Sex, drugs, gambling, ghosts, drinking, rugby - and even some police work. Hong Kong on the edge of empire was teeming with triads, smugglers, Chinese immigrants and Vietnamese refugees. Simon's memoir of his time in the Hong Kong police - from the 1970s until after the handover - is a fast-paced tale. From the murky back streets of Kowloon to the open seas, his shocking and hilarious story shows what life was like on the Hong Kong beat.

Fighting to survive on a patrol launch during a typhoon. Investigating a murder by a Vietnamese gangster in a refugee camp. Battling riots during the Cultural Revolution, countering drug smuggling by the triads, and dealing with bank robbers. These are some of the stories told in this compilation of experiences from 50 former Royal Hong Kong Police officers.

Hong Kong in 1970 was the fastest expanding city in the world, a city that lived on three levels - the expatriates, nearly always British who lived in almost complete isolation; the vast mass of Chinese residents struggling to get by and improve their lot; and finally the criminal and corrupt underside which not only fought among itself but also affected the life of everyone else in the Crown Colony through fear and corruption. Fighting to hold this in check - and by and large succeeding - were the Hong Kong police force. At the officer level, many were British. Into this heady and dangerous mix steps a young Merseyside policeman, Chris Emmett. His account of those times brings vividly to life the crime, prostitution, drugs, triad street gangs and corruption that was an important part of the fabric of Hong Kong of those days.

In its last days under British rule, the Crown Colony of Hong Kong is the world's most exciting city, at once fascinating and exasperating, a tangle of contradictions. It is a dazzling amalgam of conspicuous consumption and primitive poverty, the most architecturally incongruous yet undeniably beautiful urban panorama of all. World-renowned travel writer Jan Morris offers the most insightful and comprehensive study of the enigma of Hong Kong thus far.

British and Chinese cultures collide in a deadly serious but often hilarious novel about an American ex-seaman and tavern owner, living in Hong Kong in 1857, who is framed for murder by a beautiful Englishwoman.

Exploring Hong Kong presents a vivid and multidimensional portrait of Hong Kong, one of Asia's most exciting cities. Inspired by his 20-year love affair with Hong Kong, Steven K. Bailey has transformed the typical Hong Kong guidebook by dispensing with the usual laundry lists of sights, hotels, and restaurants. In their place are thoughtfully written chapters that offer the author's personal perspective on how to best explore Hong Kong. From dolphin watches and back-country hikes to street markets, temples, and ferry rides, Exploring Hong Kong contains 40 richly detailed experiences that will unite travelers with the soul of one of the most dynamic cities in Asia. Book jacket.