“Hong Kong After Dark” by William Fitzpatrick. I
bought this thinking it was a fiction novel set in Hong Kong, as I tend to like
Hong Kong stories, but it turns out this is a history and guide not only to
Hong Kong, but Canton, Taiwan, Macao, and Mainland China. In fact, authors who
wish to write stories set on the Pearl River, and these areas, should read this
book first to get the feel of them, and especially the night spots and ladies
of the evening. It’s an interesting book. The author lived in Hong Kong for
several years while working with a company dealing with the Orient and the
Chinese. During this period he sampled plenty of the merchandise, and explains
the business first hand. Not a bad history, and the novel is fairly mild, and a
bit humorous at times.
