“Reading the World: Food Culture ．Future Living.”
— Hong Kong Book Fair 2025
ARPress has been actively participating in some of the world’s most prominent international book fairs, from the Bologna Book Fair and the London Book Fair to events in Miami, Beijing, and Sharjah. We’re excited to share that our journey doesn’t stop there. Our latest step forward: participation in the 35th Hong Kong Book Fair 2025. This expansion brings even more opportunities to connect with readers, authors, and publishers on a truly global scale, and we’re just getting started.
The 2025 Hong Kong Book Fair took place from July 16–22 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. This year’s theme, “Food Culture · Future Living,” served up a rich menu of tastily themed programming. Culinary literature from around the world was showcased, offering insights into food’s role in traditions, health habits, and even the future of dining through tech innovations. The World of Art & Culture zone elevated the experience, blending interactive art, dynamic videos, music, and literary commentary. Eight artists and several embassy installations illustrated how a dining table can be a cultural microcosm.
One highlight was the collaboration with Macao’s Cultural Affairs Bureau, which brought a “Macao Craft Market” to the fair. Around 40 creative brands presented handmade crafts, fashion, and lifestyle pieces that reflect Macao’s unique local identity. Mainland China also had a strong showing, with over 40 publishers and nearly 20,000 titles, including a spotlight on Sichuan’s cultural offerings.
Beyond browsing shelves, visitors immersed themselves in interactive experiences: AR photo booths, needlework demonstrations (such as Sichuan embroidery), panda-themed installations, and a civic education exhibition featuring Cantonese opera, ballet, game booths, and photo corners aimed at promoting awareness.
Book signings and author talks drew enthusiastic crowds. Fans queued to meet popular voices such as Ghost Writer (孤泣) and more. Seminars covered a wide range of topics, featuring international voices like Rie Qudan, Lindsay Varty, and Osamu Okamura, alongside local and regional authors. The fair hosted eight themed lecture series, including future living, local history, youth reading, and mindfulness.
To commemorate its 35th edition, the fair introduced several clever ticketing promotions: free admission for visitors born in 1990, special packages allowing five people to enter for the price of three, and limited-edition tote bags and gifts for shoppers who spent over HK$500. The fair didn’t just showcase booksit offered an immersive cultural feast, blending reading, dining, art, craft, tech, and performance. It was a testament to how a book fair can go beyond the printed page, feeding the mind, the heart, and yes, even future appetites.
Author Marsha May Fairchild Sumpter was born and raised on a working ranch twenty-eight miles north of Philip, South Dakota. As young people, they worked hard and played hard, and events that occurred caused considerable pain to her both mentally and physically. Her choices were not the best, and at seventeen, she was very much on her own. The saying “I was the only hell my mother ever raised” was probably very accurate. She writes this to tell you what it was like growing up and to let others know their choices are important to their future.
She has had many life experiences, both good and bad, over the years. Growing up in the 1940s, every farmer/rancher in South Dakota was dirt poor, trying to produce a crop when there was no rain, or the grasshoppers took over or hail came and wiped out all. The hard work left its mark on this young person. It was always the next year’s country. Did she want to live and work at this all her life? That wasn’t a question that she asked herself, but she stayed away from that lifestyle at an early age.
After marriage, at a young age, it was “you made your bed, lie in it,” and she was destined to finish high school and care for a baby before knowing anything about babies other than lambs, calves, and pigs. Poverty was a way of life for this young couple, scrimping to make ends meet. Work consisted of being a bus driver at age eighteen, a short-order cook and finally going on to get more education and work in offices.
The Spare (Part 4) is a deeply personal memoir that explores the themes of perseverance, familial bonds, and the emotional complexity of holding onto one’s heritage. Marsha May Fairchild Sumpter weaves a tapestry of stories that reflect the challenges and triumphs of managing a family farm and the enduring lessons passed down through generations. This book serves as a tribute to the sacrifices made by previous generations and a call to appreciate the value of heritage and hard work. Through vivid anecdotes, Marsha reminds readers of the enduring impact of decisions made in the past and their reverberations through time.
She brings her firsthand experience to life with the wisdom and warmth of someone who has lived the stories she shares. Raised on the family farm in South Dakota, Marsha grew up surrounded by the values of determination, resourcefulness, and respect for the land. Her memoir is an homage to her parents and grandparents, whose vision and resilience shaped the future of their family. Through the pages of The Spare, Marsha captures the heartache and hope of sustaining a family farm amid the challenges of modern times. Her meticulous attention to detail and gift for storytelling makes this memoir both an emotional and educational journey.
Marsha recounts her family’s tireless efforts to cultivate and expand their homestead, demonstrating the rewards of dedication and strategic planning. From her grandparents’ daring move to the Dakota Territory to her parents’ meticulous stewardship of the land, the memoir underscores the profound connection between the land and its caretakers.
Through candid narratives, Marsha reveals the complexities of managing a family business. Conflicts, differing visions, and the weight of responsibility are recurring themes, offering readers a realistic portrayal of the sacrifices required to maintain unity and purpose. The story teaches the importance of perseverance and long-term planning. It shows how the choices made today impact future generations, emphasizing the need to honor and preserve our legacies.
The Spare: Part 4 delves into the later stages of life, offering insights into aging and the inevitability of death. The narrative reflects on the “winter” of human existence, highlighting both the challenges and blessings encountered along life’s journey. The overarching moral lesson emphasizes the importance of resilience and gratitude. By embracing life’s trials and appreciating its blessings, individuals can navigate the complexities of aging with grace and dignity.
This installment continues the author’s exploration of personal growth and perseverance, themes evident throughout the series. For instance, in The Spare: Part 1, Sumpter reflects on the significance of choices in shaping one’s destiny, encouraging readers to consider their own decisions and potential for growth. Similarly, The Spare: Part 2 recounts the author’s early marriage, marked by challenges that were overcome through commitment and determination. This narrative underscores the value of steadfastness in the face of adversity. In The Spare: Part 3, the focus shifts to the family’s return to the ancestral farm, symbolizing a journey of compromise and commitment. The story illustrates the complexities of familial relationships, and the resilience required to preserve family heritage.
Collectively, the series offers a profound reflection on life’s various stages, emphasizing that through resilience, commitment, and gratitude, individuals can find meaning and fulfillment, even amidst challenges.
The Spare (Part 4) was displayed at the 2024 and 2025 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (LATFOB) – Book Gallery. LATFOB is one of the world’s most significant literary gatherings. It has been held every year since 1996 with the goal of bringing together the people who create books and the people who love to read them. It is attended by more than 550 authors, celebrities, storytellers, and hundreds of exhibitors.
Most recently, the book was featured at the 2025 Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF). The 31st edition of BIBF, held from June 18 to 22, 2025, unfolded as a vibrant tapestry of literary innovation, cultural exchange, and academic collaboration. Hosted at the China National Convention Center, this year’s fair showcased over 400,000 titles and introduced groundbreaking initiatives that highlighted the evolving landscape of global publishing. Spanning 50,000 square meters, BIBF 2025 featured more than 1,700 exhibitors from 80 countries, a significant increase from previous years. Notably, first-time participants from Bangladesh, Chile, Ethiopia, and Jamaica brought fresh perspectives to the fair’s diverse representation. The event attracted approximately 300,000 visitors on the first day alone, reflecting the growing global interest in literature and publishing.
Purchase the book, The Spare (Part 4) by Marsha May Fairchild Sumpter, via this link: