FORTUNE'S BAZAAR The Making of Hong Kong

In her first audiobook, Hong Kong-based BBC journalist Vaudine England delivers an unconventional, mostly suppressed, history of that great international port. Her focus is not on the generals and potentates central to most histories, but on the "in-between" people who are the product of Hong Kong's unique setting and culture. England doesn't identify a prototype; instead she surveys an assembly of memorable individuals and their pedigrees. It's easy to lose the thread, and a more seasoned narrator might have maintained greater balance and continuity. But England proves to be a commanding and effective voice, and her view of what makes cities prosper is fresh, provocative, and extremely timely. D.A.W. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2023]