Double Luck is the story of a boy named Lu Chi Fa who was born in China. When he was three years old, both his parents died, leaving him one thing: his name, which means "new beginning." For an orphan passed from relative to relative, and even sold into slavery, the name "new beginning" was most appropriate.
Excerpt from the book: "I don't remember the name of the Communist chief who paid five hundred pounds of rice for me. He was middle-aged and had recently married for the first time. His new wife had a twenty-year-old son. Communist Father reasoned that his stepson was too old for him to train, but I was a very small boy, and in his eyes, I was still trainable. Little Chi Fa would make an obedient son. Communist Father said this his stepson was Number One Son and I was Number Two Son. We made him twice lucky. That was how I got my new name, Shang Shii, which means 'double luck.' "
Recipient of the
Parents Choice Gold Award
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You can purchase copies Double Luck: Memoirs of a Chinese Orphan at Amazon.com, by sending email to Double Luck, or while visiting Lu Chi Fa's restaurant.
Three copies of Double Luck were made in 2002 by the Braille Institute Library Services in Los Angeles. Copies can only be lent by this library.
Braille Institute Library Services
741 North Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90029-3594
Phone: 323/660-3880
Fax: 323/663-0867
www.braillelibrary.org bils@braillelibrary.org
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Double Luck's story is filled to the brim with account after account of how the human spirit can triumph. In the Chinese language, the word "crisis" is written with two symbols: one meaning "danger" and the other meaning "opportunity." Chi Fa's childhood certainly was filled with crisis and fraught with danger. But through his struggles, Double Luck always looked for opportunity. His amazing story will give every person who learns of it the best that life has to offer - hope in days of despair and strength in unfortunate times.
Trust
Believe
Hope
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When Chi Fa was a little boy and called out for help, no one answered. He promised himself then and there, that if ever he were successful he would do something to help others. Now that his memoirs have been published, he is keeping that promise. Copies of Double Luck are sold in his restaurant, at book signings, and online. Revenue from sales have been given to the Morro Bay and Atascadero libraries in California for their children's programs. Additional contributions have been made to the Morro Bay Library to renovate their children's room and to Cal Poly (in San Luis Obispo) for student scholarships.
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As do many others, Marjorie Judd of Troy, Kansas,
came to meet Chi Fa at his restaurant.
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Signing books. |
Write to Double Luck or sign up for Update information. |
Photo of Coffee Pot Restaurant Courtesy Mike Baird
The Coffee Pot Restaurant is located at 1001 Front Street (on the Embarcadero) in Morro Bay, California 93442. Hours: 7am-2pm daily. |
