City on Fire

the fight for Hong Kong

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Pub Date 16 Mar 2020 | Archive Date 31 Mar 2020

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Description

A long-term resident and expert observer of dissent in Hong Kong takes readers to the frontlines of Hong Kong’s revolution.

Through the long, hot summer of 2019, Hong Kong burned. Anti-government protests, sparked by a government proposal to introduce a controversial extradition law, grew into a pro-democracy movement that engulfed the city for months. Protesters fought street battles with police, and the unrest brought the People’s Liberation Army to the doorstep of Hong Kong. Driven primarily by youth protesters with their ‘Be water!’ philosophy, borrowed from hometown hero Bruce Lee, this leaderless, technology-driven protest movement defied a global superpower and changed Hong Kong, perhaps forever.

In City on Fire, Antony Dapiran provides the first detailed analysis of the protests, and reveals the protesters’ unique tactics. He explains how the movement fits into the city’s long history of dissent, examines the cultural aspects of the movement, and looks at what the protests will mean for the future of Hong Kong, China, and China’s place in the world.

City on Fire will be seen as the definitive account of an historic upheaval.

A long-term resident and expert observer of dissent in Hong Kong takes readers to the frontlines of Hong Kong’s revolution.

Through the long, hot summer of 2019, Hong Kong burned. Anti-government...


A Note From the Publisher

The first book to tell the full story of the Hong Kong protests, revealing how they fit into the history of dissent in the city, and what the they mean for the future of China’s place in the world.


A long-time resident of Hong Kong, Dapiran’s commentary on the protests has appeared in leading media outlets across the globe, including the BBC, The Guardian, the Financial Times, and The New York Times.

The first book to tell the full story of the Hong Kong protests, revealing how they fit into the history of dissent in the city, and what the they mean for the future of China’s place in the world.

...


Advance Praise

‘City on Fire by Antony Dapiran, a lawyer and writer, offers a firsthand analysis and description of one of the 21st century's most significant struggles. China's authoritarian interference in Hong Kong was met by a unique and unprecedented popular uprising. This book provides a clear narrative and frontline perspective of a complex issue. It is the most comprehensive book about the Hong Kong protests from a professional observer.’

Ai Weiwei



‘The events that have rocked Hong Kong over 2019 have bewildered and surprised people inside and outside the city. This is a timely, well-informed attempt to make sense of everything that has happened - critically important in view of the confusion, and contention, that this event has caused.’

Professor Kerry Brown, Director, Lau China Institute, King’s College London

‘City on Fire by Antony Dapiran, a lawyer and writer, offers a firsthand analysis and description of one of the 21st century's most significant struggles. China's authoritarian interference in Hong...


Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9781925938241
PRICE US$37.99 (USD)
PAGES 336

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Average rating from 6 members


Featured Reviews

I have seen the situation in Hong Kong on the news, but like many people that do not live there I only knew what the news showed me. Reading this book gave me a look at what someone that actually is affected by the events there is experiencing. The author wrote an account of what is happening and how it is not unique for that area. It was also interesting to read about how the author thinks that these events will shape the future of Hong Kong and other areas.

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I had followed the news on the uprising in Hongkong a couple months back, and the horrific videos and articles I found online had given me a fright, and it was the same feeling I had upon reading this book. Just chills everywhere. This book pretty much gives you a round, clear understanding of how this uprising came to be and why the people of Hongkong are furious. Eye-opening, terrifying, a must-read.

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A must-read book on the situation in Hong Kong. An important and illuminating account of the recent protests, their tactics and the causes of the protests. Clearly written, this is an accessible and engaging read.

If you are familiar with Dapiran's other work (for example, his Penguin Special, "City of Protest"), then you should also enjoy this book.

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