In 2021, author Wayne Ng released a sleeper hit, Letters From Johnny, a novel that became a cherished work of Canadian fiction. Set against the backdrop of the FLQ crisis, the book delves into the thoughts and fears of a young Chinese-Canadian boy through his letters to Dave Keon, then-captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Letters From Johnny earned widespread acclaim, becoming an Ottawa Book Award finalist and winning Best Crime Novella at the 2022 Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence. This weekend, fans can meet Wayne Ng at the Asian Community Arts Market, hosted at the National Arts Centre on Saturday, January 18th. Ng will be signing copies of his latest book, Johnny Delivers, and sharing stories about Chinese Canadian history.
Set in 1970s Toronto, Johnny Delivers delves deeper into themes of family history and cultural values. While it departs from the epistolary format of its predecessor, the sequel tackles issues of the era—organized crime, racism, toxic masculinity—and examines the challenges faced by Chinese Canadians during a time when Canada was far less diverse and accepting than it is today.
The story follows 18-year-old Johnny as he grapples with a family crisis triggered by an auntie tied to the local pagoda who calls in a longstanding family debt. Fearing the collapse of his family’s restaurant, Johnny teams up with his stoner friend Barry to deliver weed alongside egg rolls as a last-ditch effort to save the business. Along the way, Johnny navigates first love, high school struggles, and buried family secrets.
Johnny finds strength in his idol, Bruce Lee, the legendary Chinese-American martial artist and actor, but it’s a high-stakes game of Mahjong that will determine his family’s future.
Ng shared insights with Ottawa Life about how his personal experiences shaped Johnny’s character. Not surprisingly, Ng drew inspiration from his own life, citing Bruce Lee as a hero who left an indelible mark on him, even after Lee’s tragic death in 1973 from a brain haemorrhage.
“Johnny Delivers isn’t just an individual story; it’s a reflection of entire cultures and cities,” says Ng. He describes 1970s Toronto as a dynamic time of transformation. Once a predominantly white, Anglo-Saxon city, Toronto began embracing a wave of cultural diversity. Yet, darker undercurrents also emerged, such as the arrival of Triad gang members from Hong Kong.
Ng admits to initially hesitating about including the Triads in his narrative, fearing the stigma it might bring to the Chinese Canadian community. Ultimately, he decided to address it for historical accuracy. “The truth is, they created police gang units in Toronto to combat them,” Ng says, recalling a Chinatown restaurant bombing in the 1970s that killed one man and injured three others.
But the decade wasn’t solely defined by challenges. Ng highlights the resilience of the Chinese Canadian community, which formed associations based on clan names to support one another. “The Ng’s had a clan, as did the Wong’s and the Lee’s,” he explains. These social clubs became hubs for Mahjong games, tea-drinking, money lending, and even gambling. More importantly, they were vital spaces for survival in an era when integration outside the Chinese community was limited.
On Saturday, January 18th, from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., visit the National Arts Centre to pick up a copy of Johnny Delivers and chat with the author to learn more about the experiences of growing up in Toronto in the 1970s.
Wayne Ng’s award-winning books reflect his fascinating life and unique perspective, making him not just an excellent writer but also a captivating storyteller.
Follow Wayne Ng on Facebook, Instagram, and X or visit his website, waynengwrites.com.
