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'An utterly charming and engaging travel book that offers vivid portraits of unusual corners of Asia, told by a skilled raconteur whose eyes were open wide.' -- Los Angeles Times Book Review Warned by a Hong Kong fortune-teller not to risk flying for an entire year, Tiziano Terzani--a vastly experienced Asia correspondent--took what he called 'the first step into an unknown 'An utterly charming and engaging travel book that offers vivid portraits of unusual corners of Asia, told by a skilled raconteur whose eyes were open wide.' -- Los Angeles Times Book Review Warned by a Hong Kong fortune-teller not to risk flying for an entire year, Tiziano Terzani--a vastly experienced Asia correspondent--took what he called 'the first step into an unknown world....

It turned out to be one of the most extraordinary years I have ever spent: I was marked for death, and instead I was reborn.' Traveling by foot, boat, bus, car, and train, he visited Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Mongolia, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Geography expanded under his feet. He consulted soothsayers, sorcerers, and shamans and received much advice--some wise, some otherwise--about his future. With time to think, he learned to understand, respect, and fear for older ways of life and beliefs now threatened by the crasser forms of Western modernity. He rediscovered a place he had been reporting on for decades. And reinvigorated himself in the process.

The premise is wonderful. A skeptical journalist is warned by a Hong Kong fortune teller to avoid air travel for the year 1993, and decides to heed the warning partially as a personal challenge (considering the amount of travel that his job requires) and partially to playfully indulge the superstition. So he travels by land and sea through Asia (as I am doing) and as he ruminates on how much more rich and alive the world becomes when eschewing airplanes & -ports, he gets into the habit of re The premise is wonderful. A skeptical journalist is warned by a Hong Kong fortune teller to avoid air travel for the year 1993, and decides to heed the warning partially as a personal challenge (considering the amount of travel that his job requires) and partially to playfully indulge the superstition. So he travels by land and sea through Asia (as I am doing) and as he ruminates on how much more rich and alive the world becomes when eschewing airplanes & -ports, he gets into the habit of regularly visiting fortune tellers and magicians in the towns he goes to, wondering what THEY might have to say. Those parts of the book are delightful, and Terzani picks out a lot of nice details in his descriptions of people and places. If the book were only that it would've been a lot thinner and I would've liked it a lot more.

Sadly each chapter is plagued with extended rants about how modernity is killing these once-beautiful Asian countries, and how everything is becoming westernized and homogenous with the advent of television and whatever. Not only have these aspects of the narrative not aged well, it betrays a kind of prudish attitude that is pretty boring to read about. I also consider the idea that modernity is a threat to culture to be a bit myopic, and the author makes the common mistake of using 'modern' and 'western' interchangeably, which in my opinion handicaps his credibility as a thinking traveler. A while back I read a book, that made a huge impression on me, it highlighted the native American culture and how so much of it is disappearing. This book in many ways resembles that one, though the location is very different, a look at the disappearing Asian primitive landscape, it being overtaken and changes through progress. This is also, a book that I had never heard of nor probably picked up if it wasn't a recommendation pick from a group I am in.

It covers so much ground, different beliefs A while back I read a book, that made a huge impression on me, it highlighted the native American culture and how so much of it is disappearing. This book in many ways resembles that one, though the location is very different, a look at the disappearing Asian primitive landscape, it being overtaken and changes through progress. This is also, a book that I had never heard of nor probably picked up if it wasn't a recommendation pick from a group I am in. It covers so much ground, different beliefs and cultures, old ways versus the new changing ways. As the author points out progress carries a huge price. Loved learning about their belief systems, their traditions and superstitions. The author was a journalist and he writes very clearly and well, his opinions are ones that I share.

He actually lived in these countries, not just stopped in to report. He visited people, fortune-teller and other spiritual entities native to whatever country he was living in.

So another book that made a huge impression on me, one I won't soon forget. Glad I bought it because I can take the time to re-read whenever I feel the urge, and I have no doubt I will. This book is very well written. I really like the author, he has a very easy-going and readable style; he's articulate, intelligent, observant, and deeply reflective. Whether you are interested his adventures in Asian countries and his thoughts on their cultural developments and how the west has impacted them, or his metaphysical musings and some surprising personal experiences as he searches out mystics, psychics, and fortune tellers, this books is a pleasure to read because the author is able This book is very well written.

I really like the author, he has a very easy-going and readable style; he's articulate, intelligent, observant, and deeply reflective. Whether you are interested his adventures in Asian countries and his thoughts on their cultural developments and how the west has impacted them, or his metaphysical musings and some surprising personal experiences as he searches out mystics, psychics, and fortune tellers, this books is a pleasure to read because the author is able to slow down and really absorb the atmosphere wherever he happens to be, then reflect on it and communicate the experience so well that it's easy to imagine I'm there. I lived in Asia for 11 mo's in 2000 and his book took me right back as if it was yesterday. I enjoyed the book so much I searched for the authors home page to write and thank him for the book, and I was very sad to find that he passed away. There's a really good obit.

I read this book slowly at the beginning. Slowly like the travels Tiziano makes through Asia. When he decides to follow what a fortune telle told him years before in Hong Kong, maybe he couldn't imagine how travels can change when you decide not taking a plane for a whole year, and keep on working as a journalist in Asia. This is a lovely book. Tiziano was a real traveller, not a tourist at all. He describes the bad and good part of every country he visits, but he never complains like tourist so I read this book slowly at the beginning.

Slowly like the travels Tiziano makes through Asia. When he decides to follow what a fortune telle told him years before in Hong Kong, maybe he couldn't imagine how travels can change when you decide not taking a plane for a whole year, and keep on working as a journalist in Asia.

This is a lovely book. Tiziano was a real traveller, not a tourist at all.

He describes the bad and good part of every country he visits, but he never complains like tourist sometimes do. He meets so many people and it's nice to see its path through different fortune tellers:). Well this certainly started out promising enough. But oh, did it ever wear out its welcome. The constant visits to fortune-tellers—while an obvious thread to have running throughout—drag because they're not given much context or significance.

'So I found this fortune teller who's the most respected in the area. I gave him or her some information—some right, some wrong. (S)he gave me some predictions—some right, some wrong. Should I be doing this? What merit does fortune-telling have? Let me rumina Well this certainly started out promising enough. But oh, did it ever wear out its welcome.

The constant visits to fortune-tellers—while an obvious thread to have running throughout—drag because they're not given much context or significance. 'So I found this fortune teller who's the most respected in the area. I gave him or her some information—some right, some wrong. (S)he gave me some predictions—some right, some wrong. Should I be doing this?

What merit does fortune-telling have? Let me ruminate on this once again.' An annoying thread (that I couldn't un-see once I started noticing it) was how much Terzani seems to hate the Chinese. Chapter 10 starts out with a visit to the Malaysian prime minister's house in Kuala Lampur, comparing the Malay people there to characters in a fairy tale: Once upon a time there was a rich land in which the Malay people lived happily and peacefully...

One day some colonialists came from a faraway land, but the country was rich and the Malays continued to live serenely. But when the colonialists went away, the Chinese remained in Malaysia, and there was no more peace for the Malays. Take a shot every time he paints the Chinese as the unthinking, unfeeling, efficiency-above-all-else, practicality-as-a-means-to-an-end, money-loving, materialistic enemy of all other Asian nations and cultures. You will not survive. There's also this creepy (almost fetishistic) underlying tone. I understand his basic sentiment that modernity and materialism (for their own sake) are disturbing/destroying ancient cultures. But does he have to sound so creepy about it?

It's hard to explain, but I get the feeling that he'd much rather everyone stayed how he wants them to stay (i.e., as they were 20 years before his travels), regardless of what the people themselves might prefer. What should have been an interesting account of traveling through the Asian countries on ground-level and meeting the peoples throughout, becomes instead a tedious collection of pseudo-philosophizing about materialism and spirituality. This travel book uses the device of the author's avoiding air travel due to a fortuneteller's prophecy to give the author an excuse to do several travels by land, mostly in SE Asia but also on a train trip to Italy. The travel parts are mildly interesting, though since the book is quite old, only of historical interest. Unfortunately, he carries out his fortuneteller theme by consulting a randomly chosen fortuneteller everywhere he goes which could have been interesting, had he taken the time to This travel book uses the device of the author's avoiding air travel due to a fortuneteller's prophecy to give the author an excuse to do several travels by land, mostly in SE Asia but also on a train trip to Italy.

The travel parts are mildly interesting, though since the book is quite old, only of historical interest. Unfortunately, he carries out his fortuneteller theme by consulting a randomly chosen fortuneteller everywhere he goes which could have been interesting, had he taken the time to learn something about the various techniques used, but since he lumps together highly trained astrologers with palm readers and psychics, the result is what you'd predict.

Mostly poor quality readings. Ironically, in the course of his travels he meets with two well trained astrologers without having any idea of what their training implies. One is a student of the Hamburg school, who in my experience can give dazzlingly accurate readings about events. He laughs at the idea of a person of South East Asian origin learning astrology in Hamburg--obviously unaware of what Hamburg means in the history of technical astrology--and doesn't end up getting a reading from the man. Later he encounters another well-trained astrologer and gives him someone else's birth data, which results in a very accurate reading about the other person and a missed opportunity to learn something about his own character. Much of the book is also taken up with the author's musing, very shallowly, about his life--about which he isn't willing to tell us very much, and philosophizing, again very shallowly. The idea that there might be something to meditation and a spiritual life overwhelms him at the end, and I got the feeling we were supposed to admire him for the discovery.

I was glad he had made such a discovery, but suspect this book would only be of interest to highly intellectualized people with an overwhelmingly materialistic outlook. To anyone with any experience with serious spiritual disciplines or the fortune telling techniques which require years of study, this book is of little interest. Xecuter Jr Programmer V2 Drivers on this page.

A really fantastic book about a journey through Asia sans the use of an airplane. The reader really gets to see the world through Terzani's eyes. I enjoyed the montage of experiences, the poverty, the joy, the strength of belief, the greed that Terzani portrays. Though many have attempted dispute of the so called 'Asian Economic Miracle' Terzani may be one of the first to present a cogent human side to why things are perhaps not so perfect.

He shows the loss in vivid color that has nothing to do A really fantastic book about a journey through Asia sans the use of an airplane. The reader really gets to see the world through Terzani's eyes. I enjoyed the montage of experiences, the poverty, the joy, the strength of belief, the greed that Terzani portrays. Though many have attempted dispute of the so called 'Asian Economic Miracle' Terzani may be one of the first to present a cogent human side to why things are perhaps not so perfect.

He shows the loss in vivid color that has nothing to do with the numbers so coldly presented in other pieces. He shows the social cost, the breaking of human networks, the resultant up-cropping of civic and health problems that arise from globalization and shows a more balanced view of what this really means. As a non-fiction story, it reads like fiction sans any problems in believability.

It's the kind of book that makes you want to plan a similar journey. As a premise for a travelogue, it's certainly an interesting one: warned by a Hong Kong fortune teller not to fly during 1993 or he will die, on a whim an Italian journalist decides to take the hint and forgo flying for an entire year. Obviously as Asian correspondent for a German magazine this presents certain problems - how can one ensure one can make it to the right place at the right time, when travelling there can take days or even weeks instead of hours, assuming that it is even possible t As a premise for a travelogue, it's certainly an interesting one: warned by a Hong Kong fortune teller not to fly during 1993 or he will die, on a whim an Italian journalist decides to take the hint and forgo flying for an entire year. Obviously as Asian correspondent for a German magazine this presents certain problems - how can one ensure one can make it to the right place at the right time, when travelling there can take days or even weeks instead of hours, assuming that it is even possible to get there at all? Travelling through Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, China, Russia and back again by a whole host of methods - cars held together by wire, over-crowded trains, on foot and by mule, by cargo ship - Terzani sets out to step outside of the normal pace of modern life, to immerse himself in the life of the countries he is so used to simply flying over and simply slow down a little.

In each country he visits seers, palmists, astrologers and fortune tellers, comparing their predictions, assessing their accuracy, exploring both his doubts and certainties. It also serves as an elegy for a certain way of life that Terzani feels is being lost in the inexorable encroach of 'progress', of modern life. A lot of unique cultures, mythology and folklore is being lost in the wake of globalization, the rush for a certain standardized Western way of life, in Asia and the Far East coming largely through the conduit of China and the Chinese diaspora. Terzani certainly seems to have quite a love-hate relationship with modern China and the Chinese.

I really enjoyed this book, and it was certainly an interesting approach to a travel book. That said, I did find it patronising in places, a little sexist, and a little too romantic about the benefits of a certain traditional, rustic way of life.

Progress and modernity isn't all bad, and whilst globalization has done a great deal of damage, it has brought benefits to a large proportion of the world. Sp Column 4 81 Crackle. There is something to be said for keeping in touch with a country's roots and traditions, but sometimes it seems like Westerners (and Terzani is no exception) would prefer Asia to remain traditional and rustic, not for its own sake and the sake of its people, but so as to serve as some kind of idealised, exotic place for Westerners to escape to and dream about. I don't have much love for this book. First off, I think it oversells itself.

The map at the beginning details a round-trip journey from Phnom Penh via Russia to Europe and back via boat to Singapore. However, this trip receives very little mention, except for a few pages on his time in Mongolia. I was really interested in hearing about such a fascinating voyage and disappointed that it received very little attention.

Second, the author readily admits that he is no intellectual, simply a man of g I don't have much love for this book. First off, I think it oversells itself. The map at the beginning details a round-trip journey from Phnom Penh via Russia to Europe and back via boat to Singapore. However, this trip receives very little mention, except for a few pages on his time in Mongolia. I was really interested in hearing about such a fascinating voyage and disappointed that it received very little attention. Second, the author readily admits that he is no intellectual, simply a man of great feeling.

Indeed, his love for Asia is apparent and he details the places he visits with great emotion and devotion. However, I was on guard when reading the bulk of his analysis. Let me boil this down: Asia is being ruined by Chinese and Thai dedication to Western notions of modernization (including industrialization, development of a tourism industry etc.), both in their own countries and wherever else they can gain influence (Burma, Laos etc.). The author speaks Mandarin and has spent years living in China and Thailand so I can't dismiss him as a grumpy Westerner with no cultural insight who simply wants 'his Asia of old' to remain as always, no matter if this modernization would improve the standard of living and opportunities for Southeast Asians or that said people would want these improvements. Can I dismiss him as such? This book reads mostly as a nostalgic swan song that might interest his grandchildren but certainly didn't interest me. There was nothing new about his ideas and his fortune tellers' predictions became repetitive.

Predictions are by nature only interesting to those they concern anyway. The only time this book really inspired me was when Terzani took a step back in the very end of the book and resumed his more objective journalistic role when detailing his encounter with an opium producer near the Thai-Burmese border. Finally, an insight into how modern Southeast Asia actually works! With a fascinating character and equally interesting historical backstory! Otherwise, read Burmese Days, To Cambodia With Love or Gecko Tails for better writing and further insight into the region. I loved this book.

It is the haunting story of a middle aged Italian journalist from Florence whose lifelong beat has been Asia. He has lived and worked there most of his life and watched it go through wars and 'development.' In 1976 a fortune teller in Hong Kong tells him that he will die in a plane crash in 1993 so he shouldn't fly that year.

It's a long way off but years pass and when 1993 comes, now in his late 50's Tiziano Terzani decides he will organize his ongoing work so that he can go I loved this book. It is the haunting story of a middle aged Italian journalist from Florence whose lifelong beat has been Asia. He has lived and worked there most of his life and watched it go through wars and 'development.' In 1976 a fortune teller in Hong Kong tells him that he will die in a plane crash in 1993 so he shouldn't fly that year. It's a long way off but years pass and when 1993 comes, now in his late 50's Tiziano Terzani decides he will organize his ongoing work so that he can go everywhere by land or sea, but not by air.

This provides him a whole different perspective on places witha far more human scale and sets the stage for his ongoing reflections on the degradations to culture and soul brought about by 'modernization' throughout the East. He is skeptical of his own gullibility with regard to the soothsayer's prediction so decides to make a study of fortune tellers everywhere he goes. Travelling at a slow pace and willing to go out of his way for days to reach the famous astrologer on the hill, or the local wise man, we see him encounter a variety of people who are more or less gifted with the ability to read omens -- palms, horoscopes, tea leaves and more. Terzani never quite loses his skepticism but his appreciation of traditional modes of life and thought only deepens throughout the book until you are caught up with him in a sense of inestimable loss brought about by the quest for money and western ways that is more successful in destroying cultures and ecosystems than any army. It's a travelogue and documentary but reads like a novel. An enlightening and entertaining look at Asia, the changes it is undergoing, and the superstitions that dictate much of life for many from Malaysia to Cambodia to China.

After being told by a fortune-teller that he risked death if he took a plane in 1993, Terzani spent the earth traveling throughout Asia by land, visiting a local fortuneteller in every place he stopped. The resulting book is a bit of a cross between a travel memoir, a reflection on spirituality and superstition, and an examinati An enlightening and entertaining look at Asia, the changes it is undergoing, and the superstitions that dictate much of life for many from Malaysia to Cambodia to China. After being told by a fortune-teller that he risked death if he took a plane in 1993, Terzani spent the earth traveling throughout Asia by land, visiting a local fortuneteller in every place he stopped. The resulting book is a bit of a cross between a travel memoir, a reflection on spirituality and superstition, and an examination of the politics and economic development in Asia. Terzani is a skilled writer, but this book is not without its flaws. Terzani is an obvious admirer of Asia as it used to be, before its 'Westernization' and economic development.

At times, this means he lacks objectivity and does not (in my view) delve into any of the negative repercussions of faith many Asian people have in fortunetellers and the occult, nor does he consider that the economic development may have had positive effects. Nevertheless, it is well-written and extremely interesting. Will be of particular interest to anyone who has lived in or traveled throughout Asia. Apparently this is a classic of new age travel fiction. I enjoyed it because it was a very different take on travel. He went to unusual places and interviewed fortune-tellers (and lots of other people) in each destination.But even now and then he'd really alienate me by saying classic new age tourist things about how nice it would be for the natives to remain as they are which is always pretty rich from someone who enjoys western plumbing and freedoms. For instance when talking about the young wo Apparently this is a classic of new age travel fiction.

I enjoyed it because it was a very different take on travel. He went to unusual places and interviewed fortune-tellers (and lots of other people) in each destination.But even now and then he'd really alienate me by saying classic new age tourist things about how nice it would be for the natives to remain as they are which is always pretty rich from someone who enjoys western plumbing and freedoms. For instance when talking about the young woman who was cook and (the captain's hired concubine) on one of his ships. 'One day she too will free herself from her slavery to the captain and we'll find her as a hostess on a Thai International Airlines plane, serving frozen omelettes,' said Leopold. She undoubtedly dreamed of such a future but I could not wish it for her.'

Could cheerfully have strangled the bastard at that moment. On the whole though, the book was a fabulous read. This was nothing more a continual diatribe against the negative effects of development in Asia.

Heavy on exposition/editorial, light on narrative and scene. I think it could have been effective as an essay or editorial but a 365 page rant? In fairness, there was some reference in the book jacket copy to the anti-materialism message but I was not prepared for such a negative and one-sided book (surely there have been some positive effects of development like rising standards of living?). And also This was nothing more a continual diatribe against the negative effects of development in Asia. Heavy on exposition/editorial, light on narrative and scene. I think it could have been effective as an essay or editorial but a 365 page rant?

In fairness, there was some reference in the book jacket copy to the anti-materialism message but I was not prepared for such a negative and one-sided book (surely there have been some positive effects of development like rising standards of living?). And also in fairness, I only read a few chapters before I gave up; maybe it got better. But the narrator came across to me as a thoroughly unlikeable curmudgeon and I was sick of his whining by page 40 or so. I don't necessarily disagree with his perspective (I don't know enough about the topic to have an educated opinion) but I have no interest in investing several hours reading something so negative.

This travelogue had me in its grips all thru my SE asia trip. Then i got home and found out from a pretty-reliable-but-extremely-cynical source, who had personal contact with the author, that terzani may or may not be a pathological exaggerator and jerk in real life. So now i don't know what to make of it. Well extramoral confusion doesn't detract from the book's merits, per se. The snapshots of singapore, thailand, hong kong, malaysia, indonesia, china, vietnam, cambodia, burma, and mongolia ar this travelogue had me in its grips all thru my SE asia trip.

Then i got home and found out from a pretty-reliable-but-extremely-cynical source, who had personal contact with the author, that terzani may or may not be a pathological exaggerator and jerk in real life. So now i don't know what to make of it. Well extramoral confusion doesn't detract from the book's merits, per se.

The snapshots of singapore, thailand, hong kong, malaysia, indonesia, china, vietnam, cambodia, burma, and mongolia are full of 3-D color, political and economic commentary, personal contacts, and astrology (surprisingly astrology appears to be the most prevalent method of divination even in the east. Hey is this true?), told in a patient, stoking, granddaddy pace.

Terzani showed me a time (1993) when the last bits of old asia sank and china and capitalism took over. He made me angry and sad, that was really the best part of the book. I don't share many of Terzani's ideas (the book leitmoitiv is how things were better when everybody (else) was much poorer). Even if these are the premises, the book is quite interesting as he's a good and curious journalist that travelled extensively, at the end of the year travelling until Europe by train and else (but it won't talk much about this part). The book is about his experience of one year (1993) spent travelling through Asia without taking planes. His style is pleasurable and easy to I don't share many of Terzani's ideas (the book leitmoitiv is how things were better when everybody (else) was much poorer). Even if these are the premises, the book is quite interesting as he's a good and curious journalist that travelled extensively, at the end of the year travelling until Europe by train and else (but it won't talk much about this part).

The book is about his experience of one year (1993) spent travelling through Asia without taking planes. His style is pleasurable and easy to read.