LUNCH TALK | Empire, Espionage and Scandal

Speaker: Adam Sisman and Paul French

Moderator: Julian Stargardt

Date: March 6, Sat

Time: 12:00pm - 2:00pm

Venue: Fringe Club - Fringe Dairy

Address: Fringe Club, 2 Lower Albert Rd, Central, Hong Kong

Price: HKD398 (includes simple lunch)

Language: English

Format: Lunch Talk

Description:

Join acclaimed biographers Adam Sisman and Paul French for a lunchtime discussion exploring the art of uncovering hidden lives. Sisman delves into the worlds of espionage master John le Carré and historian Asa Briggs, figures defined by secrecy and intellect, while reflecting on truth, loyalty, and legacy in biography. French, author of Her Lotus Year, reveals the untold story of Wallis, Duchess of Windsor’s transformative year in China, challenging long-held myths about her controversial life. Together, they illuminate how personal histories, from spycraft to scandal, are pieced together to shape our understanding of character, history, and the human condition.

About the Speaker:

Adam Sisman

Adam Sisman is the author of Boswell’s Presumptuous Task, winner of the US National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography, and the biographer of John Le Carré, A. J. P. Taylor, Hugh Trevor-Roper, and Asa Briggs. Among his other works is The Professor and the Parson: A Story of Desire, Deceit and Defrocking. He has also edited and co-edited three volumes of letters. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and an Honorary Professor at the University of St Andrews.

Paul French

Paul French had worked in Shanghai for many years. His award-winning book Midnight in Peking was a New York Times Bestseller and BBC Radio-4 Book of the Week. City of Devils: A Shanghai Noir received much praise with The Economist writing, ‘…in Mr French the city has its champion storyteller.’ Both Midnight and City of Devils are currently in development for film. His most recent books is Her Lotus Year: China, the Roaring Twenties and the Making of Wallis Simpson, described by the New York Times as ‘…beautifully told through meticulous historical research and examination of contemporary literature and film—gives the reader a vivid picture of what China must have been like for an American expat in the 1920s.’

Don’t miss our special offer: Buy 3, Get 1 Complimentary!

Purchase 3 tickets to any events under HKILF 2026 and claim a complimentary seat at one of these exciting talks at Central Library:

•⁠ 3rd March (Tue): On Muscle: The Stuff that Moves Us and Why It Matters (7:00-8:30pm)

⁠•⁠ 4th March (Wed): I Deliver Parcels in Beijing (7:00-8:30pm)

•⁠ ⁠5th March (Thu): Amitav Ghosh: Ghost-Eye (7:00-8:30pm)

To redeem your complimentary seat, email us at [email protected] with:

•⁠ ⁠Your 3 ticket order numbers

•⁠ ⁠The event you’d like to attend

•⁠ ⁠Subject line: Buy 3, Get 1 Complimentary!

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ABOUT HKILF

The Hong Kong International Literary Festival (HKILF) inspires the joy of reading by bringing the world’s writers and stories to Hong Kong’s diverse communities. A dynamic year-round programme and an annual festival offer dialogue, entertainment and perspective, while the Young Readers Festival (YRF) motivates students to engage with all aspects of the written word, improving communication skills, while nurturing the art of writing and storytelling.

The annual festival features established and emerging writers from around the world, alongside local literary talents, in a programme that includes panel discussions, book talks, readings, workshops, walks, school programmes, performances, and more.

We are a registered charity non-profit organisation dedicated to bringing the best in the literary arts to Hong Kong. To find more, please visit our official website: https://www.festival.org.hk.

Please note that:

*We are unable to process refunds, please consider your ticket purchase a donation to the festival.

*Photos and videos of participants may be taken during the activities,which may be used by the organiser and the major sponsor for educational and promotional purposes in any way deemed appropriate, including disseminationthrough printed and online channels. Participation in the programme will constitute the participants’ consent to the above arrangement.

*The views and opinions expressed by the speakers do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Hong Kong International Literary Festival. HKILF disclaims any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information shared by the speakers.

*If the Black Rainstorm Warning or the Tropical Cyclone Signal No. 8 or above is in force 3 hours before the start time of an event, the event will be cancelled and participants will receive a refund. If the Red or Yellow Rainstorm Warning or the Tropical Cyclone Signal No. 3 is in effect, the event will be held as scheduled.

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