Your help please! Especially since you read...

[Jonathan]

(Teresa) Fenixbird wrote: "Why does the book description reference France?? Italy is where I would have guessed the setting is.."

The book opens with a murder at the Louvre Museum.

[Jane]

The Worst Hard Time The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl might also be worthwhile to check out. It tells the story of the Dust Bowl through various people who lived through it. Egan gives a lot of explanation about how the land of the southern plans (southeastern Colorado, Texas & Oklahoma panhandles) was not meant for farming and the environmental catastrophe that followed. Also a very engaging read.

[Katie]

The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan. One of my favorites about China during WWII, and then the immigration to the U.S.

[Vicki]

Ice Bound A Doctor's Incredible Battle for Survival at the South PoleThis is about the people that live at the South Pole, their research and hardships.

[Sasha]

I'm entering a bit late, but here are my two cents: I noticed that a few people have recommended God of Small Things as a book that will educate children about India's geography and history.

While it might have some sketchy information about how a tiny community in southern India lives, the book is mostly just a story.

If someone really wants to know what India is about, I recommend Mark Tully's books: No Full Stops in India, The Heart of India and India in Slow Motion.

These books are interesting reads, very fast paced, loaded with history and information and based on short real life stories.

[Jonathan]

Sasha wrote: "I'm entering a bit late, but here are my two cents: I noticed that a few people have recommended God of Small Things as a book that will educate children about India's geography and history."

I guess this is the problem with turning to fiction to teach history or geography. It seems like a curriculum might be better served by readable non-fiction.

[Sandra]

Just reading this thread for first time. Must have Bill Bryson,any of his, Thorn Birds, The Good Earth, All Quiet on the Western Front. As former resident must point out ignoring of South America. There Jorge Amado- Gabriella, Clove and Cinnamon ( Brazil), and Isabel Allende ( niece of overthrown Chilean dictator/president)who fled to exile in Peru then US.

[Wendy]

Jonathan wrote: "Sasha wrote: "I'm entering a bit late, but here are my two cents: I noticed that a few people have recommended God of Small Things as a book that will educate children about India's geography and h..."

There are many historical fiction books where the historical portion is completely accurate, but the fiction portion makes the book more interesting for a high school student. Several of my students found The Kite Runner and One Flew Over the Coocoo's Nest really revived their interest in reading.

Alvarez' In the Time of the Butterflies was an excellent lesson in dictatorships (Trujillo of Dom. Rep. ) as well as a very readable story.

[Ed]

Jonathan wrote: I guess this is the problem with turning to fiction to teach history or geography. It seems like a curriculum might be better served by readable non-fiction.

While, I, a history major, can enjoy non-fiction, many young readers do not and must grow into it. Readable, accurate non-fiction can be a powerful introduction to "history" as an interesting topic. I remember the power of "The Grapes of Wrath" when I first read it. No non-fiction book could have come close to capturing the story of the impact of the depression on the so-called "Okies" better than this book did.

I learned more about the Napoleonic Wars at sea from reading the O'Brian and Hornblower novels than I ever did from factual sources. I think Bernard Cornwell's novels are as historically accurate as they can be and he always points out deviations in the postscript Historical Notes at the end of the story.

It was through Historical Fiction, read as a pre-teen and teen, that I developed my love of history.

[Jonathan]

Good point, Ed, about the Grapes of Wrath capturing the human toll of the Great Depression more effectively than any non-fiction book could.

I guess my point was overstated. I was responding to the problem of teaching Leonardo through The DaVinci Code, which is filled with real misconceptions about the artist's career.

[Lorna]

Julia Alvarez writes some great novels about the Dominican Republic and Cuba. She has one that starts in Spain and they travel accross the ocean to vacinate the third world countries against small pox. It is a bit historical and geographical in nature. Saving the World is the name of the book. Esmerelda Santiago has a trilogy which the first one is of her as a little girl in Puerto Rico that is a very poignant memoir, When I was Puerto Rican is the name of the book. I am currently reading Almost a Woman which is about her as a teenager in New York as she blends her culture with that of the US.

[Lorna]

The Alchemist by Paolo Coehlo is a great story about a boy who travels from Europe to Northern Africa. I recently read Bliss by O.Z. Livaneli which might resonate with the high school age group because the main characters are young, a young girl and a young soldier. It takes place in war torn Turkey. For Candian stories L.M. Montgomary of Anne of Green Gables fame and others also for the adventurers Never Cry Wolf is an awesome adventure in the Canadian wilderness with wolves. Tenderness of Wolves is also a Canadian setting, a mystery novel I am still working on. You have my mind working now. I am going to have to make my own list of geographical books to read. I would be interested in stories in Australia and New Zealand if anyone knows of some recommendations.

[Sasha]

Ed wrote: "Jonathan wrote: I guess this is the problem with turning to fiction to teach history or geography. It seems like a curriculum might be better served by readable non-fiction.

While, I, a history ma..."

Agree with you Ed. I was pointing out that God Of Small Things is a pretty narrow and presumptious book about India. Therefore - Mark Tully.

Reading historical fiction as a kid is what got me hooked on to many historical events and curiosities about different countries.

I teach high school kids creative writing and it is absolutely wonderful to see them work their imaginations into well-informed stories. And I will say this till I lose my voice:) - Reading is the best habit anyone can ever pick up as a kid.

[Michelle]

For China, I really enjoyed Wild Swans Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang, which is autobiographical spanning the course of several generations, and feel like I learned a lot about China while reading it. I'd definitely recommend it, and think that it would be good for a high school level as well.

[Meredith]

A Moveable Feast, by Ernest Hemingway, is really great about Paris in the '20s. I saw someone recommended For Whom the Bell Tolls, but I prefer his descriptions of traveling in Spain in The Sun Also Rises.

Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris ends with some really hilarious stories about Paris now.

I just finished Sex Lives of Cannibals, by J. Maarten Troost, about living on the island of Tarawa in the South Pacific. It was also really hilarious. Both Me Talk Pretty One Day and Sex Lives of Cannibals have some Language (capital 'L'), so I don't know if that makes them more appealing (happy high schoolers) or less appealing (angry parents).

Infidel, by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, is an amazing book. She lived in three countries in Africa, and then in Iran before she fled to Germany and Holland, eventually to become an MP in Holland.

I also wanted to suggest two other ideas: Nicholas Kristof, the NY Times Op-Ed writer, almost always has amazing travel stories, and his facebook page links to his blogs and is updated all the time: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/kr... . I'm not sure if that would be interesting for kids, but it's a really great current look at the world.

The other idea is graphic novels. I think graphic novels are a really big deal now with teen readers, and I loved Persepolis (both volumes), by Marjane Satrapi. The movie was also great (about Iran). I haven't read the Maus books yet, but I know they are about the Holocaust (possibly relevant?).

[MB (What she read)]

'A Town Like Alice' by Nevil Shute would expose them to England, Malaya, and Australia. You'd also get some Japanese WW2 mindset/culture. The movie is wonderful as well.

[Geoff]

For South America, younger readers may enjoy "Amazon Extreme" by Colin Angus. An adventure seeker rafts the length of the Amazon, but also shows a good eye for describing his physical and human surroundings on the way in this true story.

“Race to the Polar Sea” by Ken McGoogan describes Arctic exploration, with vivid scenes of the trials and tribulations of the participants, as well as the northern environment.

[Heather]

I teach 7th grade language arts, so these may or may not be appropriate for your age group. Here are a few I've suggested to our social studies teacher who also focuses on world geography:

AK, Peter Dickinson (Africa)
When a military coup occurs in the constantly war town Africa country of Nagalu, teenage Paul is forced to chose between fighting & school.

Among the Volcanoes, Omas Castaneda (Central America) Can Isabel, a young Mayan achieve her dream of becoming a teacher and weather the disapproval of her family?

Broken Bridge, Lynne Banks (Middle East)
A teenage immigrant to Israel is murdered by a Arab Terrorist while his best friend watches. (Sequel to One More River)

The Clay Marble, Minfong Ho (Cambodia)
In the late 1970’s, twelve-year-old Dara joins a refugee camp in war-town Cambodia and becomes separated from her family.

The Crossing, Gary Paulsen (Mexico)
Orphan Manny Bustos lives on the streets of Juarez, Mexico, and longs to cross to America for a better life.

Ear, The Eye and The Arm, Nancy Farmer (Zimbabwe--although futuristic)
Adventures of three children in 23rd century Africa.

Forbidden City, William Bell (China/Tiannamen Square)
A seventeen-year-old boy accompanies his reporter father to China during the Middle School Novel List
Tiannamen Square uprising.

Julie of the Wolves, Jean C. George (Arctic tundra)
Commonsense and courage enable a young Eskimo girl to survive when she becomes lost in the Arctic wild.

Kiss the Dust, Elizabeth Laird (Iraq)
Follows the terrifying journey of a young Kurdish girl who flees Iraq.

One More River, Lynne Banks (Middle East)
Lesley is in shock when her father moves the family to a Kibbutz in Israel.

Shabanu, Susanna Staples (Pakistan)
Story of a young woman coming of age in Pakistan where she lives a nomadic life.

Song of Be, Lesley Beake (Australia)
A young Bushman girl deals with changing times.

Taste of Salt, Frances Temple (Haiti)
(Challenging reading-dialect) A story of modern Haiti, two children relate their experiences under a brutal political regime.

Waiting for the Rain, Shelia Gordon (South Africa--Apartheid)
Chronicles nine years in the lives of two South African youths -one black, one white as their friendship ends in a violent confrontation between student and soldier.

I've read and used most of these with students. They have all been great for discussion and critical thinking, and they have also been generally well-received by students as far as interest level.

From my personal reading, I would also recommend Nectar in a Sieve set in India--amazing book and probably challenging enough for high school.

Good luck!

[Wendy]

Heather wrote: "I teach 7th grade language arts, so these may or may not be appropriate for your age group. Here are a few I've suggested to our social studies teacher who also focuses on world geography:

AK, ..."
Awesome list. Thanks for sharing.

[[deleted user]]

Meredith wrote: Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris ends with some really hilarious stories about Paris now..."

Beware the excrement chapter, however. It's one of the few books that I stopped reading - in the middle of a chapter, no less - and threw into the bin because it put me off so, (and you all know that I have a high tolerance for the odd and disgusting!!)

[Bente]

Elizabeth wrote: "I am presuming this if for college age students and that if they are younger you will read these books first and make sure they are appropriate.


Bill Bryson has several travel diaries that ar..."

I read Bill Bryson's A Walk In The Woods and I LOVED it. Very informative, but mostly very funny.

[Jessica]

The Da Vinci Code?

[Das]

I recommend "Birdsong" by Sebastian Faulks; though the timeframe may not be what your looking for.
Set during World War I.
I also agree with Collin; "The Sheltering Sky" is also wonderful.

[Cathy]

"Cry the Beloved Country" (Alan Paton) is a heart wrenching book on aparatheid in South Africa. I also suggest "The Poisonwood Bible" (Barbara Kingsolver) as another great book on African history, misguided Americans with questionable causes and families.

[Judy]

"The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" by Alexander McCall Smith takes place in modern day Botswana, is a nice view into an African country where the government is actually working quite well. Nothing in there inappropriate for teens. Paired with "The Poisonwood Bible", or excerpts from "Infidel" by Ayaan Hirsi Ali would be interesting different views. Infidel takes place largely in Somalia and Kenya.

[Judy]

Set in Israel: for grades 8 to 11

"Real Time" by Pnina Moed Kass

[Donna]

Genghis Birth of an Empire by Conn Igguldun would certainly appeal to the boys and covers much of central Asia.

The Last Queen by C W Gortner Spain and bits of England and the Netherlands during the life of Juana of Spain in the 1500s.

The Sharpe series and the Starbuck chronicles by Bernard Cornwell

[Bhumi]

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which takes place in England, for grades 10-12, I'd say.

[Bhumi]

It involves World War II. Not fighting, really, just talking about it and its effects.

[Bhumi]

Nectar in a Sieve takes place in India.

[Bhumi]

Romeo and Juliet - Italy.

[Mel]

Hayes wrote: "Meredith wrote: Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris ends with some really hilarious stories about Paris now..."

Beware the excrement chapter, however. It's one of the few books that I stopp..."

Funny. I thought you were talking about Sex Lives with Cannibals when you said that...coincidentally an excrement scene in that one too (but no description of sex lives or of cannibalism).

[Manday]

I would never ever ever recommend Hotel New Hampshire for high school, and its portrayal of Austria is specifically of a whore house, so I dont think it works well for geography either.

Its non fiction, but I highly recommened Reading Lolita in Tehran.

I also would recommend The Good Earth for China (if historic perspective is OK) and The Poisonwood Bible for DRC/Congo (again historic perspective)