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Books and literature

Books and literature
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Books and literature. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Delphine Seyrig in a still from India Song (1975), a film by radical French auteur Marguerite Duras that is considered her magnum opus, standing as the ultimate triumph of her avant-garde phase.
European cinema

Who was Marguerite Duras? Decoding the French cinema radical’s dual identity

Born in French Indochina in 1914, Duras was a visionary who treated the silver screen as a canvas for her haunting psychological experiments.

Music

‘This is insane!’ Korean-American rapper Dumbfoundead on family, music and Beef

TV shows and streaming video

‘Sex is a language in this show’: Heated Rivalry’s Rachel Reid and Jacob Tierney

Hong Kong

Poison books: Hong Kong joins the search for Victorian-era arsenic-laced tomes

Victorian-era books may contain arsenic in their bindings. One Hong Kong University book conservator went on the hunt for such toxic volumes.

Melissa Tedone, assistant professor of library and archives conservation at the University of Delaware, in the United States, holds a copy of Marmion, a Victorian-era book with a vibrant green, arsenic-based binding. Photo: Getty Images
Chinese culture

As I see it | How ancient Chinese philosophers make sense of modern headaches

Scholar Daniel A. Bell has written an entertaining new book, exposing a new generation to ancient Chinese wisdom on the issues of our day.

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Architecture and design

How the Beckhams and Ellen DeGeneres are inspiring the cottagecore trend

Brands like LoveShackFancy and Summerill & Bishop are embracing the aesthetic, while even Meghan Markle has her own line of orchard-inspired products.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

What happened when Ann Hui adapted Eileen Chang’s classic stories?

Director Ann Hui has adapted three of Eileen Chang’s stories for the big screen. We look at two: Love in a Fallen City and Eighteen Springs.

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Chow Yun-fat (left) and Cora Miao in a still from Love in a Fallen City (1984), directed by Ann Hui.
Chinese culture

As I see it | How to win friends and influence people in ancient China

Although the ancient text Guiguzi may not be widely read, its contents remain a prescient guide for job interviews, marketing and even diplomacy.

Fame and celebrity

Meet RoseMarie Terenzio, close friend of JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette

As the obsession over FX’s Love Story continues, some are turning to Terenzio’s books – JFK Jr and Fairy Tale Interrupted – for a more accurate account of ‘America’s prince’ and his wife.

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Luxury brands

A new monograph celebrates the storied legacy of shoemaker Roger Vivier

The book takes you inside the world of the brand, and its launch coincided with the opening of Maison Vivier, a restored hotel particulier in Paris.

Rizzoli has published the monograph Roger Vivier: Heritage and Imagination. Photo: Handout
The Netherlands

Lost remains of French musketeer d’Artagnan may have been found in Dutch church

DNA testing is under way to verify ⁠the skeleton. D’Artagnan, fictionalised in Alexandre ⁠Dumas’ novel The ⁠Three Musketeers, died in 1673.

An excavation pit opened in the floor at the Peter and Paul Church in Maastricht, Netherlands, where archaeologists believe they may have uncovered the skeletal remains of musketeer d’Artagnan. Photo: Reuters
Fame and celebrity

Who was Lauren Bessette, Carolyn Bessette’s sister who died with her?

Ryan Murphy’s Love Story charts the whirlwind romance between Carolyn and JFK Jr – and new episodes feature Lauren Bessette, played by Sydney Lemmon.

Locals' Guide

Insider’s guide to Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Derelict houses reborn as hip cafes and a showcase for local fashion talent are some of the draws in Johor’s capital, actress Debbie Goh reveals.

Food and Drinks

The ‘soju artist’ teaching the world to drink soju with an English guide

‘Soju artist’ Kim Wan-jun has published the English translation of his book on the drink’s history, etiquettes and social rituals.

Kim Wan-jun is the author of How to Drink Soju: A Guide to K-Drinking Culture & Games, a 300-page book now translated into English. Photo: Instagram/funnyjun_
China society

As I see it | Rescuing a key Confucian text from centuries of ignominy

The release of an authoritative translation of Kongzi Jia Yu finally places a once-suspected forgery among the traditional canon.

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Children read The Analects at a primary school in Hefei, Anhui province, in February 2014. Photo: Xinhua
Art

They were both couriers. One wrote a bestselling book, the other made a film

I Deliver Parcels in Beijing author Hu Anyan and videographer Kong Yiu-wing talk about making art out of hard, blue-collar labour.

Fame and celebrity

Horrible stuff, some fun, then awful again: Christina Applegate’s life story

American actress Christina Applegate opens up about abuse, trauma and living with multiple sclerosis as she releases her memoir.

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Food and Drinks

Eat, read, discuss: welcome to the rise of literary dinners in Hong Kong

Food and books are being combined to turn a solitary pastime into a tasty one that fosters connection and discussion for Hongkongers.

Diane Wang (left) and Jess Cheung, founders of Gentle Books, attend a literary dinner event in Chai Wan, Hong Kong. The city is seeing a rise in book clubs and events pairing dining and reading. Photo: Dickson Lee
Fame and celebrity

Meet Sarah J. Maas, bestselling author of A Court of Thorns and Roses

BookTok may have criticised her for a lack of representation and problematic themes in her works, but the Jewish writer has sold 75 million copies of her books.

Fame and celebrity

Meet Larry David’s daughter Cazzie David, who just published a new book

The eldest daughter of the Curb Your Enthusiasm star famously dated Pete Davidson before he moved on to Ariana Grande.

Art

‘Beautiful and unexpected’: join Pulitzer Prize winner on a Hong Kong stroll

‘Trust’ author Hernan Diaz talks about his lauded 1920s New York-set novel and architectural power symbols on his first visit to Hong Kong.

Pulitzer prize winner Hernan Diaz, in Central. Hernan Diaz is in the city for Hong Kong International Literary Festival (HKILF). 03MAR26 SCMP / Jonathan Wong
Trending in China

China Qing era spawned female authors, poets, despite restrictions on women in arts

Like much of the world, China experienced a notable rise in women authorship during the 19th century, with three poets making a particularly profound impact.

The Qing era saw a rise in female authors, particularly poets, despite widespread restrictions on women in the arts. Photo: SCMP composite/Wikipedia/legacyprojectchicago.org
Tourism

Gripping samurai exhibition explores Japan’s warrior class, cuts through myths

From armour to art, ‘Samurai’ at the British Museum traces the Japanese elite class’ evolution and cultural impact, from anime to Star Wars.

Asian diaspora

How Asian-American couple’s Tubby Nugget went from silly doodle to viral fame

The husband-and-wife creators of Tubby Nugget reflect on their character’s incredible success as they release their first graphic novel.

Hong Kong

War zones, jingles and litter picking – the HKILF’s literary legend visits

Weird and wonderful real-life tales of authors who have appeared at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, from Margaret Atwood to Salman Rushdie.

The Hong Kong International Literary Festival features a host of panel discussions with renowned authors. Photo: Handout
Wellness

Parents of Hong Kong’s ‘Girl Behind the Face’ finally share their story

Mui Thomas’s story of living with a rare skin disease has moved many. Now, her adoptive parents share why they ignored advice to ‘walk away’.

Rog and Tina Thomas pose for a picture with their daughter, Mui, whom they adopted 30 years ago, in a Facebook post from 2015. Mui was born with Harlequin ichthyosis, a rare and often fatal genetic disorder. Rog and Tina now share their story in their new book, An Unexpected Adoption: The Girl Behind The Face.
India

Indian author Amitav Ghosh publishes first novel in 7 years. Why so long?

Ahead of his Hong Kong International Literary Festival appearance, Ghosh talks about his new book Ghost-Eye and re-reading earlier works.

Fame and celebrity

Meet Charlotte Mellington, who plays young Catherine in Wuthering Heights

The 14-year-old stars in Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of the Emily Brontë novel alongside Owen Cooper, Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.

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