Book

Mahjong: House Rules from Across the Asian Diaspora is now available for pre-order!

Book Description

For many third-culture kids in the Asian diaspora, the sight and sound of clacking mahjong tiles conjures deep-seated memories. Some learned to play alongside elders, while others watched from afar. Maybe you only distantly know of the game through movies or articles about pop-up mahjong nights. Whether you are looking to reconnect with the game, pick up a new hobby, or introduce others to a favorite pastime, Mahjong is a step-by-step guide for new and seasoned players alike.

With vibrant photography and detailed instructional diagrams, author Nicole Wong walks you through gameplay, just how her grandfather would have. In addition, Mahjong delves into the strategy, history, and design of the game and discusses various popular styles of play (American mah-jongg, Japanese riichi mahjong, and more). A bonus essay also breaks down the mahjong hands in the pivotal scene from the 2018 hit film Crazy Rich Asians, and snippets of the author's family history are sprinkled throughout, telling a story of diaspora through mahjong and showcasing mahjong culture, past and present.

With Mahjong as your guide, learn the history and evolution of this beautiful game while you connect with friends, family, and culture. You may even write your own house rules--just don't forget the snacks!

Publisher: Hardie Grant North America

Publication date: April 8th, 2025 (USA); April 10th, 2025 (UK); April 15th, 2025 (AUS/NZ)

Pre-order

Available to pre-order on the sites below or through your local bookstore:

A few of my favorite indie bookstores:

East Bay Booksellers (Oakland, CA)

Tally Ho! Books (Oakland, CA)

Green Apple Books (San Francisco, CA)

Greenlight Bookstore (Brooklyn, NY)

Books Are Magic (Brooklyn, NY)

Reviews

Mimi Lok, author of Last of Her Name:

“Joyful, informative, and beautifully designed, Mahjong is the book version of a fabulous expert auntie sitting next to you and patiently guiding you through a game. Blending mahjong how-tos, family and game history, and warmly humorous tidbits (e.g. how to trash talk at the mahjong table like a pro), Nicole Wong has created a moving celebration of gathering, connection, and creativity across the Asian diaspora.”

Grace Loh Prasad, author of The Translator’s Daughter:

“Like a friendly cousin, Nicole Wong is the perfect guide to walk you through the intricate rules and innumerable variations of how to play mahjong--with patience, humor and zero judgment. In this gorgeously photographed and illustrated volume interspersed with anecdotes about the author’s family, Wong offers step-by-step instructions that will help those just getting started as well as experienced players who learned from their elders but never had anything written down. Far more than an instruction book, Mahjong provides a cultural history and documents a precious yet often intangible inheritance for those of us in the diaspora.”