Around the World Challenge

[Rach , Moderator]

This challenge will consist of Reading around the world! There are two options you can opt in to!

Reading Around the World in 80 Books

OR

Read 25 books from different countries and the books must be off four different continents.

The book itself must be about the country. I know it may get tricky. But if there is a book that travels from place to place... use the starting or ending countries point. It cannot count for all the "places" it traveled.

But with each path, we are broadening your horizon of different cultures, stories and insight into areas we may or may not be familiar with.

The rules of this challenge are pretty straight forward.

- Choose what "path" you will be traveling down.
- Begin researching the books you may be interested in
- And begin your traveling.


If you need some help with your destinations, check the travel agent ;)

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...


Happy Traveling!

[Catherine]

I'm in!

1. Australia..Kate Morton..The House at Riverton(read)
2. Ireland..John Boyne..The Boy in the Striped Pajamas(16 Jan)
3. England..Jill Mansell..Thinking of You(15 Jan)
4. Lebanon..Raymond Khoury..The Sanctuary(read)

[Catherine]

ok...question....do both the setting and the author have to be the same? ie..France..French author?

[Rach , Moderator]

Catherine wrote: "ok...question....do both the setting and the author have to be the same? ie..France..French author?"

No :) just the author! Double points if you get both! :-)

[Catherine]

ok..cool! I was worried there for a sec!!

starts when?

[Carl]

I'll go for 80 authors from 80 countries, but it might take a while :D

[Annabel]

Sounds like fun :) I'm in

[Tonya]

This sounds like a lot of fun, count me in! I will go for the 80 books. :)

Completed 16/80

1. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (England)
2. The Orphan Master's Son(North Korea)
3. The Husband's Secret (Australia) 01/16
4. The Night Rainbow (France) 01/19
5. The Kite Runner (Afghanistan) 01/26
6. The Death of Bees (Scotland) 3/20
7. The Ghost Bride (Malaysia)3/29
8. The Light in the Ruins (Italy) 4/26
9. His Bahamas Affair (Bahamas) 5/4
10. Stillness Dancing (Egypt) 6/20
11. In the Woods (Ireland) 6/21
12. We Are Water (United States) 7/17
13. The Namesake (India) 11/28
14. The Dinner (Holland) 12/5
15. The Alchemist (Spain) 12/20
16. The Almond Tree (Palestine) 12/26

[Bajen]

Why 4 continents though?

[Sylvie]

Oh I so have wanted something like this for a long time. When I joined I noticed how many of us were from various countries around the world and how it would be fun if each of us was to choose 1 book from our country that we believe represents our culture. So, I'm in!
25 books in a minimum of 4 continents

[Carl]

I'm going to get my first inspiration from the Booker Prize longlist.

The LuminariesEleanor Catton New Zealand (I don't think I've ever read a novel from a NZ author before)

We Need New Names Noviolet Bulawayo Zimbabwe (Never read anyone from Zimbabwe either!)

Five Star Billionaire Tash Aw Malaysia (That's 3 continents other than where I was born!)

Meanwhile I have on my bookshelf:

The Accidental Apprentice Vikas Swarup India

The Yips Nicole Barker England

Chess Story Stefan Zweig Austria

The Lieutenant Kate Grenville Australia

Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha Roddy Doyle Ireland

Once I've read these, I'm a tenth of the way through, and already a couple of countries done that I never knew anything about :)

[Tonya]

Carl - I think I am going to read some of the ones you suggested if that's all right!

[Rach , Moderator]

Bajen wrote: "Why 4 continents though?"

It was suggested by a member. Since some may find 80 books a little difficult to go through, as I do :), someone suggested less books and a minimum of 4 continents

[Sylvie]

Hey Rachel maybe you can put the word "minimum" in the challenge description about the continents to clarify. If someone wants to read from all continents (including Antartica!) they can certainly do so; it's even better.

Also my limitation about the origins of the author would usually apply to the setting. We want authors that speak of their own country and culture. It would be easy to read a book from an American producing a book with a setting in France; but we want a French author to speak about France. Otherwise the only thing you get from the American author is the Eiffel Tower and the croissants. All cliches. But this challenge is about learning other culture, forcing you out of your usual rut to learn about authors you never would have heard about usually.

The goal is to learn another country from it's authors. So read Pablo Neruda if you want to learn about Chili, read French Julien Greene if you want to learn about Paris (Memories of Happy Days); Afghanistan through The Kite Runner; Liban through Khalil Ghibran. All books have been translated to English so the translation author does not count obviously.
So, part of the challenge is to research a country to find who are their best authors then search for a translation. That's where this challenge is more difficult. And no cheating with choosing a country 2x! Please, add this rule. Lol. You can't read Catcher in the Rye and Huckleberry Finn in this challenge!

The goal of this challenge is not necessarily to read 25 or 80 books but to get to learn about a country from their own authors that became famous from it. Learn a new culture from the people that created it and are living it because it's their own. As if you are REALLY traveling the world and meeting the people from that country. When you travel you want to talk to the people of that country, make friends with the locals for a real intro to the country culture. Here is our chance to see the world through others' eyes.

[Carl]

Sylvie wrote: "Hey Rachel maybe you can put the word "minimum" in the challenge description about the continents to clarify. If someone wants to read from all continents (including Antartica!) they can certainly ..."

Great post and sums up what I think about this challenge. Also, I personally hope to learn more about the literature and cultures of various countries around the world, so I might not be limiting myself to one book per country. Of course, I'll nominate the first books I read from countries from now onwards for this challenge and like you I'll try to read from as many different cultures as possible.

[Bajen]

Sylvie wrote: "Hey Rachel maybe you can put the word "minimum" in the challenge description about the continents to clarify. If someone wants to read from all continents (including Antartica!) they can certainly ..."

True! True! True! I was worried about this as well. I wanted the authors from these countries telling us about their country. I will take the tip about translated books as well:)

I am looking for books from all continents, Antartica is proving difficult though;)

[Catherine]

Sylvie wrote: "Hey Rachel maybe you can put the word "minimum" in the challenge description about the continents to clarify. If someone wants to read from all continents (including Antartica!) they can certainly ..."

Ok..you have some valid points....but you are incorrect about the author/country point. I have read lots of books by authors where the setting was not their country of origin....and I learnt quite a bit. For example...Peter Mayle...writes about his life in France(Provence)....and he's English. Kate Morton is Australian and she writes about Victorian England, Ciji Ware is American and writes about past and present England, Kate Mosse is English(I believe) and writes about France.....

[Rhiannon]

I'm a writer and I don't always write about the country I live in. in fact both my published works are set in America and I'm in the UK. I do plenty of research and will find people who to live there to ask questions if I need to.

[[deleted user]]

I'm in! I guess I'll choose 25 authors from minimum 4 continents, but I hope to do more. I'll start with my already read books (from April '13).

Around the World Challenge

Africa

Asia
China - Candy by Mian Mian
Iran - Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
Japan - Amours En Marge by Yōko Ogawa
South Korea - Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Sook Shin

Australia + Oceania

Europe
England - The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
Norway - The Redbreast by Jo Nesbø
Poland - Cwaniary by Sylwia Chutnik
Sweden - The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

North America
Guatemala - Severina by Rodrigo Rey Rosa
United States - Run by Ann Patchett

South America

[Sylvie]

AROUND THE WORLD CHALLENGE
25 authors from 25 countries and minimum from 6 continents.

NORTH AMERICA
Québec - Kamouraska - Anne Hébert ✔
United States - Flight Behavior - Barbara Kingsolver ✔
Cuba - The Black Cathedral - Marcial Gala


SOUTH AMERICA
Peru - La Tante Julia et le scribouillard - Mario Vargas Llosa
Chile - The War of the End of the World - Mario Vargas Llosa
Chile - How to Order the Universe - María José Ferrada
Columbia - Cent ans de solitude - Gabriel García Márquez
Venezuela - Doña Bárbara - Rómulo Gallegos
Uruguay - The Purple Land - William H. Hudson



EUROPE
England - Life After Life - Kate Atkinson ✔
France - Le voyage en France: Roman - Benoît Duteurtre ✔
Poland - The Eighth Day Of The Week - Marek Hłasko ✔
Spain - L'ombre du vent - Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Germany - Rascal Stories - Ludwig Thoma
Holland - The Dinner - Herman Koch ✔


AFRICA
Zimbabwe - We Need New Names - NoViolet Bulawayo


ASIA
Iran - Reading Lolita in Tehran - Azar Nafisi ✔
Turkey - Istanbul to Montréal: the story of an immigrant - Byron Ayanoglu ✔
Turkey - Last Train to Istanbul - Ayşe Kulin ✔
Russia - Bye-bye Vichniovka ! - Victoria Tchikarnieeva ✔
China - Les Bonbons chinois - Mian Mian
Japan - Amours En Marge - Yōko Ogawa
South Korea - Prends soin de maman - Shin Kyung-sook
India - The Accidental Apprentice - Vikas Swarup
Saudi Arabia - On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines - and Future - Karen Elliott House ✔


OCEANIA
Australia


ANTARTICA
maybe I can read a research paper from a scientist working on the south pole?

[Ariel.renée]

Is there a time limit on this challenge?

[Carl]

Ariel.renée wrote: "Is there a time limit on this challenge?"

hope not, I'll be following this challenge for years

[Sylvie]

I say when you are done with one travel.. You start all over again! Lol. I say there are so many places to visit.

[Carl]

Sylvie wrote: "I say when you are done with one travel.. You start all over again! Lol. I say there are so many places to visit."

Excellent answer. Some quotes by the great GK Chesterton on travel:

- "The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land, it is at last to set foot on one's own country as a foreign land"

- "The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see"

- "They say that travel broadens the mind: but you must have the mind"

Happy traveling Sylvie :)

[Rach , Moderator]

I get what you are saying about the authors and them writing where they are from. But I am going to have to disagree with it. I really think there are enlightening stories about people who travel and consume all aspects of the culture. And once done, they write an amazing novel. So, if people are wanting to read STRICTLY that way, that is awesome. BUT- people are really allowed to travel as they will. I think it is what one personally gets from the artist. I also find that we get sometimes, biased view points that way, and if we are only limiting it to people who are from the actual place, then we as readers are limited to that one side. So, it really is up to the reader and how they want to "travel".

[Carl]

I'm writing this challenge up here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

So far 6 countries visited from 4 continents :)

[Jennifer]

For anyone interested in a pretty large list of books written by authors of a country about their country, here is a blog that spent a year reading the world. She did a lot of research and talked with many authors/natives of these countries to find this type of book.

A Year of Reading the World . There are links on the page that link to her reviews of each of those countries and why she chose the book she did. It is pretty interesting stuff!

[Jennifer]

P.S. I am so in! I have been wanting to do this for a while, to expand my cultural knowledge.

.
Started November 2013


North America
Canada: Being Sloane Jacobs (US Author, set in Montreal)

South America

Europe
France: The Invention of Hugo Cabret (US author, set in Paris), Blue Is the Warmest Color (French author, set in France)
Great Britain: Meant to Be (US author, set in London)

Africa

Asia
China: Boxers/Saints (American-born Chinese author)
Iran: If You Could Be Mine (1st Generation Iranian-American)

Pacific Islands

Antarctica

.

[Tonya]

Thanks for sharing the blog Jennifer, that is really helpful!

[Jenny]

Around the world Challenge
25 Authors from 25 different countries

5/25

Africa
South Africa: Zoo City by Lauren Beukes
Egypt: The Curious Case of the Werewolf That Wasn't, the Mummy That Was, and the Cat in the Jar by Gail Carriger

Europe
England: The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
Czech Republic: The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

North America
Canada: The Troop by Nick Cutter

[Carl]

OMG, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Afghanistan) is amazing, vividly portraying the hardships of people (especially women) living under various regimes.

[Tonya]

I finished my first book, this might take me awhile but I'm looking forward to finding more that fit the challenge!

[Margot]

I am full of good resolutions for 2014 :-) so

Around the World Challenge - 25 authors from 5 continents


America

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

[Nanou]

I'll try the 25 books from different countries/continents:


America

Africa

Asia

Europe

Oceania

[Diana S]

Around the World Challenge
25 books from different countries/continents
Books Read: 2/25
Updated: 2/7/14

1. Bishop's Lacey, England - A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley (1/19/14)
2. Africa, Botswana - The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (Movie Tie-in Edition): A No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Novel (2/7/14)


Stamps in my Passport

[Carl]

Yay, I'm on 10/80 from 5 continents so far :D

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Zita]

I'm going to go for reading around the world in 80 books. These are all books I've read since January 2014
03/80
1. A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian ✔ (set in England but by a Ukrainian author and based around Ukrainian culture.)
2. The Husband's Secret (Australia) ✔
3. Petite Mort (France) ✔
4. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea
5. Philomena (Ireland)
6. A Thousand Splendid Suns (Afghanistan)

[Petra]

I have completed 26/25 books. I don't think I can read 80 books by the end of the year. So I'm going to increase my book goal to 40 to continue with this challenge.

[Tonya]

11 down, 69 to go. I love this challenge! No deadline, right? :)

[Denise]

Carl wrote: "OMG, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Afghanistan) is amazing, vividly portraying the hardships of people (especially women) living under various regimes."

This is one of my favorite books ever. Excellent recommendation.

[Denise]

A couple of questions:
1. Does this challenge start over at the end of the year?
2. Are we supposed to only count the books we've read after the date we joined the challenge or do books read earlier this year count?

(Basically, I'm wanting to join but not sure if I should wait until 2015 and wondering if 2013 or 2014's books will count.)

[Carl]

Denise wrote: "A couple of questions:
1. Does this challenge start over at the end of the year?
2. Are we supposed to only count the books we've read after the date we joined the challenge or do books read earl..."

Hi Denise,

I'm just reading from around the World for as long as it takes. I think everyone is counting the books that they read once they join the challenge. I guess if you've read a book that you love then you could read it again, but then again, maybe you could just read another novel by the same author. I'll be doing that soon with Paul Coelho.

Welcome to the challenge, and hopefully you can find out some interesting things about places you've never thought much about before :)

[Tonya]

I am so glad this is a never ending challenge, I have quite a few books left to go to meet my goal of 80 and I'm really enjoying reading books set in different locations.

[Rach , Moderator]

Denise wrote: "A couple of questions:
1. Does this challenge start over at the end of the year?
2. Are we supposed to only count the books we've read after the date we joined the challenge or do books read earl..."

No it doesn't end! I would advise that you start from this point on, as Carl mentioned. Since it is a challenge you want to try to challenge yourself and add to your pallet! :)

[Christopher]

Europe
Ukraine - The Secret Holocaust Diaries: The Untold Story of Nonna Bannister
Spain - Dominion
North, Central America & Carribean
USA - Defending Jacob

[Joy]

1. The Snow Queen - Hans Christian Andersen Denmark
2. Queste - Angie Sage England
3. Lirael - Garth Nix Australia
4. Rabbit, Run - John Updike USA
5. It's All in the Head - Majella O'Donnell Ireland
6. The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka Czech Republic (now)
7. Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery Canada
8. The Morning Gift - Eva Ibbotson Austria
9. A Study in Scarlet - Arthur Conan Doyle Scotland
10. Night - Elie Wiesel Transylvania
11. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas France

[Dorota]

This is truly a great idea! I have realised recently how much my reading habits are focused on Europe (with small snippets of Japan and US as sole examples of something non-European).

I have decided to go for 80 books version - but I will try to give Africa and Central Asia a priority (any suggestions will be greatly appreciated).

This said, the first book is actually North America again...


Started: 16/07/2015

Around the World Challenge - 80 books from 80 countries

Started: 16/07/2015

Read in 2015:

1. The Blythes are Quoted (Canada, NA)
2. Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Wartime Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Europe)
3. The Successor (Albania, Europe)
4. Las muertas (Mexico, NA)
5. Żona mojego męża (Russia, Europe)
6. Bierki (Poland, Europe)
7. Faces in the Water (New Zealand, Oceania)
8. The Girl Who Played Go (China, Asia)
9. Wampir i inne opowiadania (Korea, Asia)
10. Crnac (Croatia, Europe)
11. Trzy Sekundy Nieba (Lithuania, Europe)
12. The Cider House Rules (USA, NA)
13. Villain (Japan, Asia)
14. O último voo do flamingo (Mozambique, Africa)
15. Love (Hungary, Europe)

Read in 2016:
16. Outsider in Amsterdam (Netherlands, Europe)
17. Hanulka Jozy (Czech Republic, Europe)
18. Ludwig (Serbia, Europe)
19. Wioska morderców (Germany, Europe)
20. De Niro's Game (Lebanon, Middle East)
21. When I Forgot (Finland, Europe)
22. Sightseeing (Thailand, Asia)

Europe: 12
Middle East: 1
Asia: 4
Africa: 1
North America: 3
South America: 0
Oceania: 1

[Mariana]

Oooooooooooh Nice one! Loved the challenge

I'll be joining the 25 countries and 4 continents!

America

Thirteen Reasons Why (USA) 16/12/2015


Europe

The Girl in the Spider's Web (Sweden) 14/12/2015
Half Bad (England) 04/01/2016
Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Czech republic) 02/01/2016

Africa

Days of Blood & Starlight (Morocco) 27/01/2016

Asia


Oceania

[Denise]

And....I just realized that after asking all my questions, I never updated my entry. I've been keeping track though! Here's where I am a year later:

Started 01/01/2015
25 Countries, 4 Continents

North America/Central America/Caribbean
The Things They Carried (USA) 1/5/2015
Boo (Canada) 3/15/2015

Australia
The Rosie Effect (Australia) 1/7/2015

Europe
The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel (United Kingdom) 1/8/2015
Headhunters (Norway) 2/12/2015
Doctor Death (Denmark) 3/12/2015
Jar City (Iceland) 4/6/2015
Summer House with Swimming Pool (The Netherlands) 6/28/2015
P.S. I Love You (Ireland) 8/4/2015
The Girl in the Spider's Web (Sweden) 10/6/2015

Progress: 10 Countries, 3 Continents

[Dewlanna]

I really want to try this for 2016.

I'll go with 25 books from different countries / off four different continents.

I also found a list that looks interesting for this challenge : 26 Books From Around The World

Currently : 16 out of 25 countries on 3 out of 4 continents

North America (2)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Fingerprints of You (USA)
- The Root Cellar (Canada)

South America
~~~~~~~~~~~

Asia (5)
~~~~~~
- Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan (Japan)
- Sable noirs, 20 semaines au Turkmenistan (Turkménistan)
- City of Thieves (Russia)
- The Kite Runner (Afghanistan)
- Sea of Poppies (India)

Africa
~~~~~

Europe (8)
~~~~~~~~
- Girl at War (Croatia)
- The Buried Giant (United Kingdom)
- Italian Folktales (Italia)
- Girl With a Pearl Earring (The Netherlands)
- Puzzle (France)
- Breaking The Wall (Germany)
- Un fond de vérité (Poland)
- The Black Snow (Ireland)

Australia (1)
~~~~~~~
- The Ship of Brides (Australia - starting point)

Antarctica
~~~~~~~~