by Lauren Ho
fn2. Euphemism for “Job Stealer” or “Disease Spreader” to the locals.
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fn3. This list used to include Engineer and Teacher, but these career paths are no longer as desirable as they used to be.
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Chapter 4
fn1. A Singlish expression, meaning “I’ll never admit defeat.”
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Chapter 9
fn1. “Tan Sri” is the second most senior federal title in Malaysia. Basically, if you have one, you’re minted.
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fn2. A Singlish expression, meaning to overachieve and raise the bar unnecessarily for others.
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Chapter 10
fn1. Central Business District, for the uninitiated.
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Chapter 12
fn1. If you must know, it was the Tang poem “Spring Dawn”:
In spring sleep, dawn arrives unnoticed.
Suddenly, all around, I hear birds in song.
A loud night. Wind and rain came, tearing blossoms down. Who knows few or many? (David Hinton’s translation)
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fn2. Singlish for “posh” or “sophisticated,” or, when applied to a person, “arrogant”; it’s derived from the Malay word “up.”
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Chapter 19
fn1. A derogatory Singlish term for a Chinese man in Singapore or Malaysia, denoting a stereotype of having little education or sophistication in his dressing, mannerisms, speech, etc.
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Chapter 20
fn1. A whisper of cleavage, some knee, sleeves, body-skimming.
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fn2. Singapore General Hospital
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Chapter 21
fn1. Start billing. Duh.
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Chapter 22
fn1. A popular brand of deworming medicine.
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fn1. A once-derogatory Cantonese term that Cantonese-speaking folks use to refer to people of white European ancestry, meaning “ghost devil man” in Cantonese. I know, I know, the Chinese can be so tactful. (pro-tip: If you hear sei, which means “dead,” prefixed to it, as in sei gweilo, it’s meant to be rude.)
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Chapter 26
fn1. Speaking of which, linguistically, Luxembourg is kind of like the overachieving European cousin of Singapore/Malaysia: most people speak four languages (Luxembourgish, German, French, and English) by the time they graduate high school!
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Chapter 37
fn1. Singlish for a lady of privileged means, i.e., with lots of leisure time and money, both of which are typically spent on shopping sprees in designer boutiques, eating in atas cafés, “rejuvenation treatments,” and fitness/dance classes (and sometimes, the instructor(s) that teach those classes).
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Chapter 44
fn1. HDB stands for Housing and Development Board, the statutory body responsible for Singapore’s public housing, where the majority of Singaporeans live.
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Acknowledgments
There comes a time, and that time comes for every soon-to-be published author, when they’ve read their book for the gazillionth time and they are torn—torn—between setting themselves or the book on fire, or both; and then they find out they have to write the acknowledgments, and they have literally run out of words, coherent thought, or brain matter and all is lost, and they should take their emergency zombie apocalypse bug-out bag and run screaming into the night.
Thankfully, I am not that author, because I’ve long prepared for this, perhaps even before the book was done. Ah, the foresight. The hubris. The time-wasting. But mostly the foresight.
Anyway, here goes:
I want to thank my husband, Olivier Too, who told me that I should finish this manuscript instead of palavering on and on about one day being a published author. Your loving encouragement, chocolate, boba and wine runs, superior legal and plotting skills, and—most important—co-parenting skills have helped make this book what it is today.
And then there’s my wonderful, super-diligent, and on-fire agenting team (and savvy beta readers), Allison Hunter and Clare Mao, at Janklow & Nesbit—thank you for taking a chance on me, and for helping me shape this novel to what it is today.
My editors, Margo Lipschultz and Ore Agbaje-Williams—I’m so glad to be working with you both. Your patience, skill, support, and enthusiasm made this journey such a joy. Thank you for taking me on. And this goes for all the great folks at both Putnam and HarperFiction who’ve helped make this book a beautiful reality—all my heartfelt thanks.
My alpha readers: Jie and my sister, Rae, for being so generous with your time and love in reading and brainstorming along with me. Especially you, Rae: you always were so encouraging when we were kids and you had to read some of my early work, some of which, in retrospect, I seriously doubt was age-appropriate—thanks for the sisterly support.
My brother, James, who’s always been my cheerleader in all my writing endeavors and in life, thanks for your love.
I am also indebted to the following busy people who’ve read parts of my book and offered constructive criticism: comics Dan McG, Pete Johannsson, Kok Wei Liang; or advised me on aspects of law/taxation/medicine for this novel: Laurent Henneresse, Leong Chuo Ming, Ivan Lu, Sophie Tan, Lynn Koh, YW Lum—all mistakes or creative deviations are mine alone. Friends who’ve offered me advice or help in their own way throughout this process: Seng Bee, Wayne Cheong, YL Lum, Nadya, and somewhat belatedly, my high school English teacher Ms. Lina Lee of Catholic High School, who spurred me to write better by giving me the occasional A minus in composition.
My dearest friends Serena, Laura, and Meera, whose friendships over the years have fortified me in myriad ways. Friends in Luxembourg: Claire, Pit, Iya, Laurent, Gina, Jeanne, who were always there for me. My SP friends and cheerleaders, especially Lina, Caren, Chelsea, Jacyln, and Lynn; Hanna and all the lovely writer friends in the @2020Debuts group for being so supportive and helpful, online and in person. Thank you.
The showrunners of the superb amateur stand-up comedy scene in Singapore (hey Sam! Eugene! Heazry!) and my fellow comics of the 2015–2017 vintage: thanks for the laughs and the friendships. If it weren’t for stand-up, I wouldn’t have developed the thick skin needed to survive the submission process. Hugs!
Anyone who’s ever told me I could write and who encouraged me (even if you lied through your teeth) and/or gave me constructive feedback—thank you.
The Wohls (epecially Michele and Benoit), Toos (Kevin), and other Hos—mega props for always loving me, feeding me, and bearing with me, especially when I’m hangry and grumpy from the work. And for having a poker face when I first told you about my ambition to be a published author.
My darling Sophie for your patience when I wrote instead of hanging with you, as much as you deserved.
Ah Poh, in heaven: I love you, I miss you.
Last but not least, my parents, who loved me enough to encourage me to pursue my dreams, and who did so unconditionally. Thank you for everything. I promise I used at least 2 percent of the knowledge gained from my law degrees to write this book.
About the Author
Lauren ho is a reformed legal counsel who writes funny stories. Hailing from Malaysia, she lived in the United Kingdom, France and Luxembourg before moving with her famil
y to Singapore, where she is ostensibly working on her next novel. Last Tang Standing is not based on her mother. At all. Seriously.
She can be found here @hellolaurenho on Twitter, IG, FB and hellolaurenho.com.
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty. Ltd.
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Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
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Toronto, Ontario M5H 4E3, Canada
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India
HarperCollins India
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New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand
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Auckland, New Zealand
www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF, UK
www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
www.harpercollins.com