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Books and literature
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British photographer Martin Parr, 73, has died at his home in England, his foundation said on Sunday. Photo: AFP
Obituaries

Renowned British documentary photographer Martin Parr dies at 73

During his decades-spanning career, Parr photographed images everywhere from Hong Kong, North Korea and Albania to Japan and Russia.

Timepieces

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

Obituaries

Oscar-winning UK playwright Tom Stoppard dies aged 88

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.

Jeffrey Banks is photographed at the CFDA Fashion Awards in New York in 2022. Banks, a fashion icon, shares his journey in a new memoir, Storyteller: Tales from a Fashion Insider. Photo: AP
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.

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.

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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.

(From left) Queer Room co-founders Lisa Lam, Li Mei-ting and Patricia Lam stand together at the Hong Kong pop-up in Sheung Wan that embraces the LGBTQ community and those living “lifestyles that differ from social norms”. Photo: Jonathan Wong
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.

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.

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.

The Muskros at Madara in Hong Kong, from a new menu inspired by Shakespeare works. Photo: Handout
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.

Zine publisher Cehryl, aka Cheryl Chow, features on the cover of this week’s PostMag print edition. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
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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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.

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.

Alice Wong (right) speaks with Yomi Young during the activist’s 50th birthday party in San Francisco in March. Photo: Sandy Ho via AP
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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Illustration: Brian Wang
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.

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.

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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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Ryo Yoshizawa in a still from Kokuho. Photo: Shuichi Yoshida/ASP
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.

American cinema

Stephen King and Edgar Wright on The Running Man and its 2025 vision

The author of the original story and the director of the latest movie talk to the Post about Arnold Schwarzenegger, reality shows and media.

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Fame and celebrity

Who is Michelle Obama’s long-time personal stylist, Meredith Koop?

Barack Obama’s wife has been rocking Chanel, Loewe and Simone Rocha fits during the press tour for the release of her latest book, The Look.

Stylist Meredith Koop has been working with Michelle Obama for over a decade. Photo: @meredithkoop/Instagram
Open Questions series

Open Questions | Sci-fi author Ken Liu on why dawn of AI is like camera’s advent

Chinese-American science fiction author on why we should experiment with artificial intelligence, not worry about it.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
South Korea

Tokyo bookshop where Korean translations spark ‘conversation across borders’

Since 2015, publisher Kim Seung-bok has used her shop Chekccori to connect Japanese readers with top Korean authors ‘in the right way’.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Another World: macabre human fable is a new milestone for Hong Kong animation

A haunting, philosophical triumph, Another World is a morally complex film and one of the best out of Hong Kong this year.

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Britain

‘Marvellous idea’: Children’s Booker Prize for kids’ fiction announced

Launching in 2026, the Children’s Booker Prize will see a winner chosen by a combined panel of child and adult judges and awarded US$66,600.

The Children’s Booker Prize will see an author selected annually from 2027 to celebrate the “best contemporary fiction” for children aged eight to 12 years old. Photo: Shutterstock
What to do in Hong Kong

International Booker Prize winner a highlight of Hong Kong’s India by the Bay

With the theme ‘Celebrating the Best of India’, this year’s event showcases India’s diverse culture and includes leading cultural figures.

Indian writer Banu Mushtaq, winner of the International Booker Prize 2025, will give a talk at Hong Kong’s India by the Bay event that examines the intersections of literature, language and resistance. Photo: IBB
Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | Black Showman: Masaharu Fukuyama leads boring murder mystery adaptation

Fukuyama fails to conjure excitement as a magician-turned-sleuth alongside Kasumi Arimura in this screen version of Keigo Higashino’s novel.

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Good Schools Guide

How our gifted young readers can learn to love books

Students excel in reading but lack enthusiasm – so educators are encouraging more joy in reading through parental involvement and efforts to foster a love for the written word.

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