TheUmbrellaMovementput Hong Kong on the world map and elevated this docile, money-mindedAsian island to a model for pro-democracy campaigns across the globe.Umbrellasin Bloomis the first book available in English to chronicle thishistory-making event, written by a bestselling author and columnistbased on his firsthand experience at the main protest sites. JasonY. Ngtakes a no-holds-barred, fly-on-the-wall approach to coveringpolitics. His latest offering steps through the 79-day struggle, fromthe firing of the first shot of tear gas by riot police to theevacuation of the last protester from the downtown encampments. It isall you need to know about the occupy movement: who took part in it,why it happened, how it transpired, and what it did and did notachieve.
Born in Hong Kong, Jason Y. Ng is a globe-trotter who spent his entire adult life in Italy, the United States and Canada before returning to his birthplace to rediscover his roots. He is a full-time lawyer, a magazine columnist and a resident blogger for the South China Morning Post. His social commentary blog As I See It and leisure review site The Real Deal have attracted a cult following. Jason has been featured at the Hong Kong Book Fair and the Hong Kong International Literary Festival. He has been profiled in Time Out, The Sun, SCMP, various other publications and numerous overseas blogs. Jason speaks frequently at local universities and art festivals. In addition to being a writer, he is also a social activist. He is an ambassador for Shark Savers FINished With FINs campaign and an outspoken supporter of foreign domestic helpers, new immigrants and other minority groups in Hong Kong. Jasons day job and personal interests make him a frequent traveler: over the years, he has visited over 100 cities in more than 35 countries. In 2011, he was named Man of the Year by Elle Men magazine, and in 2013 he was keynote speaker at the Harvard Club Book Prize award ceremony. He lives in Hong Kong.
Introduction Foreword by Joshua Wong Foreword by Chip Tsao Map of Hong Kong Part 1 - Germination The Day When Everything Changed Hong Kong Politics 101 The Making of Promises The Breaking of Promises A Season of Discontent The Day After Everything Changed Part 2 - Growth Cops and Mobs Carrots and Sticks The Court of Public Opinion The Dynamics Within Reaction from Overseas Part 3 - Full Bloom A Tale of Three Villages Hong Kong 2.0 Harcourt Academy Water Blowers' Society Lion Rock Villas Admiralty Food Bank Umbrella Cultural Center The Peak General Hospital OCLP Law Offices Out of the Village, Into the World Part 4 - Wilting The Last Days Success or Failure Winners and Losers Afterword Appendices I. Timeline of Key Events II. Umbrella Movement Day by Day III. Who's Who of Local Politics IV. Major Political Parties in Hong Kong V. Glossary
The umbrella flowers blossomed and withered. Ng captures the lifecycle of the occupy movement with compassion and wit. Benny Tai, co-founder of Occupy Central with Love and Peace Ngs authoritative account of the occupy movement is compelling and full of surprises. He combines a journalists precision with a Hong Kongers passionate heart. Zeb Eckert, anchor, Bloomberg Television Insightful, accessible, and a hugely enjoyable read, Umbrellas in Bloom is jam-packed with eureka moments. The movement in all its vibrancy jumps off every page. It is essential reading for anybody wanting to understand the existential crisis currently engulfing Hong Kong. Matthew Torne, director of Lessons in Dissent
