Hong Kong Lit Club

"Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin has everything. Except a pulse." That's the hook of Julie Chan is Dead — and this book is absolutely unhinged . I devoured this darkly hilarious satire about a young woman who steps into her deceased twin sister's influencer life. Think of Yellowface meets Bunny - an immersive, fast-pace thriller with a dash of horror exploring the ins and outs of influencer cultu...

In this episode, Julia and Emma Pei Yin continue their conversation about Emma's debut historical novel, When Sleeping Women Wake . Emma reflects on how readers in Hong Kong have connected with the book's themes in a way that feels different from her Australian audience, and how writing the novel lead her to rediscover a side of the city she'd missed growing up. She also opens up about her editori...

When Sleeping Women Wake by Emma Pei Yin follows Mingzhu, Qiang, and Biyu in Japanese-occupied Hong Kong, 1941. Not generals, not politicians, but women fighting to reunite while the world collapses around them. This novels shows the quiet heroism of everyday people. This books tells the stories that History books do not. This book matters. Emma launched this novel at Bookazine Social in November...

Join Julia for a captivating interview with Siobhan McDermott , author of the enchanting middle-grade fantasy series, Paper Dragons . We dive deep into the wellspring of her creativity: the rich tapestry of her dual Irish-Chinese heritage. Siobhan shares how the myths and legends told by her parents not only shaped her childhood, but also built the very foundations of her magical worlds. In this e...

A follow-up to Episode #7 , this is our most personal episode yet. It’s not an interview; it’s a kitchen recording. Inspired by her previous conversation with James Beard-nominated author Christine Wong, our host, Julia — a Frenchwoman living in Hong Kong — decides to put the celebrated cookbook The Vibrant Hong Kong Table to the ultimate test. Armed with two of Christine’s iconic veganised recipe...

Guest: Christine Wong – James Beard Award-nominated author, plant-based cook, food photographer, and sustainability advocate. In this episode, we chat with Christine Wong in a bustling Hong Kong cha chaan teng about her culinary journey, the art of veganizing iconic comfort foods, and how our food choices connect to culture, family, and the planet’s health. Key Topics & Discussion Points: The...

Award-winning author Ritu Hemnani joins us for a powerful conversation on writing as a tool for empathy and social change. We begin with her poem, "Mind the Gap," which hijacks the London Underground's warning to frame the xenophobia faced by Asian communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ritu reveals how this mundane phrase becomes a metaphor for prejudice, bystander silence, and the fear of bei...

In this heartfelt episode, we explore Jennifer Wong’s short story "Burden" , a poignant tale of family tension, cultural identity, and the silent struggles of aging in Hong Kong. Through the eyes of a child narrator, the story unveils the fractured relationship between a grandfather deemed a "fu lui" (burden) and his family, set against the cramped flats of Mei Foo and fleeting trips to Shenzhen....

In this episode, we explore A Personal History of Hong Kong as 39 Everyday Objects , a visually striking poem by Dr. Antony Huen that transforms mundane items—from bamboo scaffolding to Octopus cards—into a curated museum of collective memory. Blending personal nostalgia with cultural commentary, the poem invites readers to reconsider Hong Kong’s identity through the lens of the ordinary. Dr. Huen...

In this deeply personal episode, we explore Overseas Bride , a short story by Wong Yi that captures the emotional toll of migration, language loss, and the fragile ties between love and belonging. Set against the backdrop of Hong Kong’s shifting identity, the story asks: What does it mean to leave home when home is a language? Wong Yi reads an excerpt in Cantonese (followed by the whole story Engl...

Would you break the law for a taste of home? In this episode, we explore dystopian food culture, sibling bonds, and the power of culinary memory through Rinkoo Ramchandani’ s Pushcart Prize-nominated short story A Fistful of Feet . Set in a near-future New York where meat is illegal, the tale follows rule-following accountant Jane Chan as she risks prison to dine at an underground "eateasy" – and...

Malaysian author Maureen Tai reads her prose poem Life We Can No Longer See , a text both poignant and lighthearted about a teenager grappling with the ageing of his beloved grandfather. The poem was inspired by the many evocative sounds of Hong Kong. In the discussion that ensues, In the conversation that ensues, Maureen and Julia delve into the complexities of caring for elderly loved ones, cult...