Author Amy Lau Chuen Yim held a presentation for the English edition of her book “Memories of Old Macau: The Story of My Childhood” on Saturday at Livraria Portuguesa (Portuguese Bookshop), taking attendees with her as she reminisced about a Macau different to what we know today.
The book presentation, which lasted around an hour, also featured a themed talk where attendees virtually visited Macau during the old days through pictures and stories.
Lau, a retired teacher and librarian, has been living in Canada for 36 years, residing in Edmonton. She first moved to Macau from Guangzhou with her parents in 1958 when she was three years old, spending eight happy childhood years here until 1967, when her family moved to Hong Kong.
Despite having left Macau decades ago, it has continued to be a special place she has never forgotten and always remained in her heart, with memories and moments having vividly stayed with her for over half a century.
“As time goes on and I grow older, I fear that my memory will decline. And I fear that one day, I will become too old to remember”, the author acknowledged during the presentation, noting that she decided make these memories permanent by putting them on paper.
Depicting civil society, culture and life in Macau during her childhood, her book was first published in Chinese in 2018, which went on to become a bestseller in Hong Kong and Macau, while the English version came out in 2022. The book also went on to top the bestseller list of the Plaza Cultural Macau Bookstore four times, and its enjoys a high circulation rate in public libraries in Hong Kong.
Author Amy Lau signs her book after Saturday’s book presentation and theme talk at Livraria Portuguesa in the city centre. – Photo: Rui Pastorin
