Thomas Andrikus > Recent Status Updates

"In England, no one wants to be seen to try too hard. Skills must come naturally, and seem effortless, in order to count... In America, effort [is] practically a religion" - p.167

So most patients in a hospice are expected (but not obligated) to sign a DNR order. Interestingly, those that do defer signing DNR are in the minority.

The people of Iroquois Nation (whose ancestral lands consist of most parts of Northeast & Midwest USA) have interesting aspects of their culture. Women are head of their families, and the healers understood the importance of sanitation long before European doctors did.

So in US, "homely" actually means ugly even though its actual (British) definition is "comfortable and cozy". Why on earth would Americans bastardize the meaning of such a lovely word???

As the Royal hotel is closed and the jazz players become unemployed, I guess the story now shifts focus onto Thomas Greene and Song Yuhua's love story... It is an interesting twist of fate amidst the imminent threat of full-blown atrocity by the Japanese in late 1930s

I'm starting to read this novel given by Shelle, curious to explore it as it has been on my to-read list for a while...