back in 2002 and 2003. My first thought was that I hadn't seen [...]
Signed books from Hong Kong writer David T. K. Wong
Hong Kong novelist and memoirist David T. K. Wong is happily retired in Malaysia, and at the age of 92 he does not plan a return trip to the Fragrant Harbour any time soon. However he has shipped us a box of 25 signed copies of his novel, The Evergreen Tea House, and they are [...]
Technology upgrade at Blacksmith Books
The Blacksmith Books delivery trolley is a valued member of the team. Bought from a hardware shop in Sai Ying Pun for HK$180 more than two decades ago, it has given daily service ever since, carrying boxes full of books along the street to the post office and never complaining. Last week, though, the trolley [...]
FCC lunch and book conversation: ‘The Rise and Fall of the Hang Seng Index’ by Jake van der Kamp
LUNCH TALK Book Conversation: ‘The Rise and Fall of the Hang Seng Index’ SPEAKER Jake van der Kamp Author Thursday, November 19, 2020 12:30pm for 12:45pm – Lunch 1:10pm – Address First Floor, FCC 2 Lower Albert Road Central, Hong Kong Every adult human being is an investment expert: You [...]
Four Shanghai podcasts from Paul French on RTHK3 this week
To celebrate this year’s Hong Kong International Literary Festival, the Morning Brew show with Phil Whelan on RTHK Radio 3 will be broadcasting four more excerpts from Paul French’s book Destination Shanghai, read by the author... Monday 9/11 - 11.40am - Florence Broadhurst Teaches Shanghai to Dance (1926) Tuesday 10/11 - 11.40am - Langston Hughes’s [...]