208
BOOK REVIEWS
These and other difficulties in realizing this project seem to have deterred the present compilers. The result, I am afraid, is far from satisfactory. Although the book is set out in several sensible sections, focusing on the harbour, China Town (Western), the strategic areas of Central, the Peak, Mid-levels, several suburbs such as Happy Valley, the vast area of change in Kowloon and the New Territories is condensed into one chapter.
However, there are chapters devoted to People (a few random pictures of groups of Chinese people), Buildings of Note, Early Hotels and the Beaches (Repulse Bay).
But in design and execution scrappy unrelated text set to grey, dull pictures (even a couple of crudely coloured pictures advertised as the highlights of this collection stand out like sore thumbs) — this book will not satisfy anyone coming to consult it to see how Hong Kong has changed.
Eric Cumine, Hong Kong: Ways & Byways: A Miscellany of Trivia. (Hong Kong, 1981).
Given the rich varied cornucopia so generously offered to the reader by a man who is so evidently in love with Hong Kong, it seems the best idea is to adopt his own menu arrangement to give some idea of this book. There is some significance in the letters and entries chosen here as examples of 'Cuminology.'
Records
A measured sense of pride informs this book; so it is no surprise that Eric Cumine says "we have a few records to gloat over". Some, we might agree with e.g. "Hong Kong is the noisiest place in the world, according to a H.K.U. lecturer" (Reviewer's note: not me!)
I do not agree that we have the best lawn bowls players in the world. Architecture
This is a category not included here: but it should be. In fact, there is a goodly sprinkling of drawings by Eric and his P.W.D. friends. Reflecting the author's modesty, he does not include any mention of his own architectural contributions to Hong Kong's Ways & Byways. Of course, Hong Kong's architecture (apart from the house where the author lives) is a mediocre mass of box-like uniformity.
Glamorous City
Cumine quotes Fodor to the effect that Hong Kong is the fifth most glamorous city in the world. A captivating but elusive concept. It would
208
BOOK REVIEWS
These and other difficulties in realizing this project seem to have deterred the present compilers. The result, I am afraid, is far from satis- factory. Although the book is set out in several sensible sections, focus- sing on the harbour, China Town (Western), the strategic areas of Central, the Peak, Mid-levels, several suburbs such as Happy Valley, the vast area of change in Kowloon and the New Territories is condensed into one chapter.
However, there are chapters devoted to People (a few random pictures of groups of Chinese people), Buildings of Note, Early Hotels and the Beaches (Repulse Bay).
+
But in design and execution scrappy unrelated text set to grey, dull pictures (even a couple of crudely coloured pictures advertised as the highlights of this collection stand out like sore thumbs) — this book will not satisfy any one coming to consult it to see how Hong Kong has changed.
Eric Cumine, Hong Kong: Ways & Byways: A Miscellancy of Trivia. (Hong Kong, 1981).
Given the rich varied cornucopia so generously offered to the reader by a man who is so evidently in love with Hong Kong, it seems the best idea is to adopt his own menu arrangement to give some idea of this book. There is some significance in the letters and entries chosen here as examples of 'Cuminology."
Records
A measured sense of pride informs this book; so it is no surprise that Eric Cumine says "we have a few records to gloat over". Some, we might agree with e.g. "Hong Kong is the noisiest place in the world, according to a H.K.U. lecturer" (Reviewer's note: not me!)
I do not agree that we have the best lawn bowls players in the world. Architecture
This is a category not included here: but it should be. In fact, there is a goodly sprinkling of drawings by Eric and his P.W.D. friends. Reflecting the author's modesty, he does not include any mention of his own architectural contributions to Hong Kong's Ways & Byways. Of course, Hong Kong's architecture (apart from the house where the author lives) is a medicore mass of box-like uniformity.
Glamorous City
Cumine quotes Fodor to the effect that Hong Kong is the fifth most glamorous city in the world. A captivating but elusive concept. It would
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