Book Quote Friday: 'Shanghai Baby'

      Asian writers inspire so much - there's something about the simplicity of their prose and the striking, relaxed, coolness (for want of a better word) of their imagery that just blows me away. There's always a facet of loneliness too: the stories are often first person, are usually an individual expression rather than the description of a group experience or dynamic and are often so random or surreal (a la Murakami) that they'd make no sense if explained or reflected back onto a second or third person. It's much more about what that one person experiences in that moment, no matter how personal, funny or outlandish that might be.