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Lally Pia was born in Sri Lanka, grew up in Ghana, and made it halfway through medical school before political turmoil closed down her university and she learned that her American Green Card had been bungled. She went on to work as a church organist, teacher, and ice cream decorator, as well as a scientist in a molecular biology lab. Her next stint was as the director of UC Davis’s Body Donation Program, where she embalmed cadavers and maintained a freezer full of human specimens (a thankless job that she was glad to leave after three years). Lally is a mother, grandmother, and child psychiatrist who lives in Davis, California, with her husband, Tim.
“Lally's memoir is a testament to both the intense work it takes to achieve [the American Dream] and the sacrifices she made that would be unthinkable to the average American fortunate enough to be born into that dream. The writing is clean and concise and reads like a conversation rather than a series of events . . . Excellent, excellent work. Very highly recommended.” —Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review “An intriguing, emotionally powerful, and culturally informative read.” —Kirkus Reviews “[Pia’s] memoir The Fortune Teller’s Prophecy is a testament to the importance of resilience and hope. . . . an inspiring memoir about refusing to give up on medical school, despite massive political and interpersonal obstacles.” —Foreword Reviews “Lally Pia is an extraordinary writer who has led many extraordinary lives and has written an extraordinary book about several of them. An exile, immigrant, friend to cadavers, and a doctor of doctors, this extraordinary human’s story is full of light, dark, inspiration, and love. You must read it.” —David Henry Sterry, author of Chicken “Resilience at its best. From the first sentence I was hooked! The Fortune Teller’s Prophecy is written in the most beautiful and deep way. I believe everyone will resonate with something in this memoir that will make them look at their own life in a new way. This masterpiece is so raw and captivating, I could not put it down. Lally is resilient and strong, vulnerable and human. She is a true inspiration! This is a must-read for everyone. Period.” —Ingrid Christine Abild-Pedersen, certified professional coach, speaker, and author of Unmasked: A Triumphant Memoir of Recovery from Childhood Trauma, Eating Disorder, and PTSD “A remarkable memoir that will engage you from start to finish. Discover how a prophecy made by a Hindu priest impacted and shaped the life of author Dr. Lally Pia. The reader will learn how the author’s perseverance and hard work helped her to reach her goals despite the challenges of being an immigrant and having to deal with trauma and loss.” —Harry Wang, MD, Adolescent Psychiatrist “The Fortune Teller’s Prophecy is an epic tale of fulfilling one’s true destiny. What seems impossible to imagine becomes Lally Pia’s reality as she pursues her dreams against all odds. This memoir reads like an adventure story and you will root for the protagonist all the way until the very end.” —Grant Faulkner, Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month “Dr. Pia’s inspiring life story is both an adventure and a lesson to never give up. Through her courageous sharing, we deepen the understanding of our human nature, what we are truly capable of, and the mysterious workings of the universe. Her journey is evocative, soul searching, and illuminating.” —Marty Rubin, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, California Northstate University
