Five highlights you should not miss at the Hong Kong Book Fair
It’s not just about books – with seminars, exhibitions and numerous cultural events, there’s something for everyone
Hundreds of bookworms were already queuing outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre before the seven-day expo opened, hoping to snap up their favourite books and souvenirs.
If you are thinking about taking a look, here are five things you should not miss.
1. Books
Hong Kong-based journalist and writer Mark O’Neill will release his latest book, Ireland’s Imperial Mandarin: How Sir Robert Hart Became the Most Influential Foreigner in Qing China, at this year’s fair. The book details the life of Sir Robert Hart, who served a 48-year tenure as inspector general of the Chinese Maritime Customs Service during the Qing dynasty. It details how he gained the trust of the Qing government and connected China with other countries.
French film critic Arnaud Lanuque will bring his latest book, Police Vs Syndicats du Crime, to Hong Kong readers. The book investigates the classic Hong Kong film genre of cops and triads with interviews with more than 40 film industry players.
A travel-themed exhibition, “Around the World Through Words”, will be staged at the Art Gallery. It features works, photos and souvenirs gathered by numerous travel writers including the poet Ye Si, writer Xi Xi, explorer Rebecca Lee Lok-sze and former war correspondent Zhou Yijun.
The Art Gallery will also host an exhibition called “Beyond the Picture”, showcasing photographs and paintings that tell stories about different places in the world over the ages. A section is devoted to award-winning photographs from National Geographic magazine. The series will also showcase “old Hong Kong” through the paintings of famous local artist Lee Chi-ching as well as photographs and postcards.
3. Seminars
Liu Xiaoqing, a renowned mainland Chinese actress, will on Friday tell the story about how she started all over again after serving jail time for tax evasion and returned to the peak of her acting career.
Zhou Meisen, scriptwriter on the anti-corruption-themed TV series In the Name of the People, which took the mainland by storm earlier this year, will meet readers on Friday and share his insights on the popular show.
The French and local illustrators behind literary classic Le Petit Prince will share their thoughts in a session titled “Meeting the Little Prince: A Crossed Perspective between Hong Kong and French Artists/Creators” on Sunday. They will also do a live demonstration of their art.
This section features consulates and cultural promotion organisations from 29 countries and showcases local books and various cultural products. Colombia, Nepal, Pakistan, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates have joined the session for the first time this year. An experience zone for virtual reality products gives visitors a “virtual tour” of foreign countries.
Heavy discounts as low as half price are offered by publishers, although many are not newly published books.
