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A review by wolvereader
A Fortune-Teller Told Me: Earthbound Travels in the Far East by Tiziano Terzani
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.