TL;DR - UBR Project Jan 2024
January's partner bookstore: Have A Nice Stay, 4th Floor, Tang Building, 228 Prince Edward Road West.
January's book donation list: A total of 16 books, see the end of the article for details.
How to participate: Head over to Have A Nice Stay, pick any book from the donation list, and ask the staff to pass it onto the UBR Project. Online purchases are currently not supported.
Donation period: From now until February 28, 2024.
The UBR "Universal Basic Reader" Project collaborates with independent bookstores with the goal to purchase all Hong Kong books published in 2024, officially kicking off today. The first partner bookstore of the month is Have A Nice Stay.
First, let's introduce Have A Nice Stay (HANS), especially for those readers in Taiwan who might not be familiar. Established in 2022, Have A Nice Stay was founded by five partners from Stand News, Apple Daily and Citizen News, all seasoned media professionals who lost their jobs for well-known reasons. Apart from curating books with a special focus on news and media, Have A Nice Stay frequently hosts exclusive member events. I myself have conducted decentralized publishing workshops there twice last year. The Cantonese name “留下書舍” not only plays on the Cantonese pun for "留下書寫" (meaning stay and write) but also signifies a space for those who remain to gather and its English name Have A Nice Stay implies the choice to stay, live well and do well in life.
HANS is located on the 4th floor of the Tong Lau at 228 Prince Edward Road West. (In Hong Kong, Tong Lau starts counting floors from the ground up, so the 4th floor means climbing three flights of stairs, a characteristic that comes with the high rent of "upstairs bookstores".) Prince Edward is adjacent to Mong Kok; if Mong Kok is akin to Zhongxiao Dunhua in Taipei, then Prince Edward is like Zhongxiao Fuxing, just one station away and a mere 5-minute walk. The area around Prince Edward and Mong Kok is also a hub for many overnight minibus routes. After the last subway train, many people pass through Prince Edward or Mong Kok to take the "daredevil minibuses" home, another unique feature of Hong Kong.
Every Friday, Have A Nice Stay stays open until 2am, providing a place for journalists working late into the night and night owls who have had their fill of food and drink to come and unwind, read a book, and chat. Whether you're a visiting friend from Taiwan or a local Hongkonger who doesn't usually explore the nightlife, consider dropping by Have A Nice Stay on a Friday midnight. Climbing stairs, midnight gatherings, and taking a daredevil minibus can fulfill three wishes in one go, promising a much more fun and meaningful time than heading to Lan Kwai Fong.
January is the off-season for publishing in Hong Kong, with not many new releases. The "book attendants" at Have A Nice Stay have included some books published at the end of last year in their selection, offering us a list of 16 books. To support the UBR "Universal Basic Reader" Project, simply purchase any of the 16 books at Have A Nice Stay and ask the staff to hand it over to UBR. Privacy is respected, and donors don't need to provide any personal information, but you're welcome to leave a note with comments or suggestions inside the book cover. The donation period for January's book list ends at the end of February, at which point I will take up the mantle for any remaining books.
UBR Project Book Donation List Jan 2024
1. 再飄零：離散時代與社會撕裂的哲學思考 by Professor Tao Kwok Cheung and Dr. Gavin Chiu Sin Hin. 1841 Publishing House. ISBN: 9786269737253
Prof. Tao Kwok Cheung and Dr. Gavin Chiu Sin Hin, both hailing from the New Asia Institute, a beacon of Hong Kong's philosophical and cultural traditions since the Cold War, have been devoted to popularizing philosophical thought. This book starts with social incidents, discussing everything from the New Confucian Mou Tsung San's views to Chinese political history, and analyzes various aspects of suicide among Hong Kong's youth. It contrasts concepts of conscience, freedom, and despotism in Eastern and Western philosophies, directly addressing social contradictions and rifts. It offers precise analysis and advice for readers adrift in spirit, helping to root their souls anew in the midst of ongoing dispersion.
2. 敲鐘者言 by Chu Yiu Ming. Rive Gauche Publishing House. ISBN: 9786267209585
This memoir shows us how a poor orphan embarked on a journey of faith, caring for people and establishing chapels in harsh conditions. It portrays how he lived by the Christian principles of 'doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with God', stepping beyond his parish to always stand with the underprivileged, even at the cost of breaking the law to live out his beliefs. A pastor who spent the better part of his life fighting for livelihood and democracy, taking extra steps for his beliefs, found himself moving from the church pulpit to the defendant's stand in a courtroom. This is not just the story of a Hongkonger but a sketch of an era.
3. 香港職人 HK Feature. ISBN: 9789887512462
From Lam Mi Sin of the Hip Yee Hing Embroidery font master Lee Kin Ming, and master of bamboo steamer Lui Ming, to film prop masters and stunt people, each craftsman holds their ground in the face of changing times, embodying Hong Kong's wisdom and resilience in striving for self-improvement and change. The book documents 25 Hong Kong craftsmen, divided into "Hong Kong Rituals", "Hong Kong Stalls", "Hong Kong Flavors", "Hong Kong Maintenance", and "Hong Kong Cinema", with over 200 pages of exquisite illustrations, photographs, and interviews that capture the brilliance of an era. Hong Kong craftsmen embody the spirit of our city.
4. 大隱若兔 by Rabbit Ho. artellex. ISBN: 9789887035701
In the urban landscape of Hong Kong, beyond the towering skyscrapers and the enduring calligraphy signs, there are also wild rabbits. These elusive creatures traverse Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories, secretly nestled within the concrete jungle, peeking out from the shadows to play a game of hide and seek with the readers.
This photography collection, brimming with childlike wonder and blending reality with fantasy, marks local photographer Rabbit Ho's first venture out of the rabbit hole. He compiles urban details observed during his city walks over the years, such as various buildings, signs, and wall calligraphy, into a book narrated in down-to-earth Cantonese and featuring a playful search for rabbit tracks.
5. 香港電影 2022︰沒有神話的日子 by Wong Chun Ying. Hong Kong Film Critics Society Limited. ISBN: 9789628271290
In 2022, Hong Kong films repeatedly set new box office records, with a wave of young directors debuting feature films to critical acclaim. Meanwhile, veteran filmmakers continued their creative endeavors, either by delving deeper within genre film frameworks or by collaborating to produce remarkable works. The concerns of these two generations may differ but are not entirely dissimilar. How should we understand this? That same year, Hong Kong witnessed its most significant documentary controversy, reigniting cross-society concerns about power imbalances in filmmaking and empowering the marginalized. Discussions in the community suggest the arrival of a "minor spring" for Hong Kong cinema. But in an era focused on minor narratives, can we avoid the excessive anticipation for mythic returns and prioritize humanity instead?
6. Being HongKong Redux 珍重 HK 復刻珍藏版 Being Media. ISBN: 9789887481775
REvisit, REthink, REcreate—the story of Hong Kong's past, present, and future.
REedit, REdesign, REprint—transforming from a quarterly publication to a timeless book.Having come this far, let's continue the journey together into the future.
7. 舊日足跡：香港地區與民生尋蹤 by Siu Kwok Kin. Joint Publishing. ISBN: 9789620450952
The book is divided into "Regional" and "Livelihood" sections. The former focuses on areas developed around and after World War II, such as Spring Garden Lane, Cadder Hill, Lei Cheng Uk Estate and Broadcast Drive, narrating their origins and related anecdotes to the readers. The latter section approaches from a livelihood perspective, restoring the old Hong Kong lifestyle, providing both new and old generations of Hongkongers a precious opportunity to revisit the bygone days.
8. 點評？點評！ by Chris Yeung Kin Hing. Eleven Six Press. ISBN: 9789887923794
Veteran journalist Chris Yeung Kin Hing insists on the mission and professionalism of journalists, reporting and commenting on the day's news and current affairs for the public. 點評？點評！ transforms content from Chris's YouTube channel “新聞點評” over the past year into written form. It serves as both a record and a marker, showing that even as press freedom diminishes, the space for expression narrows, the media ecosystem worsens, and the silent majority grows, there are still those who, with passion, do journalism right and speak the truth.]
9. 憂鬱的編年 by Chan Tsz Woon, Chow Wing Hong, Lam I Cheng, Law Wing Sang, Lok WingKai, Poon Tat Pui, Lam Yiu Keung, Tse Hiu Hung. SpringHill Publishing. ISBN: 9786267236673
The first part addresses various aspects such as Hongkongers' identity, the meaning and trauma of social movements, dissent and persistence, analysis of leftist youth, and how documentaries write history, responding to the myriad questions and dilemmas of the era posed by the film. The second part delves into the origins of the film Blue Island, selection of characters and materials, considerations in filming techniques, challenges of "re-enactment," and the director's reflections, as well as how to edit complex materials. It also explores how we can look back at the past/history from our present standpoint.
10. 凡事謝恩，我真係覺得好難 by Leung Pak Kin. Breakthrough. ISBN: 9789888562886
In times that seem overwhelmingly negative, surviving the pandemic only to face social changes, diaspora, and spreading conflicts, we sometimes feel disheartened and even unstable. However, the Bible says, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances." So, how should we always rejoice and give thanks in everything? Following 時勢好惡，做基督徒好難, Leung Pak Kin continues to translate the Bible into Cantonese, pondering the messages within the scriptures, focusing our attention, and responding to Hong Kong at this moment.
11. Breakazine 075 見山是山 Breakthrough. ISBN: 9789888562756
Lions crouch atop the mountains, overlooking Kowloon and the New Territories; yet, over the years, people below have projected layer upon layer of differing spiritual images onto it. This issue attempts to organize information about Hong Kong's mountainscapes, showing how people have leveled slopes to prosper in this "Greater Mountain area." By visiting friends who live and work in this "Greater Mountain area" observing the mountain paths, or adopting the mountain as a perspective, we can discover a set of life skills based on the mountains. The mountain remains a mountain, but Hong Kong's mountains also help us understand why Hong Kong is Hong Kong.
12. 從跳格子到坐飛氈 西西追思文集 compiled by the Xi Xi Foundation. Chinese University Press. ISBN: 9789882373181
Hong Kong writer Xi Xi has passed, yet she never truly left. Nearly fifty writers and scholars from around the world, despite their differing perspectives, could not fully encapsulate Xi Xi's remarkable life. Could we say that a plane, a flying carpet, or even a flying carpet museum suffices? If you think so, then please continue reading this anthology. It will at least take you on a tour of a fantastical flying carpet museum, or rather, a flea market of flying carpets, which Xi Xi would have preferred. Perhaps she is now discussing with Walter Benjamin...
13. 加多雙筷 by vawongsir. Hillway Culture. ISBN: 9789887561743
Walking from Nathan Road to Zhongxiao East Road, vawongsir steps out of his comfort zone once again, visiting the homes of dozens of Taiwanese to dine as a guest, trading drawings for meals. What he thought would be ordinary home-cooked meals turned out to be soul-stirring dishes that brought tears to his eyes, along with the warmth of various families and communities, and the bitterness and sweetness shared by Hongkongers and other expatriates in Taiwan. Pick up 加多雙筷 and join vawongsir in freeloading meals, enjoying the laughter and stories around the table.
Explore Taiwan from a Hongkonger's perspective, rediscover life, and look back at our homes.
14. 香港新讀一魯迅選集魯迅 by Justin Wong (illustrator), Hillway Culture (editor). Hillway Culture. ISBN: 9789887561736
A century has passed, yet the chains of ritual still consume people, slaves still serve their masters, and the people in the iron house have yet to awaken—"However, since a few have risen, you cannot say there is no hope of destroying this iron house." This collection features Lu Xun's classic works and hidden gems, with political cartoonist Justin Wong providing illustrations that re-interpret the works with immense imagination. Reacquaint yourself with Lu Xun's timeless motifs, such as the "spiritual victory" of Ah Q, “steamed buns soaked in human blood”, the effects of demolition, "Save the Children", and more. Reflect on old society to understand today's Hong Kong, break free from obsolete and foolish ideas, and escape the mental iron house.
15. 庭刊 Issue 3
This issue's major feature is the 47-person primary election case, meticulously recording the proceedings from opening statements to closing arguments over 118 days. It covers key charges of "indiscriminately vetoing budget proposals" and how both prosecution and defense interpret "other unlawful means", providing readers with comprehensive details on the 16 defendants who pleaded not guilty. The editorial team revealed in a casual chat that this issue, produced over two months and extended to 12 pages, has been slightly adjusted in price to 30 HKD. They hope for continued support for this newspaper, encouraging readers to read carefully and stay informed about courtroom news.
16. 未完待續一香港 2020-2023 紀實 compiled by Hong Kong journalists. Hillway Culture. ISBN: 9789887561750
This is Hong Kong from 2020 to 2023, the best/worst of new/old Hong Kong. Crafted by former journalists from Apple Daily, Stand News and Citizen News, this is a work of perseverance from Hillway Culture through four years of trials. Accompanied by selected photographs from photojournalists, it comprehensively documents the true face of Hong Kong during a tumultuous era—pandemic ravages, government transitions, Hong Kong team's achievements, dissolution of civil groups, verdicts on social movements, education reform, frequent industrial accidents, severe weather hitting Hong Kong... Regardless of fortune or misfortune, clear or cloudy skies, remember that the story of Hong Kong is—to be continued.
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