In some cultures, twenty-one used to be the age of majority. It is obviously still a milestone for many. The Hong Kong Writers’ Circle (HKWC) acknowledges this in “Coming of Age”, its twenty-first anthology of new writing by a number of HKWC members. In their Introduction, the editors have done a good job in introducing the anthology, describing the mood as “variously hilarious, horrifying, uplifting, melancholy, and just plain weird” and identifying the content as ranging from “tightly focused reflections on friendship and family life, to the clash of pan-galactic civilizations… scattered… across the full spectrum of genres and topics.” In other words, there is something which should suit the taste and interest of every reader.
Hong Kong readers – those who live or have lived in Hong Kong and read English fluently, as well as any others who have a special interest – will probably find themselves most comfortable with the several pieces which are set in Hong Kong as well as those with a more accessible style, which are not too short to win their concern and not so long as to test their staying power.
More generally, readers may find it interesting to see the ingenuity at play in linking what the writers chose to write with the concept of “Coming of Age”. Amateurs of classic short stories will appreciate those with a “twist” at the end.
Considerable literary skill is displayed across the anthology, whose writers include many who are widely published across the world, as well as some for whom this is a first-time publication. Readers will be informed and delighted to varying degrees; they will recognize previous tropes presented in new contexts, and modern situations and concerns informed with traditional cultural, moral and emotional values.
In this twenty-first anthology, HKWC has included two new sections: “New Titles by Our Contributors”, with descriptions and brief reviews of seven titles, and “Support the Hong Kong Literary Scene” with information about four Hong Kong based publishers (including HKWC). In their introduction, the editors make a plea for solidarity among readers, writers, bookshops and publishers.
This content is well taken. The Hong Kong Writers’ Circle itself is to be congratulated for the support it has provided over more than three decades (it was founded in 1991) to individuals whose creativity hopes for an outlet in the English language. Over the years, many individual members have generously given time, knowledge and skill to running the society and many, beyond HKWC, have given support and opportunity.
At this time, when some speak of publishing as a “sunset industry”, writers in English will continue to need HKWC for community and possible routes for access to the literary world; readers will look forward to the annual HKWC anthology; and publishers may have an eye for writers and subject-matter which they might like for their lists.
Here’s to the next twenty-one years!
Gillian Bickley
Check out the links below too:
Hong Kong Writers Circle 
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