Your columnist Kevin Kwong (South China Morning Post, June 28) refers somewhat late in the day to my letter (Sunday Morning Post, April 6), taking issue with his review of Paul Theroux's novel Kowloon Tong (Sunday Morning Post, March 23).
Had Mr Kwong reviewed the book in terms of the quality of its prose or the soundness of its plot I would leave him to his opinion, but instead he simply denies the existence of a Hong Kong that never gets into the coffee table books or Hong Kong Tourist Association leaflets.
It is because so few good writers ever pay any attention to Hong Kong that Mr Theroux's well-written, ironic novel should be saved from Mr Kwong's hands. Not that it needs much saving. Despite Mr Kwong's review the book rode high on the Post's own bestseller list, reaching number two.
Mr Kwong, once again, is offended by Mr Theroux's depiction of Hong Kong's underbelly. Prostitutes, triads, the use of derogatory terms like 'gweilo' and 'Chinky-chonk' - this is 'reinforcing stereotypes'.
Yet, Hong Kong's adult entertainment runs the full gamut, from Mongkok street walkers to the barn-size hostess clubs of Tsim Sha Tsui. Triads feature regularly in Post articles, derogatory terms are periodically discussed in the Letters to the Editor page and so I still do not understand his objections.
Far from 'reinforcing stereotypes', Paul Theroux's novel all too clearly depicts aspects of Hong Kong many people would wish resolved. In the meantime, let's not pretend they're not there and let's praise a well-written, good read.
