Description
Author and blogger Jason Y. Ng has a knack for making the familiar both fascinating and funny. Three years after his bestselling début HONG KONG State of Mind, the razor-sharp observer returns with a sequel that is bigger and every bit as poignant. No City for Slow Men is a collection of 36 essays that examine some of the pressing social, cultural and existential issues facing Hong Kong. It takes us from the gravity-defying property market to the plunging depths of old age poverty, from the storied streets of Sheung Wan to the beckoning island of Cheung Chau, from the culture-shocked Western expat to the misunderstood Mainland Chinese and the disenfranchised foreign domestic worker. The result is a treatise on Hong Kong life that is thought-provoking, touching and immensely entertaining.
MEDIA ATTENTION
“HKID says it best: Hong Kong is stuck somewhere between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world, and that causes a bit of an identity crisis. … A letter from a mainland student best expresses the argument against prejudice. Another major theme is the contrast between the lives of expats and locals — with their gambling by way of cards instead of mahjong, the strange sport of rugby and lack of Cantonese fluency. The plight of the domestic worker is an especially important topic, written about with great heart. Ng is certainly a compassionate writer and should be commended for bringing these issues to the public’s attention.” — Ray Hecht, Shenzhen Daily
“Hong Kong lawyer and blogger 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. … He offers 36 nicely judged, pithy – often punchy – essays to “inform and empower” readers in three areas: “Our Way of Life”, “Our Culture” and “Our Identity”. Ng’s unpretentious writing reveals a frank, cut-to-the-chase view of life – plus, on occasion, a commendably sympathetic nature.” — Guy Haydon, South China Morning Post
“The most engrossing part of No City for Slow Men – and, indeed, Ng’s writing in general – is his sincerity, laying bare the best and worst of Hong Kong society, as well as his own struggles and insecurities. The book’s illustrator, Guangdong-born Ng Lee-po, is actually the author’s father, who supported his family in Hong Kong through freelance artistry before moving to Canada. Coming from a family that itself embodies that unlimited potential in Hong Kong, Ng proves to be the perfect source to write on Asia’s city that never sleeps.” — Meredith McBride, Time Out
“At once critical and invitingly funny, Ng offers imaginative musings of the social and cultural problems facing Hong Kong while sharpening our senses about the city we inhabit.” – John Erni, professor, Department of Humanities and Creative Writing, Hong Kong Baptist University
“Jason strips Hong Kong naked so that we can see her beauty and her flaws. Caught in the right light, she is beautiful; in the wrong, ugly and past it. Her character is in turn charming and delightful, but also irrational and psychotic. No City for Slow Men is a great introduction to the now of Hong Kong, how it emerged, and its possible future.” – Lawrence Gray, chairman, the Hong Kong Writers’ Circle
“Ng has done it again! His new book is as personal and insightful as the first. He writes that true love is about the little things, and that’s how we feel about Hong Kong. For all its complexities and eccentricities, it is our home.” – Zeb Eckert, anchor, Bloomberg Television
“Ng thinks as clearly as he writes. He is continuously observing and analyzing the changing situations in Hong Kong.” – Feng Chi-Shun, author of Diamond Hill and Hong Kong Noir
“What pulses through the chapters is Jason’s love for Hong Kong and its people. An entertaining narrator, he gazes over the city with clarity, verve and wit, giving its natives and guests alike the same wondrous sense of discovery.” – Paul Tam, general manager, the Hong Kong International Literary Festival
“Ng brilliantly, and at times humorously, hones into the idiosyncrasies that make up our society, painting an accurate picture of what it truly means to be a Hong Konger.” – Tracey Furniss, editor and journalist
“Ng writes with erudition and wit. His new book is a fine tooth comb running through our contemporary issues and obsessions, an essential read for Hong Kongers and all who are in love with our city!” – Douglas Young, artist, provocateur and founder of G.O.D.
“Ng’s observations are compelling, entertaining and insightful. His essay Maid in Hong Kong provides a much needed voice to the migrant worker community in Hong Kong.” – Noel Servigon, Philippine Consul General to Hong Kong
“From petty annoyances to post-handover identity, Ng weaves the ultimate narrative through the unique nature of Hong Kong life. No City for Slow Men is a must-read for anyone who has ever set foot in the Fragrant Harbour.” – Chris Thrall, author of Eating Smoke
