Ink & Quill

The average Chinese read less than eight books last year. Does it mean that China is behind the curve in terms of its reading culture? In this edition of Ink&Quill, we will look at a joint report released by Amazon and China national press agency Xinhua and listen to some experts' opinions on children, digital media, and reading. Last but not least, in this week's Bookchat, our reporters touch on various reading campaigns across China and whether these promotion ideas are just wishful thinking.

"Be yourself and not follow the crowd" is a phrase we frequently hear from our parents and peers.But in reality, this inspirational note is just words. In this edition, we talk to two authors, Holly Smale and Rob Biddulph. Both of them touch on matters of personal growth and celebrating difference in their respective works.

In 1979, China and America, two great powers across the Pacific, established a

formal diplomatic relation. By the time the joint communiqué was signed, many

non-governmental interactions had already been going on for decades.

Despite the occasional turbulence and friction, an increasingly number

of people from both sides have started to regard each other's countries as lands

of opportunity, or even, another home. As these expatriates explore new world, uncover new skills, and connect with new

crowds in a place far away from the motherlands, they are also compelled to

embrace the downsides and challenges of international living. So what does it feel like to be a US citizen in the Middle Kingdom? And how does

a Chinese get acculturated to America's melting pot of culture? In

today's Ink&Quill, we talk with some of the expats to find out their

respective answers.

A lot of people have qualms against travel books. Reasons are listed as

followed: they are unreliable; they hype the mysteries and splendors of certain

cultures; and they are inundated with sentimental, artsy-fartsy comments or

philosophical nonsense. In this episode, let's find out whether it is really that case.

Nowadays,

even the least tech-savvy individuals have to admit that our technology has

evolved better and faster than ever. But, what is going to happen next? To

answer the question, we have the great honour to talk with digital visionary Kevin

Kelly, Senior Maverick at Wired magazine as well as the author of the New York Times

bestseller The Inevitable in this edition of Ink&Quill. In this extended

episode, we are going to discuss some technological trends that may

revolutionize the world in the future.

Apologize for the delay, as our producer

Shiyu fell sick last week. In this episode, we will check out Chinese

journalist Zhang Jin's book, Weather Through: Notes on Depression Recovery,

which may bring some inspiration for everyone fighting with their own black

dog.

In this week's Ink&Quill, we explore the meaning of craftsmanship spirit by discovering the stories of a bunch of relic restorers at the Palace Museum. Plus, we will look at how Chinese fantasy novels gain foothold in foreign countries. (Original broadcast time: Jan 14, 2017)

Fans and cinema goers, are you ready to say

goodbye to Wolverine, our favourite mutant from the X-Men franchise?

This weekend, the film Logan, as Australian actor

Hugh Jackman's final stand as this iconic, clawed superhero, is going to hit the

big screen worldwide.

As fans bemoan the swan song of their beloved

character, more comic book-inspired movies are ready to fill the void.

However, are there too many of them?

In this edition of Ink&Quill, let's follow our comic book

buffs Shiyu and Sam to find out.

So far, more than half of the world's population lives in towns and cities. By 2050, three-quarters will do. As urbanites become the new majority, out cities are growing bigger and faster than never before. However, are cities, the habitats many of us call home, as healthy as we expect them to be?

If you are into something as epic, complicated, and plot-heavy as Game of Thrones, then the Chinese classic, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, is a tour de force that you should not overlook. Best known as "三国演义" in Chinese, the saga is hailed as one of

China's Four Great Classical Novels. Its influence on Chinese society is the

equivalent of the influence that Shakespeare has in the western world. Since 2014, Chinese-American John Zhu has produced more than 100 podcasts to retell the legend of the three kingdoms. In this episode, our reporter Shiyu talks with John Zhu, to find out what fuelled his interest and how he bridges this classic novel with non-Chinese audiences.