Kevin Kwan satirizes Asian elite in "Rich People Problems"

The extreme levels of new wealth in China have spawned government crackdowns on corruption and public outcry over the Communist nation’s high-spending “princelings.” But novelist Kevin Kwan says the real story is about the old money. He is the author of the so-called Downton Abbey of Asia, a hilarious bestselling trilogy: “Crazy Rich Asians,” soon to be a major motion picture, “China Rich Girlfriend,” and now “Rich People Problems.” The books follow the “ridiculously rich clan” of Tyersall Park estate in Singapore and their entanglements with the super rich families of mainland China and the diaspora. Along the way Kwan explores class through the stuff his characters buy, from over the top interiors to multi-million dollar couture dresses and cosmetically improved collectible fish. He recently visited the set of “Crazy Rich Asians” in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and spoke to DnA from his hotel room there.

Kevin Kwan