A few months ago I went to an independent bookshop in Yau Ma Tei called Kubrick. It is one of the cutest stores ever. It's a little bit of a hidden gem because it's in a relatively quiet neighborhood while still being adjacent to Mong Kok. There are these huge windows wrapping the outside of the store that bring an abundance of natural light into the space. When you enter there is a seated cafe area on the right but on the left it's like a maze of books stacked shelf after shelf of great publications.
The curation of books there are certainly more artsy/foreign literature pieces but that's part of the charm. There are a few bookshops like this in Hong Kong but I think few have such a wide selection of publications (many of which I have never even heard of). Over the months, I've bought seven publications from this shop and I currently have a list of tentative buys in my head for the next visit. So today I'll be telling you about some of my purchases to hopefully spark your own interest in these titles.
Fare Magazine, Issue 04 Seoul: Well, I'm a sucker for Korean culture. I do dabble in K-Pop and there are a few Korean dramas and variety shows that I watch over and over again. I can eat kimbap or Korean BBQ any day of the week. I love Korean culture, so I was instantly interested in this book. Fare Magazine is a travel magazine that tackles a different city in each issue and dives into the food, culture, history, and community. The book features tons of beautiful images, interviews, suggestions for visits, lessons on cultural norms and so much more. Besides the ample amount of beautiful visuals, my favorite thing about this publication is the exploration of culture and community. Not a lot of travel magazines get into the nitty gritty like Fare Magazine does. My favorite articles were those stories of second generation Koreans, mostly because I relate to them so much. The exploration of certain elements of Korean culture and their importance is such an interesting aspect of Fare Magazine that makes it a great selection.
Are We Europe, Issue 9 Unsilencing Colonialism: In general, I like to read history or non-fiction books so this issue in particularly interested me a lot from the very beginning. Are We Europe is a magazine that emphasizes on its ability to collaborate with people across nations, generations and identities. The diversity in this publication is really what makes it unique. This issue regarding colonialism shows the varied impact it has on people from all corners of the globe and how that affects the communities left behind. When we learn about colonialism, we often only hear one or two sides of it but there are multifaceted communities that still suffer from the effects of colonialism. Reading about issues that are rarely put in the spotlight like erasure of black British history, inequality in black Italian experience, or prevailing architecture of Britain's colonial past in India has been a refreshing change to the common narrative. Are We Europe's ability to compile diverse pieces makes this publication a great choice for anyone wanting to read stories from a new perspective.
A5 Magazine, Issue 15 Island: Okay, I raved about a bunch of really good magazines so I figured I should talk a little bit about one that I didn't like as much. (Hey, maybe you'll like it! Hear me out first.) A5 Magazine is way more of an artsy, design magazine drafted more to highlight different artists and just to visually appeal to the reader. As the book sleeve says, the issue contains 47 postcards, 2 booklets and 1 poster. I figured that the booklets may have a little bit of information about the issue "Island" and the curation process, but there really was no written information at all in this series apart from artists' name and formal information on their work (title, size, medium). So I guess I was a little disappointed that I couldn't read anything about it. Each issue has a different title, but it's not clear why certain pieces were chosen for "Island". Some visuals were very beautiful, others interesting, or wacky but some sincerely felt out of place. Even if there was a little bit of information on the artists' work like what it is or what it represents and etc. that would have made this selection way more worthwhile.
Plantain Papers, Issue 001: In Plantain Papers' editor letter, it claims that this publication is "our ode to plantain fryers, eater and appreciators around the world". Now, don't get me wrong... I love plantains but I don't obsessively crave them if I can't get a hold of some. I really was only introduced to this fruit (yes, it is a fruit) in the later years of my life. This publication claims to be written by plantain eaters, for plantain eaters. Nonetheless, there are still things that non-plantain lovers can take away from reading this. Plantain Papers is a journal of articles, poems and interviews that shares conversations and stories among people, centering around the experiences from African, Caribbean, and Latinx communities. I think this publication was so beautiful to me because I really was able to understand other's experiences but it was also drafted in a way that even I can relate to it. Many articles discussed the second generation immigrant experience and the duality that comes with it. From my own experience, there's this overwhelming feeling of need to belong. As a second generation child of immigrants, you belong neither to your birth country nor your parents birth country. You float in this space between the two, and there is a struggle with acceptance, self-love and cultural identity. Anyways, I wrote way more than I should have. This was a great journal!!
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