Reading For Fun or Not discussion

Hello,
Seems no activity on this group, so as I have just found it, thought I might post a discussion topic. Since we are a HK group, what are your favourite (and least favourite) books that are set in HK or at least feature HK. My least favourite would be the Piano Teacher, just felt that was poorly written, clumsy, and lacked realistic characters. One of my favourites would be Martin Booth's Hiroshima Joe. Set in similar time to Piano Teacher, it was just so much more vivid for me and a better style of writing.

Xox wrote: "Does Prisoner of the State count? As it is written by a Mainland Chinese but is banned in China. It should be considered a Hong Kong book. "

Why not? Going to be read here more than in China, unfortunately. Is it any good?

Wow, people! Great!!!!

I had forgotten that I had even initiated this group.

I am currently on a Hong Kong Book jag. I just finished Chris Patten's "East and West" and am almost finished with Paul Theroux's pre-handover novel: "Kowloon Tong".

Two other books, I'd like to mention are "Gweilo", Martin Booth's memoir and "Fragrant Harbour" a novel by John Lanchester.

Duncan: "Hiroshima Joe" is on my TBR list.

By the way any of us in Hong Kong can share books through Bookmooch. There are a few HK people as members.

Has anyone seen Zhiang's(sic) memoirs. They are on sale here in HK.

Maybe, we could even get together once a month and discuss what we are reading.

Any thoughts on that anyone?

Excuse me. I just found out Xox is reading Ziyang's memoirs. Let us know what you think.

Ed wrote: "Wow, people! Great!!!!

I had forgotten that I had even initiated this group.

I am currently on a Hong Kong Book jag. I just finished Chris Patten's "East and West" and am almost finished with P..."

Hi Ed,
If you have recently read Gweilo, I'd leave Hiroshima joe for a while. A lot of cross over between the two. i guess one is a memoir and the other a fictionalised account of his childhood. Both good though!

Hi, everyone. I joined Goodreads recently and I just stumbled upon this group. I have read very few books which are based in Hong Kong. I did buy "Fragrant Harbour" a while ago but I haven't started it. I saw Piano Teacher having quite a lot of publicity and occupying prime shelf space but I have resisted buying a copy due to too many books at home still unread. On story with June 4th Tiananmen as settings, Ma Jian's Beijing Coma was nominated, but did not win, the Britain Independent Foreign Novel award this year. I haven't made up my mind whether to read the Chinese original or the English translation though.

Welcome Selina,

Fragrant Harbor may disappoint you. It's not the greatest book I've ever read.

Try "Gweilo" by Martin Booth about his childhood in HK.

Ed

Hi AS you're a group interested in literature about Hong Kong, I thought I would post that I have published a novel part-set in HK http://www.amazon.com/Consumption-A-N...

It's received great reviews, including one from Cha: An Ansian Literary Journal which is based in HK

http://www.asiancha.com/content/view/...

I would love to hear what other people think of my work, especially from people who live in HK

Thanks for your help

greg

I just read Christopher Rice's Moonlit Earth and it's partially set in Hong Kong.

I read Xinran's stuff. Pretty amazing. And heartbreaking.
Try "In the Shadow of the Noonday Gun". It's a collection of short stories about high society, crime and the back rooms of big business during Hong Kong’s final days as a British colony on the doorstep of Communist China, and through the transition of its return to the Motherland. I had a quick look through it and am going to read this soon.

That does sound really interesting - I'll look it up now - thanks

greg

I think it's relatively self published - but you can get it at Dymocks as it was their number one best seller for a while just a month or so ago.

I think it's on kindle - I got the sample - it's the same time period as the novel of mine - Consumption - so it will be interesting to read

Just reading "Unsavoury Elements" just published in HK by 26 foreigner writers about their experiences in China - it's quite good - the writing styles vary a lot. I have written a book about the Philippines (crime/thriller), and am now working on a book which includes Hong Kong and China. You'll find me in Starbucks, Fortress Hill most of the time!