Elsie Tu (–2015)

A bit bland, and quite a few printing errors/typos found throughout. I have elected to read this book because of my interest in a portrayal of post-World-War-II colonial Hong Kong in English. This is Elsie Tu's memoir, and it reads like a piece of journalism. So the writing isn't particularly exciting and descriptions aren't exactly vivid most of the time. It's very factual and unimaginative. However, I have a lot of respect for Elsie and her husband and for all they have done for Hong Kong's lower class, and I respect that this is a very important account, and a very necessary book.

The thing that I couldn't stand about the book, though, is its undertone, one of always justifying the authors' decisions and actions, always portraying themselves as the victims of injustice and corruption and that they have always been the most righteous and, frankly, could do no wrong. I don't doubt that it's true, that they both live a life according to their best conscience. It's just that sometimes an undertone like that gets a little too much and could become annoying.

"...After what became a heated campaign, I was narrowly defeated by my opponent, from the 'democratic' camp. But in the time since the Hong Kong public have begun to understand that democratic 'heroes' often offer nothing but slogans, and do little of the work for which they were elected." (188)

One of my favourite excerpts from the book.… (mais)