A Fortune Teller Told Me by Tiziano Terzani 

Tiziano Terzani, the author, is warned by a fortune teller in Hong Kong not to travel by air for a year (1993). He then obtains permission from his office (Der Spiegel) to continue his journalistic duties by using other forms of transportation, including trains, buses, cars, and boats, instead of flying.

Fair warning: the author has a predilection for fortune tellers, soothsayers, monks and astrologers. And throughout the 375 pages, in nearly every new town or city he visits, he takes every opportunity to meet one. This can prove tedious to read because the writer has so much more to share with us, especially the exciting historical events happening in the region.

This book is a must-read if you are like some of us, a boomer (as Christina rightly said) or if you are familiar with the Asian region. You will absolutely appreciate the political shenanigans in the book. Terzani describes meeting and having conversations with people in positions of power as though it were something mundane, and this was a sign of the male, white privilege this man carried about with him (as Jayanthi said, women rarely have the chance to leave the children in the care of the spouse and go globetrotting about the world). He lamented the changes in Asia, decried the progress as though people should continue to live in poverty, as it was ‘romantic’ and at a ‘simpler time’. 

Nevertheless, this book will take you to parts unknown, and you will meet people and learn of cultures and customs that are unfamiliar. Terzani was privy to this amazing world, and it is worth reading about here. 

Our group rated the book 7/10

Review thanks to Santhi Nair Moine