As a group of avid readers in the LRP team we are very happy to have recently expanded our book offering online and in the showroom. We knew you would be interested in finding out more about some of the wonderful authors and illustrators who have created the ones we've selected. All books have a Hong Kong theme whether it be written or illustrated by someone who lives here or is about the city, the stories and the history of the place so many of us call home.
This week we are meeting Steph Ng who wrote Big Bites Break Boundaries that we have just started to stock.
About you
I was born in Canada, but grew up in Hong Kong, so this wonderful city is where I’m lucky to call home. I wear several hats in my work within Hong Kong’s mental health landscape, but broadly speaking, I am passionate about sparking courageous and caring conversations about body image and mental health in our community. I’m the founder of Body Banter, a registered Section 88 charity in Hong Kong on a mission to empower young people to spark conversations about body image with curiosity and courage. I’m also a research fellow with local mental health charity Mind HK, and am currently finishing up the last year of my doctoral degree in sociolinguistics.
Earlier this year, I published Big Bites Break Boundaries, my memoir recounting my personal experiences of navigating an eating disorder in Hong Kong. In this book, I document my reflections on the unrealistic expectations surrounding appearance and achievement in Hong Kong that are incredibly widespread and influential, yet so often unexamined. I also share lessons and challenges I’ve had in my professional work as a mental health advocate, entrepreneur, and researcher.
Your Inspiration
I remember that in the early days of eating disorder recovery, I found comfort and solace in reading the recovery stories of others — exploring words and ways to begin describing experiences that felt so confusing and unspeakable at the time. Over the years, I have discovered the power of lending language, particularly when trying to make sense of and communicate about painful and traumatic lived experiences. I’ve recognised how the act of sharing stories with one another enables us to celebrate the connecting threads of our experiences whilst appreciating the diversity of our respective journeys. I was inspired to write Big Bites Break Boundaries because I wanted to lend language to someone else, just as I’ve been lent language from others’ stories in my own recovery journey.
Favourite thing to do or see in Hong Kong
My favourite thing to do in Hong Kong is to hike from the SOHO area in Central all the way up to the Peak. I love that feeling of starting from the hustle and bustle of the city and seamlessly entering the greenery of a mountain trail. Then, of course, arriving at the Peak is another highlight, with its amazing food options and incredible views of Hong Kong!
