Welcome!

The world is looking at the Asia-Pacific region with new interest. Based in Hong Kong, Blacksmith Books focuses on locally relevant non-fiction – biography, business, culture, current affairs, food, photography and travel – and through distributors in Asia, North America, Australia and the UK, we present the works of our local and expat authors to a worldwide readership.

From this website, we deliver books all over the world. Delivery within Hong Kong and other parts of China is free of charge.

Please use the links to explore. And thanks for reading.

What people are saying about our books

“Through Carter’s journey of self-discovery, we end up discovering a little more about ourselves — and a land so vast, so disparate, that 638 pages of photos barely manage to scratch the surface.”
Simon Ostheimer, Time Out
“Tom Carter is an extraordinary photographer whose powerful work captures the heart and soul of the Chinese people.”
“The recipes are clear, with many dishes illustrated with mouth-watering pictures and, best of all, they work. This is a valuable contribution to the Chinese culinary scene.”
Rupert Parker, Huffington Post
“It’s that sense of commonality that makes Street Life Hong Kong by its end a celebration of our city and the spirit of the people who inhabit it.”
“Hui’s story gives us glimpses of a Hong Kong – the opium dens, the pool halls, the nightclubs, the casinos and the girls, girls, girls – not adequately reflected in official histories of the city.”
Kent Ewing, Asia Times
“Year of Fire Dragons is not only a riveting coming of age story, but also a testament to the distance people will travel for love.”
Susan Blumberg-Kason, author of Good Chinese Wife
“Jason Y. Ng is back with a new book of insights after casting his perceptive gaze over the good, bad and ugly side of city life.”
“Hong Kong for Kids is an invaluable resource for helping us design fun, wonderful learning activities for our students all over Hong Kong.”

Recent blog posts and news

Constance Gordon-Cumming’s memorable Christmas in Hong Kong, 1878

December 22nd, 2023|0 Comments

This is an excerpt from Wanderings in China: Hong Kong and Canton, Christmas and New Year, 1878/1879 by Constance Gordon-Cumming, a Victorian traveller and artist who arrived in Hong Kong on Christmas Day in 1878. It's introduced and annotated by Paul French as part of his China Revisited series. Merry Christmas, one and all, 145 [...]

Royal Asiatic Society journal review: The Last Tigers of Hong Kong

December 14th, 2023|1 Comment

The Last Tigers of Hong Kong by John Saeki Reviewed by Thomas Gomersall in the 2023 Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong ***** As a lifelong wildlife enthusiast, and a more recent history enthusiast, I find it striking how rarely we seem to examine the two side-by-side, given our long association with animals [...]

The launch of “China Revisited”, a new series of rediscovered travelogues

March 11th, 2023|0 Comments

China Revisited is a new series of extracted reprints of mid-19th to early-20th century Western impressions of Hong Kong, Macao and southern China. The series comprises excerpts from travelogues or memoirs written by missionaries, diplomats, military personnel, journalists, tourists and temporary sojourners. They came to China from Europe or the United States, some to work [...]