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Books and literature

The five tastes as illustrated in a slice of tomato, in Arielle Johnson’s book Flavorama – A Guide to Unlocking the Art and Science of Flavour. Photo: Flavorama
Food and Drinks

Chefs say understanding flavour is their holy grail. This book defines it

Dr Arielle Johnson on why she wrote Flavorama – A Guide to Unlocking the Art and Science of Flavour and how she is bringing science to food.

Old Hong Kong

How one man’s fascination with an abandoned building created the Fringe Club

Fashion

Annie Hall to Hokusai – 4 fashion and art books to grace your coffee table

Obituaries

Yeh Chia-ying, China’s ‘daughter of poetry’, dies at the age of 100

Literary scholar is remembered for her passion for classical Chinese poetry and charisma that inspired generations of writers and students.

Yeh Chia-ying spent seven decades researching and promoting classical poetry across mainland China, Taiwan, the United States and Canada. Photo: Xinhua
Fame and celebrity

Who is Courtney Burgess, the Diddy witness who calls him ‘Lucifer’?

Diddy and the late Kim Porter’s sons Christian Combs and Quincy Brown have filed a cease-and-desist order after music manager Courtney Burgess published what he claims is Kim Porter’s ‘tell-all’ book.

Fame and celebrity

Cormac McCarthy’s ‘secret muse’ was 17 when they first had sex, she says

American author Cormac McCarthy was 42 when he met 16-year-old Augusta Britt, who she says inspired characters in some of his famous novels.

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Chinese culture

Letters | Multilingual writers enrich the world’s literary canon

Readers discuss the challenges and rewards of writing in a non-native language, the decline in student performance in Hong Kong and hiring civil servants with disabilities.

Writing as a non-native speaker is a journey of growth and discovery. Photo: Shutterstock
China’s Communist Party

How Xi Jinping is going back to Confucius to define China’s future

Xi’s plan to glorify China’s deep cultural roots is embodied in Ruzang, a compilation of the philosopher’s writings and related works.

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American cinema

Anne Hathaway set to lead Verity, film based on Colleen Hoover novel

Actress to play lead role in adaptation of Hoover’s Verity, about a struggling writer. Hoover adaptation It Ends With Us is a box office hit.

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Icons and Influencers

Why bookshop tees and caps are flying off the shelves

Tote bags from London’s Daunt Books or New York’s The Strand, The New Yorker, Shakespeare and Co or The Paris Review bookshops were the original lit merch, but Idea raised the bar.

Kaia Gerber is just one A-lister helping make literary merch from the likes of London bookshop Idea fashionable, from Dua Lipa’s ‘Winona’ cap to “Keanu” and “I don’t work here” tees. Photo: @kaiagerber/Instagram
Architecture and design

The design secrets of Hong Kong’s private housing estates

These residential complexes may look identical, but new book Cities of Repetition unveils their distinct architectural identities – from Mei Foo Sun Chuen to Sha Tin’s City One.

A section of Whampoa Garden apartment complex as seen from above in Hong Kong. Photo: Getty Images
Chinese culture

Being Chinese | English took me out of a Chinese factory, but not China out of me

I learned English as a bored young factory worker and began writing in it to avoid censorship. But my decision has come with pros and cons.

Performing arts in Hong Kong

5 must-see music and arts events in Hong Kong this weekend, November 15-17

From an auction where you can bid with stories to a night of dreamy classical music under the stars, here is what is happening this weekend.

Britain

UK writer Samantha Harvey’s Orbital wins Booker Prize for fiction

In her novel set aboard the International Space Station, six astronauts circle the Earth, looping through 16 sunrises and sunsets in a day.

British novelist Samantha Harvey, author of the book “Orbital”, holds her trophy and a copy of her novel after winning the 2024 Booker Prize in London on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Old Hong Kong

How Hong Kong’s Repulse Bay Hotel became a haven for the famous

Once the pinnacle of opulence and grandeur, the Repulse Bay Hotel hosted guests like Ernest Hemingway, George Bernard Shaw and Wallis Simpson.

Repulse Bay Hotel in Hong Kong, in the 1920s. Photo: courtesy of The Repulse Bay
Australia

British chef pulls children’s book from sale after causing offence in Australia

Jamie Oliver’s ‘Billy and the Epic Escape’ was criticised for employing tropes and stereotypes about Indigenous Australians.

Food and Drinks

‘Text hip’ trend makes books cool in Korea, and a bar catches on

K-pop stars like NewJeans’ Minji are making reading cool again. Chaeg Bar in Seoul is lined with books to read and serves literary cocktails.

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Auctions

Copy of The Little Prince worth US$1.25 million for sale at art fair

For sale in the UAE, the typescript, one of only three known to exist, contains handwritten corrections by author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

A rare typescript of The Little Prince, one of only three known copies, is going on sale for US$1.25 million at Abu Dhabi Art, an art fair that runs from November 20 to 24. Photo: Reuters
What to do in Hong Kong

5 arts events to catch in Hong Kong this weekend, November 8-10

Digital art, the annual India by the Bay festival, choral concerts and a post-apocalyptic musical are among the highlights for arts fans.

Icons and Influencers

Who’s controversial commentator Megyn Kelly’s husband, Douglas Brunt?

The pair met on a blind date in 2006 and now have 3 children – Brunt has said that the former Fox News anchor is the ‘secret sauce’ in their 16-year marriage.

Art

John Banville on ‘eerie’ masterpieces at Spain’s Prado museum

The Booker Prize winner talks about Old Masters’ pictures that ‘look at you’ and AI in art as he takes writing inspiration from the Prado.

Novelist John Banville at Madrid’s Prado museum. Photo: AP
United States

Tributes pour in for bookshop owner, but he’s very much alive

His landlord thought he’d died. People shared fond memories of him. A clearance sale was arranged. But Bill Fiedler had simply retired.

The Gallery Bookstore in Chicago, where an “End of an Era” sale was organised in the mistaken belief its owner had died. Photo: Google Maps
Japan

The bookstores where anyone can rent a shelf to sell books, new or used

In Japan, where many conventional bookstores have closed, a new business model sees people rent shelves in a store to sell their books.

South Korea

Literary but not literal, translator introduces Korean writers to the world

Award-winning translator Brother Anthony ponders Nobel Prize hype and the complexities of translating Korean poems and novels into English.

Censorship

Jodi Picoult, Margaret Atwood, Alice Walker books top banned list in US

Once recommended for young adults, Picoult’s Nineteen Minutes leads among 4,200 titles banned in schools, writers’ group PEN America says.

Jodi Picoult’s novel about a school shooting, Nineteen Minutes, is the most banned book in schools in the United States, according to PEN America. Photo: Instagram/@berlinbookbriefs
Fame and celebrity

Meet Amy Griffin: the G9 Ventures founder’s cut deals for Spanx, and Goop

Her husband John Griffin was the founder of major hedge fund Blue Ridge Capital, but Griffin carved her own niche in venture capital by focusing on female-led unicorn start-ups and building relationships.

G9 Ventures founder Amy Griffin with long-time friend, actress and Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow. Photo: @amygriffin/Instagram
American cinema

Game of Thrones movie said to be in the works, or talked about at least

After hit HBO series, Warner Bros is reported to have been ‘quietly developing at least one film’ about the feuding noble clans of Westeros.

Fame and celebrity

Where’s the cast of Glee now? From Broadway triumphs to untimely deaths

Fox musical drama Glee became a sensation when it was released in 2009 and put its cast firmly in the spotlight – nearly 10 years after the show’s end, only a few are still acting regularly

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Books and literature
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Books and literature. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
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