Islands and Continents

In this kaleidoscope of stories, translated from the Chinese, P.K. Leung, one of Hong Kong’s most celebrated literary figures, presents his personal vision of the city, evoking in his inimitable voice the local and international dimensions of this extraordinary place, capturing its poignant ambivalence as a postcolonial territory on the fringe of China. Writing in his uniquely unpretentious and honest style, he brings to life for the reader an unforgettable gallery of characters, with their shared memories and ties with Hong Kong. He portrays ordinary lives against the background of local history, mingling subtle pathos with realism and humour. This is a collection for all general readers of fiction, for all those interested in Hong Kong literature, and for the many who already know and admire P.K. Leung and his work.

This collection acquaints the reader with contemporary Hong Kong’s most eloquent voice, a writer whose gentle humour is shot through with a lingering sense of melancholy, and whose involvement in serious intellectual and cultural issues is tempered by a childlike and engaging naïvety. —From the Foreword by John Minford

“Leung Ping-kwan is one of the leading writers now active in Hong Kong and is known worldwide. His writings are distinctly and interestingly ‘local’ and ‘global’ at the same time.” —Lee Ou-Fan, Professor of Humanities, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

“I am delighted to welcome this publication of Leung’s selected works in English translation, a book which will no doubt help establish his position in the English-speaking world. The works in this book are representative of Leung at his best and demonstrate his talents and sensibilities for imaging and writing Hong Kong.” —David Der-wei Wang, Edward C. Henderson Professor of Chinese Literature, Harvard University

“With their unique combination of humour, imagination, and reflexivity, Leung Ping-kwan’s stories unveil a narrative consciousness that is as sophisticatedly cosmopolitan as it is responsive to the most ordinary things encountered along the margins of the world. A refreshing collection.” —Rey Chow, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Humanities, Brown University