When authors give shout outs to other great works, people, and events, it's usually not accidental. Put on your super-sleuth hat and figure out why.
Literary and Philosophical References
- Bernard-Henri Lévy (2.5.34)
- Charles Dickens (2.6.2)
- Somerset Maugham (3.13.69)
- John Morgan, Debrett's New Guide to Etiquette and Modern Manners (P.7)
- Almanach de Gotha Limited, Almanach de Gotha (P.7):
- Originally published in the late 18th Century, the Alamanch de Gotha catalogues the genealogies of noble families in Europe. A new publisher acquired the rights to resume publishing in 1989 after a hiatus since World War Two.
- King James Bible (1.2.5)
- Margaret Wise Brown, Bonsoir Lune (Goodnight Moon), (1.9.1)
- Edgar Allan Poe, "Annabel Lee" (1.16.90): While the reference isn't explicit, Araminta's mom's name is the title of a Poe poem
- J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (1.17.53)
- Brothers Grimm, "The Twelve dancing Princesses" (2.5.1)
- Charles Perrault, "Sleeping Beauty (2.13.22)
- C. S. Forester, Lieutenant Hornblower (2.15.1)
- Ernest Hemingway, Islands in the Stream (2.15.1)
- Herman Melville, Billy Budd (2.15.1)
- Knut Hamsun, August (2.15.1)
- Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre (3.15.62)
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (2.5.4):
- A reference to the Mad Hatter's tea party
Historical References
- King George IV (P.7)
- Burma/Myanmar (1.2.23):
- Under military rule after its independence from Britain, Burma became Myanmar in 1989.
- Japanese occupation of Singapore during World War Two (1.7.22)
- Princesse de Lamballe (1.15.4)
- Aga Khan (1.9.10)
- "Pulled a Tiananmen" (1.10.9):
- Referencing the military suppression of pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989.
- Imelda Marcos (1.12.4)
- Queen of Sheba (1.13.41)
- Bolshevik Revolution (1.15.18)
- Jawaharlal Nehru, former Prime Minister of India (2.2.39)
- Bhumibol, King of Thailand (2.2.76)
- J.P. Morgan, the banker (2.2.152)
- Princess Diana's death (2.14.6)
- Pre-Communist Havana, Cuba (2.16.14)
- Wedding of Consuelo Vanderbilt to the Duke of Marlborough, 1895 (3.4.67)
- Marie Antoinette (3.5.4)
- Marie de' Medici's arrival in Marseilles (3.5.20)
- Queen Nefertiti (3.7.4)
- Pulau Hantu—Ghost Island (3.8.5)
- Grand Duchess Zoya (3.8.16)
- China's One-Child Policy (3.20.19)
Pop Culture References
- Calvin Trillin, New Yorker article (1.1.10)
- Joan Collins (1.9.10)
- Princess Rosario of Bulgaria (1.9.10)
- Sir Paul McCartney (1.9.12)
- Fortune Asia's "Hong Kong's Top Ten Richest" (1.10.11)
- Xanadu (1.10.14)
- The English Patient (1.11.10)
- Wong Kar-wai filmmaker (1.11.35)
- Gordon Gekko (1.11.46)
- Talking Heads, "This Must Be the Place" (1.11.66)
- Popular Mechanics (1.13.1)
- Penthouse (1.14.11)
- Colin Firth (1.14.17)
- Alexander von Humboldt (1.15.6)
- Clark Gable (1.15.12)
- Millicent Rogers (1.15.15)
- Pocahontas (1.15.23)
- Grace Kelly (1.15.25)
- Fortune Asia (1.16.21)
- Astor, Trump, Vanderbilt (1.16.49)
- Venus de Milo (1.16.55)
- Kristin Scott Thomas (1.17.22)
- London Times (1.17.47)
- Forbes "Asia Rich List" (1.18.14)
- Katherine Hepburn (1.18.54)
- Lang Lang (2.1.15)
- Merchant Ivory films (2.2.31)
- Hieronymus Bosch (2.2.92)
- Rupert and Wendi Murdoch (2.2.108)
- Tilda Swinton (2.2.133)
- Catherine Deneuve (2.4.20)
- Elizabeth Taylor (2.4.28)
- Princes of Wales (2.4.84)
- Zoolander (2.5.21)
- Running of the bulls in Pamplona (2.8.40)
- Jacqueline Kennedy (2.8.50)
- American Vogue magazine (2.8.53)
- Audrey Hepburn (2.8.71)
- Greenpeace (2.9.28)
- Sylvester Stallone (2.9.99)
- Rambo (2.9.129)
- Vogue China (2.10.44)
- Condé Nast Traveler (2.11.1)
- The Beatles (2.16.27)
- Hillary Clinton-esque pantsuit (2.18.10)
- Battlestar Galactica (2.18.28)
- CSI: Miami (2.18.99)
- Beijing Olympics opening ceremony (3.1.35)
- "God is in the details," said by Mie van der Rohe (3.2.1)
- Duke of Edinburgh (3.2.3)
- Architectural Digest (3.2.6)
- French Vogue (3.2.6)
- Partitas by Johann Sebastian Bach (3.2.37)
- Felix Mendelssohn (3.2.37)
- Lady Gaga (3.2.37)
- Frida Kahlo bun (3.2.52)
- Tim Paulson, American economist (3.2.63)
- Town & Country (3.3.55)
- Sultan of Brunei (3.4.2)
- Duchess of Alba (3.4.25)
- Greta Garbo (3.4.29)
- Vienna Boys Choir (3.4.61)
- King Hassan of Morocco (3.4.62)
- Michael Nyman's "Prospero's Magic" (3.4.64)
- Charlie Siem, virtuoso violinist (3.4.65)
- "Theme from Out of Africa" (3.4.65)
- Botticelli's Primavera (3.5.20)
- Sultana of Borneo (3.5.38)
- Jean Seberg's hairstyle (3.5.87)
- Angela Lansbury's Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast (3.5.91)
- "Besame Mucho" (3.7.2)
- David Bowie and his iconic sense of style (3.7.12)
- Elton John and his iconic sense of style (3.7.13)
- Steve Jobs (3.7.22)
- "Welcome to Fantasy Island!" from Fantasy Island (3.7.30)
- Cirque du Soleil (3.7.42)
- Barbara Streisand (3.8.41)
- Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" (3.8.44)
- Aaron Kwok (3.8.47)
- Cleopatra (3.8.65)
- B-52s "Love Shack" (3.8.72)
- Cai Guo-Qiang (3.8.104)
- Brancusi (3.9.8)
- Downton Abbey (3.10.25)
- South China Morning Post (3.12.34)
- James Dean (3.13.60)
- "Ballade pour Adeline" (3.14.1)
- Apocalypse Now (3.15.83)
- Hiroshi Sugimoto (3.16.2)
- Iron Chef (3.16.18)
- Mad Men (3.16.21)
- Damien Hirst (3.16.48)
- "Pass It On" hymn (3.17.36)
- Botticelli's Venus (3.17.36)
- Henry Blodget (3.17.63)