2013 Where in the World are you?!? (Currently Reading)

[WanderShopper]

I moved on to Spain today with A Room with a Pew: Sleeping Our Way Through Spain's Ancient Monasteries.

[AraLucia]

I have to confess I'm France obsessed. I'm excited that in this book, Without Reservations: The Travels of an Independent Woman -- the author's journey around Europe begins in Paris. I haven't been there since '95, so I can't wait for the vicarious flashback or whatever new adventures she might take me on.

[Lilisa]

With Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in Bring Up the Bodies . Generally enjoy this historical period but can't really get into the book. Not sure why this book is rated so high. I'm having a hard time getting through it.

[Chrissie]

Ara Lucia wrote: "I have to confess I'm France obsessed."

Me too. I live in Belgium now, so it is close to France. That is where I like to be. Later this year we will be living in France and Sweden. NICE! Brittany is wonderful, but so is the rest too. Here is a link to my French shelf: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...

I have 244 books there, many still unread. I cannot read fast enough! By the star rating you can see which I enjoyed most. You might get ideas.

[Chrissie]

Judy, I know, it is ridiculous. I really try and add books restrictively nowadays.

[Krittika]

Astrid wrote: "Krittika wrote: "Astrid wrote: "Krittika wrote: "i kicked off my journey with The Bite of the Mango for Sierra Leone.. and am now moving forward with one foot in usa with Uncle Tom's Cabin and one ..."

I have seen the movie.. so really interested in reading yuor review of the book.. then will decide if i want to give it a go or not :)

[AraLucia]

Chrissie wrote: "Ara Lucia wrote: "I have to confess I'm France obsessed."

Me too. I live in Belgium now, so it is close to France. That is where I like to be. Later this year we will be living in France and Swede..."

Thanks for leads... I will be interested to hear of your adventures.

[Chrissie]

Ara Lucia wrote: " I will be interested to hear of your adventures.
"

A lot of hassle/work is involved, but home is in Sweden and France, so we are not being adventurous.

[Lilisa]

Judy wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "With Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in Bring Up the Bodies . Generally enjoy this historical period but can't really get into the book. Not sure why this book is rated ..."

Judy - no, I haven't read Wolf Hall, have you read either, and if so, what are your thoughts? I'm going to have to give it one star - hate doing that, but I definitely did not enjoy it - it was an absolute slog!

[Sue]

I've started Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Only problem I have is having no idea what country to couple it with. Latin America or the Caribbean but more specifically? Anyone able to help me?

[Chrissie]

Sue and Gaeta, that looks interesting. I m going to add Of Love and Other Demons. I very much enjoyed Love in the Time of Cholera, but did not like One Hundred Years of Solitude. Thanks! Gaeta, why three stars? What could have been improved?

[Sue]

Gaeta1 wrote: "Sue wrote: "I've started Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Only problem I have is having no idea what country to couple it with. Latin America or the Caribbean but more specifical..."

Thanks Gaeta.

[Janice]

I'm headed to Russia with The Bronze Horseman. I should start it later today.

[Chrissie]

I am curious to see what you think of that, Janice.

[Janice]

I started it, and I'm not sure I want to continue. Has anyone else read The Bronze Horseman? I feel quite annoyed with Tatiana and I'm wondering if she ever grabs a brain. Should I perserve, or give it a pass?

[Chrissie]

Janice, I have stayed away from "The Bronze Horseman" b/c it has way too much romance for my taste!

[Diane]

Sue wrote: "I've started Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Only problem I have is having no idea what country to couple it with. Latin America or the Caribbean but more specifically? Anyone a..."

It is set in Colombia (on the Caribbean side). I read it last year and loved it.

[Diane]

In Armenia with Bosphorus Nights: The Complete Lyric Poems of Bedros Tourian.

[Sylvia]

Picked Critique of Criminal Reason from one of my shelves and I'm already halfway. It's the same genre as Secretum and its sequels. I love historical-fiction.

[Sue]

Diane wrote: "Sue wrote: "I've started Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Only problem I have is having no idea what country to couple it with. Latin America or the Caribbean but more specifical..."

I'm enjoying it too Diane, much different than anything else i've read. (and a short book!)

[Lilisa]

I'm in the U.S. set in the '80s in New York State with Tell the Wolves I'm Home - a poignant story of a 14-year old girl who's sweet and almost soulmate-like (emotional, not romantic!) relationship with her uncle is the string that ties this book together. Half-way through and really enjoying it.

[Diane]

In Turkey with Snow by Orhan Pamuk.

[Chrissie]

Diane, I hate to tell you but I didn't particularly enjoy "Snow". But I am weird!

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I'm in Madagascar with Over the Lip of the World: Among the Storytellers of Madagascar.

[Sue]

I'm in Israel with Dancing Arabs

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Judy wrote: "How is that going for you, Jenny?"
Well I started my first graduate degree in folklore so the subject matter is familiar... Not the specific culture but the treatment of it. She is more descriptive of the landscape than most, which I'm enjoying.

[Lilisa]

With Cleopatra's Daughter which starts in Egypt and then moves to Rome, the seat of the Roman Empire (technically not Italy back then!) Liking it so far.

[Vicky]

I'm on the windswept shore of Cape Breton Island, Canada, with Fall on your Knees by Ann-Marie Macdonald. It was a bit daunting at first, a rather thick book containing an epic family saga, but things are rather heating up and I'm enjoying it more.

[WanderShopper]

I'm currently in Poland and thoroughly enjoying A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True. So far it is really charming.

[WanderShopper]

Gaeta1 wrote: "Diane wrote: "Almost out of Russia with War and Peace and chipping away at The Tale of Genji. Trying to get some of these biggies out of the way before my vacation is over."

You did Genji, too? W..."

I read Tale of Genji for a Japanese humanities class in college. I really enjoyed it. It's a lot more readable than one would think!

[Ava Catherine]

Finally, I am leaving Great Britain for Prince Edward Island, Canada, with Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery, and then I am heading to Italy with The Pope's Daughter: The Extraordinary Life of Felice Della Rovere by Caroline P. Murphy.

[Beth]

I'm straddling continents. Still working on 2666 at work for Chile, am starting An Artist of the Floating World for Japan at home, and am tackling (yikes) Ulysses for Ireland on audio.

[Sue]

Beth wrote: "I'm straddling continents. Still working on 2666 at work for Chile, am starting An Artist of the Floating World for Japan at home, and am tackling (yikes) Ulysses for Ireland on audio."

My, those are quite some challenges you have going. I hope you have some light reading on the side.

[Beth]

Sue wrote: "I hope you have some light reading on the side"

I think the Bollano and the Ishiguro are going to feel like the light reading....

[Chrissie]

I just went and bought Night Train to Lisbon.... I absolutely cannot continue with Stewart O'Nan's The Circus Fire: A True Story of an American Tragedy. I thought I had a strong stomach, but it is just too gruesome. I have been listening to several hours of the description of the people burned in the fire. It goes on and on. No, I cannot take it any more.

[Sue]

Beth wrote: "Sue wrote: "I hope you have some light reading on the side"

I think the Bollano and the Ishiguro are going to feel like the light reading...."

I didn't know Bolano could be light. Ishiguru I can understand. Good luck with it all and I look forward to your reviews down the road.

[Beth]

thanks. I'm actually finding Bolano pretty easy to process compared to what I've been reading the last few days!!! At least I'm to a more comprehensible part of Ulysses.

[Sue]

I aim to read Ulysses at some point. Right now I'm reading Shadow Country which I'm enjoying but it over 900 pages. I'm planning to take my time. I think I'm on page 38 or so.

[Beth]

Sue wrote: "I aim to read Ulysses at some point. Right now I'm reading Shadow Country which I'm enjoying but it over 900 pages. I'm planning to take my time. I think I'm on page 38 or so."

That one is staring back at me from my bookshelf...

[Sue]

Ah yes, the big book stare. The Odyssey and some others have been staring at me for some time now. But that's OK. At least it's not a glare :)

[Janice]

I fired up the old jalopy and headed to Brazil with State of Wonder. So far, it seems to be a good pick. :)

[Lilisa]

I'm still with Cleopatra's Daughter - haven't made much progress - been too busy but will get back to it this weekend.

A question though - does anyone have a recommendation for Costa Rica?

[WanderShopper]

Completed A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True from Poland late last night. This is a really great book with chapters alternating between pre-world war II and present day until they meet in an unexpected way. I headed to Iran this morning and am enjoying a vintage travel memoir of Iran, From a Persian Tea House: Travels in Old Iran.

[Lilisa]

Osho wrote: "I read The Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide, which may not be to everyone's taste."

Thanks Osho - appreciate the suggestion, but I think the Costa Rican birds are not for me :-). I'll have to keep scouting.

[Diane]

A question though - does anyone have a recommendation for Costa Rica?"

Last year I read At the Bottom: A Woman's Life in Central America, and it wasn't bad. I bought a couple of inexpensive Kindle books for my next visit: Happier Than a Billionaire: Quitting My Job, Moving to Costa Rica, and Living the Zero Hour Work Week and Anarcho Grow: Pura Vida in Costa Rica. I have not read either of them yet. Another one I would like to get, but have not read is Monkeys Are Made of Chocolate: Exotic and Unseen Costa Rica.

[Lilisa]

Diane wrote: "A question though - does anyone have a recommendation for Costa Rica?"

Last year I read At the Bottom: A Woman's Life in Central America, and it wasn't bad. I bought a couple of inexpensive Kindl..."

Thanks a ton Diane - will check these out!

[Lilisa]

Getting ready to spend time with The Housekeeper and the Professor. No idea which country it's set in, but interested to get started given the rave review by many of you.

[Sue]

Lilisa wrote: "Getting ready to spend time with The Housekeeper and the Professor. No idea which country it's set in, but interested to get started given the rave review by many of you."

It's set in Japan and I loved it.

[Diane]

In Syria with The Bread of Angels: A Memoir of Love and Faith

[Chrissie]

Lilisa wrote: "Getting ready to spend time with The Housekeeper and the Professor. No idea which country it's set in, but interested to get started given the rave review by many of you."

Japan. Very good book! I keep thinking I should have given it even more stars. One of those books that remains with you, although I actually gave my physical book to a friend so she could read it too.