Lawrence Osborne’s “On Java Road” is a gripping thriller set against the backdrop of Hong Kong‘s tumultuous student protests and China‘s heavy-handed response in 2019. At the center of the narrative is Adrian Gyle, a seasoned British reporter with two decades of residency in Hong Kong. Gyle’s access to the city’s elites, facilitated by his charming yet reckless old university friend, Jimmy Tang, sets the stage for a riveting exploration of privilege, betrayal, and the quest for truth. The disappearance of a young woman, Rebecca, intertwines Gyle’s life with the dangerous world of frontline street protesters. Rebecca, a child of wealth and influence, embodies the dichotomy of Hong Kong society—a fearless activist marked by the blue dye authorities use to identify protesters. Osborne skillfully crafts a narrative that transcends the typical whodunit formula, placing the intricately drawn setting of Hong Kong at its core. Hong Kong pulsates with life on the page, its history, geography, and politics rendered with nuanced precision. Osborne’s command of the city’s complexities mirrors Gyle’s own sense of wistful alienation, capturing the jadedness that pervades a city on the brink of change. While some details, such as fashion and food, may occasionally overwhelm, they serve to underscore the book’s central theme: the inescapable complexity of Hong Kong‘s fate and the elusive nature of decisive solutions. The disappearance of Rebecca becomes a metaphor for the larger mystery of Hong Kong‘s destiny, one that defies simple explanations. As Gyle navigates through the shadows of truth and betrayal, Osborne skillfully immerses readers in a world where personal loyalties shift like the city’s ever-changing skyline. Through Gyle’s investigation, “On Java Road” becomes a haunting exploration of old worlds colliding with new orders, where the pursuit of truth comes at a perilous cost. Moody and compelling, “On Java Road” resonates with shades of Graham Greene and Patricia Highsmith, as Lawrence Osborne delves into the moral ambiguity that permeates the expatriate experience in Hong Kong. With its atmospheric prose and taut suspense, the novel leaves an indelible impression, inviting readers to ponder the timeless questions of power, privilege, and the fragility of human connection in a world where truth is as elusive as the city’s ever-shifting skyline.

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Crazy Rich Asians is a satirical 2013 romantic comedy novel by Kevin Kwan. Kwan claims the novel was loosely based on his own childhood in Singapore. The book focuses on Rachel Chu, Nicholas (Nick) Young, Eleanor Young, Astrid Leong and Edison Cheng. The story revolves around the grand wedding of Singapore‘s most eligible bachelor, Colin Khoo, and the supermodel, Araminta Lee, which everyone calls the wedding of the century. The novel became a bestseller and was followed by two sequels, China Rich Girlfriend in 2015 and Rich People Problems in 2017. A film adaptation of the novel was released on August 15, 2018. “The Book is Better than the Movie” is a ubiquitous slogan, but my belief in it was challenged when I read Crazy Rich Asians after watching the film. Typically, books provide more substance, context to plot points, and insights into character thoughts. Kevin Kwan, a Singaporean American, weaves a tale of love, wealth, and class in modern Singapore, following Rachel Chu and her relationship with the affluent Nick Young. Classified as Realistic Fiction with a Romantic-Comedy plot, Crazy Rich Asians stands out for its representation of Asian culture. The book’s success, selling over 1.5 million copies before a 300% surge post-movie release, is significant for Asian cultural representation in entertainment, with the film grossing 226 million dollars worldwide. Despite sharing similarities in plot and characters, the book lacks the depth audience crave after the movie. The abrupt change in perspectives without introduction is a glaring issue. Characters with distinct personalities become confusing when perspectives shift. However, some readers appreciate the multiple perspectives, finding them necessary for the story. On a positive note, Kwan’s inclusion of native languages, translated into English, adds an immersive quality to the book. Malay, Hokkien, Mandarin, and Cantonese phrases enrich the reading experience, providing an educational element. Despite some critiques, reading the book and watching the movie increase interest in Asian culture, achieving, perhaps, Kwan’s intended purpose. In conclusion, while I prefer the movie, it’s essential to acknowledge that without Kwan’s vision, both Crazy Rich Asians book and movie wouldn’t exist.

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The Tattoo Writer (2022), a book of photographs by Akimitsu Takagi and edited by Pascal Bagot. Known particularly for the novel Irezumi (1948), which sold several hundred thousand copies, Akimitsu Takagi—born in 1920 as Seiichi Takagi—made a mark on the world of crime novels in the Showa era. Although tattooing is central to his writing, the author’s photographic archives offer a unique record of this universe, especially the position occupied by women, away from the stereotypes. Discovered in 2017 by French journalist and specialist in Japanese tattooing, Pascal Bagot during a meeting with Akiko Takagi, Akimitsu’s daughter, these archives were unveiled in 2022 in the book The Tattoo Writer, which brings together 130 medium-format photographs. A collaborative history and work Akimitsu Takagi’s passion for tattooing, those involved with it and its enthusiasts echoes his own story. As a child, he was struck by the image of a tattooed woman in a bath. He moved closer to this world, and forged friendships within it when carrying out the preliminary research for his novels. The photographs taken between 1955 and 1965 document the work of the greatest tattoo artists of the time: Horiuno II, Horiuno III, Horigoro II, Horigoro III and Horiyoshi II, the latter being the tattoo artist based in the Azabu district. They present the tattoos done on clients’ bodies, and also those that adorn the members of the Edo Choyukai, one of the oldest (if not the oldest) clubs of tattooed individuals, and in various contexts, including outdoor gatherings. To produce The Tattoo Writer (in English and French), photographs were scanned from the original negatives, a project that was made possible by a crowdfunding campaign. The book includes statements from Akiko Takagi, Akimitsu’s daughter, and Gérald Peloux, a French academic who specialises in the history of crime literature in Japan. Pascal Bagot co-directed a documentary on the topic, La voie de l’encre (‘The Way of the Ink’) (2009). In 2014, he was the scientific advisor for the exhibition Tatoueurs, tatoués (‘Tattooists, Tattoed’) that was held at the Musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac in Paris. _________________________________________________________ Akimitsu Takagi (1920-1995) was one of the greatest Japanese crime writers of the 20th century. Crazy about tattooing, he entered this underground scene and documented it with his medium format camera. In the Japanese capital, he photographed the greatest tattoo artists of the time, their clients and their tattoos, thus constituting an archive of his time that is as rare as it is unedited. For this edition, the photographs in the book were scanned from the original negatives. These old documents are almost 70 years old and although they arrived in an exceptional state of preservation, they have been specifically cleaned and restored. Book release: May 2022. The Tattoo Writer: 200 pages – 134 photographs – Bilingual English/French – Three texts (“The Tattoo Writer” by Pascal Bagot; “My Father and Tattooing” by Akiko Takagi, daughter of Akimitsu Takagi; “Tattoos and crime novels” by Gérald Peloux, specialist in Japanese popular literature).  

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Book Title: Living in Sarawak Authors: Edric Ong – Luca Invernizzi Tettoni ISBN: 9780500017593 Publisher: Thames and Hudson Publication Date: 1996 Format: Hardback Sarawak, the East Malaysian state located on the island of Borneo, has fascinated Westerners for centuries – from its days as a Raj under the Brookes dynasty and later a colony under the British Crown to today’s vibrant multi-ethnic state. This book shows the dual influences of tradition and change found in its architecture and decorative arts. Architectural legacies of the Brookes days still coexist with Iban and Bidayuh longhouses, Malay villages and Chinese shophouses, and this book includes glimpses into the interiors of private homes, from contemporary architect-designed houses to centuries-old longhouses. The decorative arts of Sarawak, including the rattan basketry of the Bidayuh, beadwork of the Orang Ulu, carving of the Malay, brassware of the Melanau and ceramics of the Chinese, have all combined with the influences of 100 years of a romantic “White Rajah” reign under the Brookes to produce a uniqueness that is typically Sarawak Style.

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