Hong Kong Lit Club
Hong Kong Lit Club
Podcast Description
While the city is often portrayed as a busy financial hub where nobody has time to read, the reality is that people do read - and they write, too. Discover the work of both past and contemporary authors, and dive into the the literary heritage of Hong Kong that often gets overlooked. Each episode will feature three parts: a read-aloud ("Words Unfold"), either by your host, Julia, or by guest authors reading their own pieces, a discussion section to delve deeper into the meaning of the text ("Deep Dive"), and a short language section focussing on a Cantonese word or phrase ("Local Lingo"). Ultimately, this podcast is a celebration of Hong Kong's literary landscape and an invitation for listeners to embark on a literary journey that transcends borders.Learn more here.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
Focused on the literary heritage of Hong Kong, the podcast explores themes of identity, cultural reflection, and intergenerational relationships with episodes that feature contemporary works, discussions on the impact of technology on storytelling, and explorations of local language.
While the city is often portrayed as a busy financial hub where nobody has time to read, the reality is that people do read – and they write, too. Discover the work of both past and contemporary authors, and dive into the the literary heritage of Hong Kong that often gets overlooked. Each episode will feature three parts: a read-aloud (“Words Unfold”), either by your host, Julia, or by guest authors reading their own pieces, a discussion section to delve deeper into the meaning of the text (“Deep Dive”), and a short language section focussing on a Cantonese word or phrase (“Local Lingo”).
Ultimately, this podcast is a celebration of Hong Kong’s literary landscape and an invitation for listeners to embark on a literary journey that transcends borders.
Learn more here.
“Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin has everything. Except a pulse.”
That’s the hook of Julie Chan is Dead — and this book is absolutely unhinged. I devoured this darkly hilarious satire about a young woman who steps into her deceased twin sister’s influencer life. Think of Yellowface meets Bunny – an immersive, fast-pace thriller with a dash of horror exploring the ins and outs of influencer culture and what it does to your head. I could not put it down.
When I found out Liann Zhang was coming to Hong Kong for the International Literary Festival in March 2026, I had to get her on the show. Despite a packed schedule, she squeezed in time to chat—and she was exactly what I hoped: approachable, funny, warm, and oddly sane for someone who wrote a book this chaotic. As well as going into depth about how she landed her book deal, we talk about the importance of finding a critique group, being on the cusp of Gen-Z and millenial, Liann’s real-life stint as a “skinfluencer” and what is next for her.
About Liann Zhang: Second-generation Chinese Canadian author, former skincare content creator, and debut novelist. Julie Chan Is Dead is an instant international bestseller and was longlisted for Canada Reads 2026.
Website | Instagram @theliannz
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Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
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