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Books and literature

Books and literature
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Lisa Lu (left) and Rosalind Chao in a still from The Joy Luck Club (1993). The film stands as only the second Hollywood film ever to tell a contemporary story with a majority Asian cast – the first, Flower Drum Song, had arrived 32 years prior.
American cinema

How The Joy Luck Club opened the door for majority-Asian casts in Hollywood

The Joy Luck Club (1993) is a complex tale of intergenerational trauma focusing on four Chinese mothers and their daughters in San Francisco.

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Fame and celebrity

Meet Laura Lynne Jackson, psychic medium to Hollywood celebrities

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

3 forgotten Hong Kong wuxia gems from director Chor Yuen

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Obituaries

In memoriam: 29 beloved celebrities we lost in 2025

We remember stars from the worlds of Hollywood, TV, music, fashion and more, from Jane Goodall to Giorgio Armani and Hulk Hogan.

Ozzy Osbourne, Diane Keaton, and Robert Redford are just three of the celebrities we lost this year. Photos: EPA, TNS, AFP
Taylor Swift

All about the Taylor Swift-approved book, The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

In an episode of her new Disney+ docuseries, Swift listened to this Barack Obama-recommended book by Liz Moore – now it’s coming to Netflix.

European travel

The quiet English landscapes that shaped Jane Austen’s world

An exploration of southern England in the footsteps of Jane Austen, born 250 years ago this month.

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Fame and celebrity

Meet Rachel Reid, author of the books behind Heated Rivalry

The Canadian author grew up obsessed with ice hockey and wrote the books in part to address the homophobia in the sport.

Rachel Reid at the premiere of Heated Rivalry at TIFF Lightbox in Toronto, Ontario. Photo: Getty Images
Hong Kong

Hidden histories of China revealed at rare book fair in Hong Kong

At Firsts Hong Kong, several rare book exhibits gave visitors the chance to peruse first-hand accounts of China’s complex past.

Science

Open Questions | Sci-fi writer Liu Cixin on why he’ll be happy if AI surpasses humans

Acclaimed author of the Three-Body trilogy also discusses his ‘dark forest’ theory, and the struggle to come up with original ideas.

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Obituaries

Renowned British photographer Martin Parr dies at 73

The celebrated photographer documented everything from beach life to global consumerism across a decades-spanning career.

Martin Parr during a photo session in Paris on October 31, 2025. Photo: AFP
Timepieces

6 lush coffee table books to gift the watch lover in your life

These tomes tell of timepieces owned by powerful women like Elizabeth Taylor and hip-hop stars such as Busta Rhymes, to iconic pilot watches from the Cartier Santos to the Omega Speedmaster.

The Watch Book Rolex – Next Generation is just one of a handful of eye-catching tomes you could consider gifting to a watch lover. Photo: Handout
Obituaries

Oscar-winning UK playwright Tom Stoppard dies aged 88

His work ranges from plays like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead to the film Shakespeare in Love, which scooped seven Academy Awards.

Fashion

Who is Jeffrey Banks and why did Ralph Lauren call him his ‘other son’?

Designer Jeffrey Banks recounts over 50 years in fashion in his memoir, including when Lauren gave him one of his own suits to wear to prom.

Fashion

8 viral tote bags: Emily Ratajkowski’s Daunt Books tote and more

Trader Joe’s micro bags have brought totes into the conversation again – here are a few that have taken off and are gaining cult status.

Emily Ratajkowski with a Daunt Books tote. Photo: Getty Images
Macau

Ghosts, gamblers and green velvet: the strange magic of Lawrence Osborne’s world

The novelist behind Colin Farrell’s new Macau-set film noir, The Ballad of a Small Player, reveals how his art imitates his life.

British novelist Lawrence Osborne, whose book The Ballad of a Small Player has been made into a Netflix film starring Colin Farrell, pictured in North Point, Hong Kong. Photo: Xiaomei Chen
LGBTQ

Hong Kong pop-up Queer Room gives ‘alternative individuals’ a place to connect

Until December 14, the inclusive Sheung Wan space welcomes guests with LGBTQ literature and group talks. Here are some of its coming events.

Wellness

How to live to 100? Tips from Blue Zone pioneer on how to boost longevity

Learn to cook, give white rice a chance – cookbook author Dan Buettner gives advice based on his research into the longest-living communities.

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TV shows and streaming video

A look inside The Handmaid’s Tale author Margaret Atwood’s new memoir

Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts reveals secrets behind some of Atwood’s most famous novels as well as moments of frustration and betrayal.

Margaret Atwood speaks during an interview in New York in November 2025. The author unveils her secrets, inspirations and resilience in her new memoir. Photo: AP
Food and Drinks

Your Hong Kong weekend drinks guide for November 20-22

Pack your weekend with special cocktail offerings, from socially conscious drinks at Socio to a Shakespeare-inspired menu at Madara.

Editor's Letter

This week in PostMag: zines find their moment and Tasmania beckons

In the latest issue, we explore the city’s booming zine scene, and talk to author Lawrence Osborne about his Macau novel-turned-Netflix noir.

Mainland China

China’s crackdown on same-sex love stories leaves women ‘less happy’

Despite the largest crackdown yet, danmei stories are still available in China – but they are far tamer and, some say, just not as good.

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Women near shelves of merchandise for danmei stories in a comic store in Beijing. China is cracking down on stories about men in love. Photo: AP
Bruce Lee

How Bruce Lee went from martial arts star to enduring Asian-American icon

Jeff Chang explores why, 50 years after his death, Bruce Lee remains ‘a hero to people all around the world’ in Water Mirror Echo.

A woman looks at a Bruce Lee poster in Hong Kong in 2024. Half a century after his death, Lee is still an icon from Asia to the United States. Jeff Chang considers why in his biography of the kung fu movie star. Photo: Zuma Press/TNS
United States

US disability rights activist and author Alice Wong dies at 51

The daughter of Hong Kong immigrants, Wong fought for a world where people with disabilities could have full autonomy over their lives.

Focus

Why Chinese grass-roots culture may be finally taking its place in the limelight

From web literature to video games, Chinese culture is winning fans abroad, where state-sponsored soft power initiatives have fallen flat.

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Celebrity style

The Look: what Michelle Obama said about her most iconic fashion picks

Michelle Obama – who shares daughters Sasha and Malia with Barack Obama – is known for her bold fashion choices, from Jason Wu to Versace.

Former US president Barack Obama’s wife Michelle Obama just released a new book, The Look, chronicling her fashion throughout the years. Photo: AP
Wellness

Learning to listen properly is a ‘quiet act of repair in a noisy world’

In her book Kiku: The Japanese Art of Good Listening, Haru Yamada issues a call to action – to be quiet and exercise active listening.

Listening interrupts the instinct to persuade and opens a space for empathy, repair and trust to grow. Sociolinguist Haru Yamada describes the importance of listening in her book, Kiku: The Japanese Art of Good Listening. Photo: Shutterstock
Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | Kokuho: kabuki epic with Ryo Yoshizawa is the best Japanese film of the year

Kokuho is a lavish, bewitching story of two Japanese kabuki theatre actors, raised in the same family and competing to become the best.

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Britain

British-Hungarian writer David Szalay wins Booker Prize for ‘Flesh’

Szalay’s exploration of troubled masculinity beat favourites Kiran Desai and Andrew Miller to claim the prestigious US$65,500 literary award.

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