The new book, “Tales From a Barren Rock”, is selling well, according to publisher Graham Earnshaw of Earnshaw Books. His comment was echoed by Shonee Mirchandani, a member of the family that owns the Bookazine chain, who described sales of Tales as “very good”.
The book is a compilation of stories by long-term residents. Three Cathay Pacific captains regale us with tales of their exploits surviving bombings, flying with the Aurora Borealis and dealing with drunken Royalty in first class. A private secretary of the Governor writes about life behind the scenes in Government House. There is a comical tale from a Hong Kong courtroom where at the end of the day somehow there’s a defendant left over. A police squad targeting brothels becomes known as The Hokey Pokey Squad. Three porkers flounder about chasing butterflies in a swamp. There’s religion too: a story about St John’s Cathedral, fount of so much goodness; “Do Ordinary Things with Extraordinary Love.” How did the Vine Church come to be? It’s in the book. A former policeman rips away the veil and exposes triads, who he says, are all pervasive in Hong Kong. A policewoman rises through the ranks, like no other member of her sex, breaking glass ceiling after glass ceiling.
The book is largely a Sai Kung creation. Lead editor* Roger Medcalf lives here, so do story-tellers David Newbery, Guy Shirra, Judith McKay, Jill Robinson, Colin Dyson and Mike Sharp. Quite a bit of the book is by siblings, Rachel, Steve and Graham Reels.
Earnshaw Books was founded by Graham in 2006. It began publishing books about China and soon expanded across a growing number of fiction and non-fiction titles. Earnshaw Books is a hub for stories, memoirs and history from Asia and beyond, offering an enticing glimpse into the world through words. The company has published more than 150 titles. Recent examples: “All I Ever Wanted” by Jane Lo, “Chinese Brothers, American Sons” by Ed Shew, “A Death in Peking” and “A Doctor’s Life in Hong Kong” by John MacKay.
*Co-Editor Rod Olsen lives in Hong Kong, France and New Zealand
Tales from a Barren Rock: Reminiscences of Life in Hong Kong Edited by Roger Medcalf and Rod Olsen Earnshaw Books (2024) ISBN-10: 9888843575 ISBN-13: 978-9888843572
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