edwina's review against another edition
5.0
An insightful and sublime book about the history of Hong Kong, as a gate to China that tracks its establishment as a Colony of the British Empire following the Opium Wars to the history of the negotiations and events that led up to the transfer of sovereignty from British hands back to the People's Republic of China. Sheridan masterfully does this by providing private documents of politicians, extracts from news media and also tracks China as it rose towards being more globalised through its economy supported by the reforms made by Deng Xiaoping from the 1980s onwards. This was equally fascinating, comprehensive, informative yet at the same time poignant, bittersweet to the legacies of both Hong Kong following the handover and the end to British rule specifically the attempts of political reforms for universal suffrage under the last governor Chris Patten.
Sheridan's lines on the 2019-20 protests stayed with me in particular, which was this : "in any case, Hong Kongers were tougher than they were sometimes given credit for. The oldest generation had endured hardship and war, the middle-aged had kept steady heads through decades of uncertainty and the youngsters wanted a decent future. The other truth was that most people really loved their home; its islands and seas, its sunsets and summer downpours, the sizzle of fresh food at the roadside and the din of family banquets, loyalties to school, clan, church and temple, the chance to hustle and the lightly taxed rewards of work, all conducted to a soundtrack of quick witted chatter on the airwaves and a cacophony of entertainment from all over Asia. It was worth a fight."
Five stars! Would highly recommend if you are interested in history, politics or social issues!
Sheridan's lines on the 2019-20 protests stayed with me in particular, which was this : "in any case, Hong Kongers were tougher than they were sometimes given credit for. The oldest generation had endured hardship and war, the middle-aged had kept steady heads through decades of uncertainty and the youngsters wanted a decent future. The other truth was that most people really loved their home; its islands and seas, its sunsets and summer downpours, the sizzle of fresh food at the roadside and the din of family banquets, loyalties to school, clan, church and temple, the chance to hustle and the lightly taxed rewards of work, all conducted to a soundtrack of quick witted chatter on the airwaves and a cacophony of entertainment from all over Asia. It was worth a fight."
Five stars! Would highly recommend if you are interested in history, politics or social issues!
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