A labor of love for HK's blue-collar workers

Alongside people in familiar jobs like that of a convenience store cashier and food delivery driver, the book also features those in slightly off-beat, and uniquely Hong Kong, professions such as a buffalo whisperer, a seller of golf balls, and a lifeguard.

Each figure featured in the book seems to have a distinctive personality. Cheng doesn't settle for platitudes or surface-level observations. She zeroes in on moments that reveal something deeply human. Whether it's the detailed description of Yuk making dumplings, or the un-self-conscious rhythm displayed by Ho as she picks up rejected cardboard boxes, these snapshots of Hong Kong's men and women of action come across as personal, rich, and alive.

If you read

Hong Kong Shifts: Stories from the Streets of Hong Kong

Words by Cynthia Cheng

Photos by Maxime Vanhollebeke

Blacksmith Books

Price: HK$288 ($37)