PaoKerry Young2011

As a boy, Pao comes to Jamaica with his mother and brother in the wake of the Chinese Civil War. His father has died in the fighting, and the family finds a provider in Zhang, the godfather of Kingston's Chinatown. Pao is inducted into the business, ad soon steps into Zhang's shoes, running small-time rackets and providing necessary protection for the Chinese community.
Pao becomes a powerful man, but he's not a typical crime boss. He is sensitive at heart and guided by the principles of Sun Tzu's Art of War, even though, as he discovers, the wisdom of the ancient Chinese sage can be tough to interpret when applied to the criminal and romantic predicaments he faces.
Jamaica is in flux, transitioning from the last days of British rule while confronting the social and economic inequality left behind and the resulting unrest. The tides of change will reinvigorate Rastafarianism and the Back to Africa movement, but leave Pao's ambitions uncertain. A journey experienced through the eyes of an utterly beguiling character, Pao is an unforgettable novel of race, class and color; love and ambition; and a country in the throes of tumultuous change.