Born to a globetrotting diplomat father and haunted by the silence of her absent mother, Anna's childhood is a tapestry woven from fragments of different cultures. Guided by the unwavering love and wisdom of her Malian grandmother, Lalla, Anna seeks solace in ancestral traditions as she navigates a life marked by loneliness and displacement.
But years of nomadic existence take their toll, leading to emotional burnout in the bustling heart of New York City. Facing fractured relationships and the ghosts of her past, Anna embarks on a transformative journey. Fueled by resilience and Lalla's enduring spirit, she confronts long-buried truths, mends broken bonds, and finally discovers the courage to embrace her true self.
Finding Lalla's Anna is a captivating memoir of cultural identity, family, and the unwavering strength of love. It's a poignant exploration of belonging, self-discovery, and the power of ancestral wisdom to heal even the deepest wounds.
Born to a globetrotting diplomat father and haunted by the silence of her absent mother, Anna's childhood is a tapestry woven from fragments of different cultures. Guided by the unwavering love and wisdom of her Malian grandmother, Lalla, Anna seeks solace in ancestral traditions as she navigates a life marked by loneliness and displacement.
But years of nomadic existence take their toll, leading to emotional burnout in the bustling heart of New York City. Facing fractured relationships and the ghosts of her past, Anna embarks on a transformative journey. Fueled by resilience and Lalla's enduring spirit, she confronts long-buried truths, mends broken bonds, and finally discovers the courage to embrace her true self.
Finding Lalla's Anna is a captivating memoir of cultural identity, family, and the unwavering strength of love. It's a poignant exploration of belonging, self-discovery, and the power of ancestral wisdom to heal even the deepest wounds.
A student and a teacher of Mali Ancestral Oral Tradition, and Philosophy of Life, Anna Dao was born in Paris and spent her formative years in Mali, France, New York, Belgium, Canada. She completed her education in Canada and for several years lived in Mali, working for various United Nations agencies. During this period, she produced and hosted a public affairs talk show in French, Affaires Publiques, and wrote a column for a weekly newspaper, Le Républicain. She immigrated to the United States in 1993 and now lives in New York. Finding Lalla’s Anna is her first book. She is writing a historical novel about the lives of women of Mali who fought for the country’s independence from French colonization.
