New York Tales (2): Hong Kong on the Hudson

 

She consistently speaks and writes in the present tense, a style embraced by her book club without hesitation. After all, she has recently discussed J.M. Coetzee's "Waiting For The Barbarians,'' a novel set in the past yet narrated in the present tense. Literature excels at defying conventions, she muses. And who is better to challenge norms than Coetzee, a Nobel Laureate in Literature?

Literature is her refuge; America, not so much. "We asylum seekers are condemned to a long waiting game," she confides in her smartphone AI in Cantonese. The clamor of the subway drowns out her soft voice, as she intends.

Emerging above ground, she steps into a radiant summer day in Lower Manhattan. Gazing out at the sparkling lights dancing on the Hudson River, memories of tear gas and democracy chants flood back to her. She continues walking among familiar strangers.


Author: renqiulan

 

 

所有跟帖: 

This is a snapshot of the experiences of -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 18:22:55

the Hong Kong diaspora following the events of 2019, a year -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 18:23:38

to remember. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 18:24:16

Indeed, 2019 is a year to remember. Hi, renqiulan! -蓝灵- 给 蓝灵 发送悄悄话 蓝灵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 18:51:43

What's up, Blue Soul? Thank you for stopping by! -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 18:57:30

I am not surprised that 2019 rings a bell to you. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 18:59:49

确实是忘不了、抹不掉的悲痛回忆。 -蓝灵- 给 蓝灵 发送悄悄话 蓝灵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 19:03:56

就像我们还未出生的1989年? -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 19:08:32

对。两个年头,两个悲情城市的诞生。 -蓝灵- 给 蓝灵 发送悄悄话 蓝灵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 19:11:59

秋兰,看过侯孝贤那部《悲情城市》么? -蓝灵- 给 蓝灵 发送悄悄话 蓝灵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 19:17:13

看过。那时候在香港,有朋友给我stream过。但是不十分看懂。当然,历史背景是略知一二的。 -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 19:23:31

记得梁朝伟所饰演的角色吗? -蓝灵- 给 蓝灵 发送悄悄话 蓝灵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 19:27:27

记得他的角色是一名不肯哑忍暴政的聋哑人士,给我的印象很深。 -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 19:37:33

Same here. -蓝灵- 给 蓝灵 发送悄悄话 蓝灵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 19:43:30

"She consistently speaks and writes in the present tense" -蓝灵- 给 蓝灵 发送悄悄话 蓝灵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 19:45:52

Your opening grabbed my attention immediately. -蓝灵- 给 蓝灵 发送悄悄话 蓝灵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 19:48:32

That's great to hear! I was hoping for a strong start. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 19:52:14

What makes J.M. Coetzee's "Waiting for the Barbarians" so -蓝灵- 给 蓝灵 发送悄悄话 蓝灵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 20:00:16

compelling to you? -蓝灵- 给 蓝灵 发送悄悄话 蓝灵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 20:01:12

It's a powerful exploration of power, morality, -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 20:05:44

and the human condition. Coetzee's novel, mind you, is a -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 20:07:55

challenging read, but the anatomy of colonialism is -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 20:10:17

thought-provoking. I can go on and on. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 20:12:09

Haha. It's getting late, so I should probably let you go. -蓝灵- 给 蓝灵 发送悄悄话 蓝灵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 20:15:47

This conversation has flown by. I'll talk to you later. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/27/2024 postreply 20:18:16

Love your English, qiulan, concise and to the point. -暖冬cool夏- 给 暖冬cool夏 发送悄悄话 暖冬cool夏 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/28/2024 postreply 10:32:48

I'm glad you like it. It means a lot coming from you. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/28/2024 postreply 11:42:26

Who is she? -天边一片白云- 给 天边一片白云 发送悄悄话 天边一片白云 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/28/2024 postreply 11:33:04

She's someone I know from a book club. Thank you. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/28/2024 postreply 11:47:15

I see . nice writing. thanks -天边一片白云- 给 天边一片白云 发送悄悄话 天边一片白云 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/28/2024 postreply 15:27:25

Welcome! BTW, I'm always looking for ways to improve. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 07/28/2024 postreply 16:42:44

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