Laureen’s Comments (group member since Dec 12, 2010)

Laureen’s comments from the Around the World in Books group.

Nominations for our May 2012 read from Costa Rica will be taken until April 23rd.

I just finished Heart Of Darkness and am now going to start Poisonwood Bible. I am very interested to see the parallels as i have read that there are some between the characters. Has anyone else who read both noted that?

I just finished and I agree although short, it took some time to read because of the descriptions. It is also the type of book that you have to think about what is going on and happening psychologically with the characters especially Melton and Kurtz. I found myself stopping to think about what it would be like to be them especially Melton going into something not knowing what to expect. Today we have few encounters of that magnitude as we have TV, books, and the Internet which we can go to to research places and find out others experiences so we build up some sort of expectation and can prepare some sort of reactions toward what may happen.

The discussion of thread starts here.

Discussions for are following this thread.

The book can be about/from either of the Congo countries.

Now taking suggestions for our April read from the Congo. Nominations will close and poll will be opened on Thursday, March 29.

Still waiting for it through interlibrary loan. Hope it comes before I leave on Saturday for my business travel!!!!

My favorite was Endurance. I missed Ali and Niño, but after hearing so many comments I need to go back and read it now that I have time.

I am also amazed at how many books I have also discovered through our monthly polls. There are books that I never would have heard of if others in the group hadn't suggested. Some are now on my to-read. Have any of you read any good books through our polls that didn't make it to our bookshelf? Mine was the Shipping News.

I think Africa would be good. The only African country we've read so far has been Algeria so it would be good to get some feel for more of Africa especially further in central or south. Let's see!

Hello, Again,

I promised to list those major countries (those with population around or over 5 M per the CIA Fact Book) we skipped over up to "F". We actually hit all the "A"s. So here's the rest of the list - I forgot there were so many countries and all of them with fascinating stories to tell!

Bangladesh
Belgium
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma
Burundi
Cameroon
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Congo (both combined)
Costa Rica
Cote d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Eritrea (not many books,but a fascinating story not often told because overshadowed by Ethiopia)
Ethiopia

Then there is F through Z!

Laureen

Hi, Everyone,
In prep for April, while I had time, I thought I would summarize where we have traveled!

Afghanistan - The Swallows of Kabul
Algeria - The Last Life
Antarctica - Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
Argentina- Kiss of the Spider Woman
Australia - True History of the Kelly Gang
Austria - The Loser
Azerbaijan - Ali and Niño: A Love Story
and. The Orientalist: Solving the Mystery of a Strange and Dangerous Life
Bahamas - Islands in the Sun
Cambodia - When Broken Glass Floats
and. The Disappeared
Canada - Fifth Business
and. Alice Munro's Best
Denmark - The Keeper of Lost Causes (also published as Mercy)
Estonia - Purge
England - Notes from a Small Island

I was also thinking we never tried a current best seller and there is one out there now on the London games which is a fiction thriller, Private Games by James Patterson. Just a thought.

Just finished reading Purge while close by in Finland (was kind of neat to read a book while in that area) and gives you a lot to think about. I too liked the links and parallels in the plot lines. The way the author ends the book by using "letters" I thought was very interesting.

They had a very terrible and difficult past and if you go there you should visit their
shrines and museums that talk about it. They are still very tied to this past and the struggles they have had. You can see it in their personalities today. Don't kid yourselves there is a lot of back market crime they deal with. It is safe in the tourist areas, but they struggle with human and drug trafficking as a pass through from Russia to the rest of Europe. There are several Scandanavian books on this and if you know people there' they will tell you. It has improved greatly there, but as all formerly occupied countries they struggle - they are just further out from the occupation.

I am really looking forward to reading a book from Estonia as I travel there a few times a year. I will post some pictures later ( they are on another computer) of beautiful Tallin. Mar, I hope you get to go later this year, it is a beautiful and so very historic city - one of my favorites in Europe.

As you said they have had a fascinating and difficult history, and their people have and do endure many hardships although it is improving.

Hi,
I would like to suggest The Shipping News The Shipping News and Fall on Your Knees Fall on Your Knees?

Have a great holiday season everyone!

Laureen

I would vote for Survival in the Killing Fields. I have heard it is An unforgettable book and extremely well written.

Hi, Group,
Here's the new folder for the discussion on True History of the Kelly Gang

Sorry I missed Diane's suggestions when I sent our poll out! I will redo the poll and add to it. Maybe this month as we have grown, we can try two books like some other groups do and you can chose which you would rather read. We can have two discussion threads going for Australia. If it works we can consider extending it. Thought?