As noted by World Literature Today, Xi Xi is one of the most familiar and best translated of the Hong Kong writers, but up until now English-language readers have primarily had access only to her novels, essays and short stories. Her poetry displays a childlike wonder and keen ear for the constantly evolving space of Hong Kong and southern China. The haunting, often morbid lyricism that marks her writing has won her many awards, a devoted following in Hong Kong and Taiwan and a growing audience across the globe. Encylopedia Britannica calls her arguably the greatest female writer from Hong Kong.

Not Written Words is the 2nd volume in the Hong Kong Atlas series. The first volume is Wandering Hong Kong with Spirits, by Liu Waitong, translated by Desmond Sham and Enoch Tam (Zephyr, 2014).