The HKILF 2025

Author/ Being Neighbourly
27 February 2025

The Hong Kong International Literary Festival (HKILF) returns this March, bringing emerging and established writers to the city to share their love of storytelling. The Festival is set to take place from 1 to 8 March and, spanning two weeks for the first time ever, the Young Readers Festival Schools Programme is scheduled from 24 February to 7 March.

Programming includes literary lunches, workshops, family events, International Women’s Day spotlights and an array of diverse sessions, ensuring a fantastic time for bookworms of all ages. The celebration of the joy of reading will take place at venues across the city, from The Central Library to Soho House and beyond.

Alka Joshi, internationally bestselling author of the Jaipur Trilogy: The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur and The Perfumist of Paris brings her inspiring journey and global bestseller to the festival’s marquee event. Enrolling in an MFA program at the age of 51, Alka Joshi turned her passion for storytelling into the New York Times Bestseller The Henna Artist and was an immediate success. A Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, the novel takes readers to 1950s Jaipur, where a young woman escapes an abusive marriage and makes a name for herself as a sought-after henna artist while navigating social expectations and personal ambition.

Sydney-based author Madeleine Gray’s 2024 debut novel Green Dot was an instant hit among readers and critics alike. The contemporary story, where she unpacks the humour, heartbreak, and deeply relatable struggles of her protagonist, paints a picture of the joys and embarrassments of modern adulthood, filled with complicated relationships, questionable choices, and the irresistible allure of chasing happiness in all the wrong places.

The HKILF 2025 Schedule

The Hong Kong International Literary Festival 2025 will take place between 1-8 March.

The annual festival features established and emerging writers from around the world, alongside local literary talents, in a programme that includes panel discussions, book talks, readings, workshops, walks, school programmes, performances, and more.

HKILF has brought a distinguished roster of guests to Hong Kong for over 20 years. Past speakers include Margaret Atwood, Amy Tan, Shehan Karunatilaka, Irvine Welsh, Kevin Kwan, Jonathan Kaufman, Cheryl Strayed, David Sedaris, Jason Reynolds, Pico Iyer, Ian Rankin, Yann Martel, Julia Donaldson, Neil Gaiman, Michael Morpurgo, Emily St. John Mandel, and Dan Santat, among many others.

For the full and up to date programme, please visit the HKILF Eventbrite collection.

The festival will also feature Bernardine Evaristo, a literary powerhouse and the first ever Black woman and Black British person to win the Booker Prize in its 50-year history. Evaristo’s groundbreaking novel, Girl, Woman, Other, won the 2019 Booker Prize for its masterful portrayal of twelve interwoven lives across generations and its exploration of identity, race, and gender in Britain. Notably, the book was also among Barack Obama’s favourite books of 2019. Her latest memoir, Manifesto: On Never Giving Up, is an inspirational and candid account of her life and career. With wit, candour, and unwavering bravery, Evaristo shares her perspectives on defying barriers, embracing identity and pursuing one’s ambitions against all odds. Both a personal reflection and a call to action, Manifesto is a powerful celebration of resilience.

For those craving an exhilarating experience, Asako Yuzuki’s session guarantees to be an unforgettable thrill. Known for her profound understanding of interpersonal relationships and social dynamics, Butter marks her first novel published in English. Inspired by the real-life case of the “Konkatsu Killer,” the novel explores the intricate relationship between food, trauma and social expectations through the lens of a journalist who developed a bond with a murder suspect.

Stay tuned for Being Neighbourly x Bookish Everybody‘s upcoming book reviews of Joshi’s Six Days in Bombay, Evaristo’s Manifesto and Yuzuki’s Butter.

Hong Kong Talent

Hong Kong talent will also be strongly represented throughout the festival. Sonia Leung, author of The Girl Who Dreamed: A Hong Kong Memoir of Triumph Against the Odds, will share her journey of resilience in the face of a horrific violation during her adolescent years. In her memoir, Leung depicts her struggle to overcome an adverse childhood in mainland China and Hong Kong and eventually build an independent life in Taiwan through perseverance and education. Leung will lead a writing workshop, empowering participants to write candid memoirs and reclaim the narratives.

Renowned author and historian Paul French is known for his compelling narratives in modern China. His latest book, Her Lotus Year: China, the Roaring Twenties, and the Making of Wallis Simpson, offers a fresh perspective on controversial figure Wallis Warfield Spencer, aka Wallis Simpson or the Duchess of Windsor, and the time she spent in China. This pivotal period not only shaped her life and style but also revealed her hidden complexity and resilience. French challenges the British establishment’s portrayal of Wallis. Through meticulous research, he unearths a story of courage and possible espionage, suggesting that Wallis may have secretly acted as a courier for the US government during China’s civil war. This forgotten story provides a new insight into a woman who would eventually cause a national crisis by becoming the wife of King Edward VIII.

As the city continues to shine in the culinary world, it’s only fitting that Hong Kong’s vibrant hospitality community gathers to share their extensive insights. This year, the festival is thrilled to welcome Jennifer Wong, a talented writer, comedian, and host of the acclaimed series Chopsticks or Fork?, which highlights the rich tapestry of Chinese restaurants across regional Australia. Joining her will be ArChan Chan, Executive Chef of Ho Lee Fook. The pair will present an engaging discussion centred around their respective works: The Cantonese Cookbook and Chopsticks or Fork? This enlightening talk, taking place on 8 March, International Women’s Day, promises to celebrate the intersection of food, family, and the various ways that cuisine forges ties across continents. Join these two women trailblazers as they share their experiences navigating the culinary landscape.

Adding a wellness element to the programming is Michelle Bang, who will launch her debut book Sun & Ssukgat – The Korean Art of Self-Care, Wellness & Longevity in an engaging conversation on 7 March. Drawing on ancient Korean wellness traditions, Michelle explores timeless practices for self-care and longevity, from healing foods to sustainable living. A Harvard Business School graduate and eco-entrepreneur, Michelle will discuss how these traditions transformed her own life and how they align with modern needs for balance and well-being. This event, in partnership with the Harvard Business School Association of Hong Kong (HBSAHK), is perfect for everyone seeking well-being in a fast-paced world.

The Young Readers' Festival

For the first time, the Young Readers Festival Schools Programme will run for two weeks, from February 24 to March 7, giving young people the unique opportunity to meet some of the finest local and international authors in person. Schools from kindergarten to secondary are selected from a carefully curated list of talents, showcasing a lineup as diverse as the vibrant city of Hong Kong. International superstars include investigative journalist Jake Adelstein, author of Tokyo Vice, which explores the intricate world of organised crime in Japan and has been adapted into an HBO series. The book highlights issues of moral dilemmas and the pursuit of truth in a complex society.

The best children’s books and graphic novels invite readers into imaginative worlds while celebrating diverse experiences, and award-winning author-illustrator Maple Lam excels at doing both. Born in Hong Kong and now based in Los Angeles, Maple moved to the United States at age 11 and draws on her multicultural background to create heartfelt stories with universal appeal. Her works, including Dim Sum, Here We Come! and the graphic novel series Monkey King and the World of Myths, blend humour, culture, and storytelling mastery. Maple will guide younger audiences in exploring family traditions and creative storytelling with her beloved book Dim Sum, Here We Come! For older students, she will dive into the process of making graphic novels, offering an inspiring look at her creative journey and sharing invaluable insights about developing as an artist and storyteller.

“We look forward to welcoming readers to the Hong Kong International Literary Festival 2025, where a vibrant mix of celebrated authors and emerging voices will take centre stage. This year’s program showcases an array of venues and formats throughout the city. There’s genuinely something for everyone, and we’re excited to celebrate the power of stories with you,” says Executive Director of the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, Laura Mannering.

By bringing the world’s writers and stories to Hong Kong’s diverse communities, the HKILF hopes to inspire continued interest in the written word and give underrepresented, emerging writers a platform to show their talent.

A Picture Worth A Thousand Words

“I actually made the drawing for this year’s HKILF in the summer and early autumn of last year,” says artist Andreas von Buddenbrock, aka ‘The Ink Trail’. “It was made using ink pen and paper and features one of my friends, who was kind enough to model as the main character. Technically, it’s an amalgamation of one larger original drawing and a few smaller drawings, edits to the original, that I pieced together using digital tools,” he says.

“The point of this drawing, is for people to realize that not only should we start reading more, but we should remember how reading a good book used to make us feel. It’s really the antiserum to the phone- and dopamine-addiction we see all around us.”

“I, like most others, often find myself staring at the screen for way too long, so this is as much a reminder to myself as I have intended it to be to others.”

The HK International Literary Festival
302B, Kai Tak Commercial Building,

66-72 Stanley Street, Central.

About the Author

Bookish Everybody

Books and reading are too often on the periphery. Enter: Bookish Everybody, a one-stop community of book enthusiasts to read or write reviews, join read-alongs, buy/sell/give books and join our competitions to win books: www.bookisheverybody.com.