Hasu August is on her everlasting journey of writing and photography, constantly exploring the intricate tapestry of humanity. Her debut novel, The Envelopes (Earnshaw Books 2025) and her debut photobook, Though I Have No Roots|根無し草として (Sokyusha|蒼穹舎 2026), offer readers a glimpse into the lives of individuals whose paths intertwine in unexpected ways. Through her vivid storytelling, Hasu invites her audience to reflect on the universal themes that bind us all.
What is it about when saint and devil are hardly distinct from each other in a China that you might have never known before?
BOOK DESCRIPTION
China in the 2010s. While many women seek men of means to love and protect them, Jade Bai, a former nurse now working as an HR professional, unknowingly marries into an influential government family. Her father-in-law, Zhengting Dai, is a top minister in a big city, generous and modest and implacable in his refusal to accept envelopes to curry favor. As she begins her new life, and her new job with a multinational company, Jade becomes pregnant, but her father-in law's rigid principles jeopardize the safety of her unborn baby. He has to face the possibility that being purer than driven snow sometimes helps no one. Meanwhile, Jade's coworkers uncover widespread graft that could endanger them all. Will getting rid of the crooked ones stop the evils? The Envelopes is a provocative story of how far love and devotion can go in the eternal struggle between good and evil.
AMAZON REVIEWS
“This is more than just a story; it is an intimate and layered portrait of a world that is often hidden from outsiders. For those seeking a deeper understanding of China’s social, economic, and emotional landscapes, The Envelopes is a must-read.” – Karl
BOOKBUB/GOODREADS REVIEWS
“Brilliantly written… With professional twists and turns throughout this novel, readers will love the suspense that Hasu August has built up and will become invested in the story in this incredibly detailed, exciting, immersive, and well-written new novel.” – Lily
I was ever fascinated by the States led by the Statue of Liberty, Europe full of charm, the Arctic that feels like a whole other world, etc.. But all the time, there are three cities that I have held dear to my heart; that I have kept leaving and returning to. Though I don’t feel belonging to any of them, I gradually became aware of my sentiments towards them…
人生の旅の中には自由の女神に導かれるアメリカや風情があるヨーロッパや別天地のような北極などにうっとりさせられたことがありますが、ずっと私の心の中に特別の存在としての都市が三つあります。いずれにも帰属欲求をもっていなくても、私はこの三つの都市を行き来し、何度も繰り返していて、特殊の感情が徐々にわかってきました。。。
“This photobook offers an insight to the distinct lives being lived across various regions.”
「その様々な地域で、人々がそれぞれ固有の人生を生きていることへの理解をこの本は与えてくれる。」
©Hasu August 