A New Novel Uncovers the Secret Lives of Chinatown

San Francisco Magazine Brandon Yu Lisa Elley, Saatchi Art Vanessa Hua’s debut novel is a clear-eyed glimpse into the hidden worlds of Chinatown. It’s a brisk morning as Vanessa Hua strolls through Chinatown’s living room. At least that’s what the East Bay writer calls the San Francisco park otherwise known as Portsmouth Square, where elderly Chinese people gather daily to crowd around card games, chat, or simply melt into the surrounding white noise of Cantonese and Mandarin conversation...