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digitaure's review
4.0
A Fortune-Teller told me is the fascinating account of an Italian news correspondant's travels across South East Asia, solely over land and sea. Written in the early 1990s, it is a story to rediscover and take inspiration from as the no-fly movement grows. At times, Terzani states questionable and dated generalisations about certain South East Asian minorities and women. Nevertheless, his insights on regional current affairs and spirituality as well as the encounters he relates make this book a worthwhile read.
suzums's review
5.0
One of the first books I picked up as a teenager and absolutely loved. It has been awhile since I last read it but I'm definitely picking it up again soon.
becklabeck's review
5.0
A seasoned traveler and long-time resident of multiple Asian countries decides to follow a fortune-teller's advice to not fly for the entire year of 1993, instead continuing his travels by train, boat, automobile, and foot. He journeys through China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Mongolia, Laos, and Russia, seeking the culture of each place and consulting fortune-tellers at every stop. I enjoyed Terzani's writing style - poetic, honest, with entertaining touches of humor - and the way he blended his contemporary travel tales with historical context, his own memories, and philosophy. He thinks about fate, time, nature, war, globalization, modernity, progress, luck, and coincidence. He was a likeable narrator for me, talking to lots of different people and going out of his way to experience interesting things, and striking a nice balance between open-mindedness and criticism. I liked how he already knew quite well the culture of the places he visited, spoke multiple languages and already had experiences living in some of the countries he passed through. He felt like a good guide for this journey, providing lots of information that helped each destination and the journey itself come to life with rich sensory details and a deeper understanding of the places he visited. This book is over 10 years old so I'm sure a lot of things have changed since he chronicled them here, but I really enjoyed the glimpse into 1993 around Asia. I learned plenty of interesting things from this book and it raised some new questions and ideas that I will gladly ponder further. And I now have quite a hankering to ride on a boat, after reading the delightful chapter titled "Hurray for Ships!"
ordinary's review
slow-paced
1.0
Terzani's loathing for Chinese permeates every page of this book. It's appalling that one can masquerade one's 'opinions' about the global south under the pretext of searching for spiritual answers from the 'exotic east'. Funnier still that he finds his peace at the end under the tutelage of another white man co opting the title of saint/teacher.
Yeah, so Terzani basically spent all of his travels about how the Chinese were money obsessed and lamenting about the destruction of eastern culture placing the blame solely on corrupt, shallow easterners while not once thinking about the heavy impact of colonialism in the first place. A colonizer's book through and through. Disgusting.
Yeah, so Terzani basically spent all of his travels about how the Chinese were money obsessed and lamenting about the destruction of eastern culture placing the blame solely on corrupt, shallow easterners while not once thinking about the heavy impact of colonialism in the first place. A colonizer's book through and through. Disgusting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
gab_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
lucaconti's review against another edition
2.0
Amo l'Asia ma Terzani non fa per me. Passi la premessa dell'anno senza volare, ottimo pretesto per un libro, ma la ricerca di un nuovo indovino a inizio anno no. Ovviamente il secondo dice cose diverse dal primo e Terzani cade nel tipico errore di chi vuole comunque credere: trovare un modo di giustificare le diverse predizioni, pur non vere. Spirituale non vuol dire per forza essere credulone. Abbandonato.
wolvereader's review
2.0
This was a book about travel and superstition in Asia. Sadly, it was also a book about the author's journey of discovery. At his best, Terazani tells wonderful anecdotes about his dificulties traveling the world in a year without airplanes, and does an excellent job of describing the characters he meets and the landscapes he visits. At his worst, he takes the opportunity to beat us over the head with his amateur philosophy and "thought-provoking" questions.
Especially in the early going, Terazani frequently muses about why he's visiting fortune tellers, whether or not he believes them, and why others believe them. First time: interesting. Fifth time: self-indulgent.
This book fits into a particular "essayist" genre of travel literature, where the author isn't sure if it's a travelogue or a rumination on life. Some may enjoy it when the author tells you directly what he's thinking, but I'd rather skip to the travel, the people, and the stories and draw my own conclusions. Overall the book wasn't a waste of time, but I don't think I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't like that style of travel writing.
Especially in the early going, Terazani frequently muses about why he's visiting fortune tellers, whether or not he believes them, and why others believe them. First time: interesting. Fifth time: self-indulgent.
This book fits into a particular "essayist" genre of travel literature, where the author isn't sure if it's a travelogue or a rumination on life. Some may enjoy it when the author tells you directly what he's thinking, but I'd rather skip to the travel, the people, and the stories and draw my own conclusions. Overall the book wasn't a waste of time, but I don't think I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't like that style of travel writing.
gia_mug's review
5.0
I love reading this book. I do it every couple years, to visit the countries, history and thoughts Terzani travels through again, and it never fails to make me curious and intrigued about the people I meet in new places, and the things they believe in...
maa's review
5.0
A wonderful book of discovering a superstitious Asia. An ode to a continent and its culture, to the slow pace of travelling earthbound and the joy of it. And such an inspiring cartesian quest! I very strongly recommend it.
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