Around the World in Books Challenge - 2014

[LynnB]

Adriana wrote: "LynnB wrote: "Just finished my first region, Western Europe, with The Three Musketeers."

Ooh! How was it?"

I thought that it would be a bit boring, but actually I found that I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was a bit humorous, there was a lot of intrigue (and, of course, there was a lot of swashbuckling).

[Emily~]

I will aim for 12~

[Chloé]

Second region done
2/5

West Europe: Animal Farm 01-01-14 ★★★★☆
South Asia: Life of Pi 03-01-14 ★★★★★

[Adriana]

Welcome Emily!
Wow Chloe... you looking to complete this early? (;

[Adriana]

LynnB wrote: "Adriana wrote: "LynnB wrote: "Just finished my first region, Western Europe, with The Three Musketeers."

Ooh! How was it?"

I thought that it would be a bit boring, but actually I fou..."

Swashbuckling - Sweet (:

[Chloé]

Adriana wrote: "Welcome Emily!
Wow Chloe... you looking to complete this early? (;"

Well Animal Farm is only 98 pages. ;) But I'm going back to school Monday so I will not keep up :)
I can always try for more anyway ;)

[Bj]

I'll try for 6.

1. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Takes place in North America

[Merja]

Finished A Game of Thrones yesterday. So I'm 1/12 completed!

[Jennifer]

J.J. Update: Yearly Around the World in Books 6/12 Complete:
1. North America – White Christmas in Dry Creek (Author is from America and took place in America) 1/3
2. Central America -
3. Caribbean - (Narrator is stranded on desert island in the Caribbean) 6/25
4. South America - One Hundred Years of Solitude (Author is from Columbia and took place in mythical South American place) 3/20
5. West Europe – Arabella (Author is from UK and took place in the UK) 1/3
6. Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union –
7. Africa – Journey of Hope (Takes place in Liberia) 5/24
8. Middle East – Rooftops of Tehran (Author is from Iran and book takes place in Iran) 3/9
9. East Asia –
10. South Asia –
11. Southeast Asia -
12. Australia & South Pacific - The Italian's Ruthless Marriage Command (Author from Australia and partially takes place in Australia) 2/8

[Marina]

Doing my first region (1/12):
East Europe and Former Soviet Union: Evgenij Zamjatin, Noi (Russia)

[Paul]

Just finished a Southeast Asia one. 'What it is like to go to War' by Marlantes was based on his experiences in the Vietnam war.

[Adriana]

Chloé wrote: "Adriana wrote: "Welcome Emily!
Wow Chloe... you looking to complete this early? (;"

Well Animal Farm is only 98 pages. ;) But I'm going back to school Monday so I will not keep up :)
I can always ..."

Did not know it was that short. I might try it out myself.

[Adriana]

Welcome to the challenge Bj and Jennifer!

I've updated you Merja, Marina, and Paul [:

[Deedee]

Hi - quick question - are Iran & Turkey counted as Middle East? Thanks!

[Chloé]

Adriana wrote: "Chloé wrote: "Adriana wrote: "Welcome Emily!
Wow Chloe... you looking to complete this early? (;"

Well Animal Farm is only 98 pages. ;) But I'm going back to school Monday so I will not keep up :)..."

Yeah it's like a short retelling for kid (ok a bit intense for kid) of 1984 with animals... ok that's a bit rough like description, but it's not so far. How politician control the people, in this case pigs and other animals ;)

[Shelly]

first one -- Western Europe (England)

I loved it. The movie has already been cast.

[Nicole]

*UPDATE*:

West Europe= The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka;Translated by Alexis Walker. (The writer was from Prague, Czechoslovakia [now in the Czech Republic]. The novella was originally written in German.)

Progress: 1/4

[Theresa~OctoberLace]

I just edited message #75 to reflect my first finish,
Red April by Santiago Roncagliolo
The author was born in Peru, South America; the book was originally written in Spanish, the language of that region; and it was set in Peru, South America.

[Laura Jane]

North America : Bossypants - Pennsylvania, USA

1/4

[Daphne]

Deedee wrote: "Hi - quick question - are Iran & Turkey counted as Middle East? Thanks!"

This map has them as the middle east. :)

[Deedee]

Daphne wrote: "Deedee wrote: "Hi - quick question - are Iran & Turkey counted as Middle East? Thanks!"

This map has them as the middle east. :)"

Thanks Daphne! I thought so too but I wanted to check to be sure.

[Deedee]

I have my first country:

South Asia (India) Waiting for the Mahatma (1955) by R.K. Narayan (01/05/14) *****

See: Post #12

[Adriana]

Deedee wrote: "Hi - quick question - are Iran & Turkey counted as Middle East? Thanks!"

I've double checked some maps and yes - they are both in the Middle East.

Thanks Daphne for helping out!

[Adriana]

Everyone is updated to this point. Great start everyone!

[Lynn]

Update.....my status is 3/12 for this challenge.

Last week I finished 3 books.

1. Western Europe -- I read A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths (Ruth Galloway #5). I love this series and the characters. This installment was set in Norfolk and Blackpool, England.

2. North America -- I read Wool Omnibus for another challenge here. The author Hugh Howey was born in the U.S., so I'll count that one for this challenge as well.

3. South Asia -- I read And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini for the January Group Read. It was set in Afghanistan but I'm not 100% sure if I've got the region right. Judging from the map in post #1, I'm guessing South Asia.

[[deleted user]]

First one done :)

1. World After 1/5 5 stars (North America/California)

[Cynthia]

OK I have 3/12 so far:
North America: Dissident Gardens: A Novel Takes place in New York
West Europe: The Dinosaur Feather Takes place in Denmark
Australia & South Pacific: The Rosie Project Takes place in Australia

[Adriana]

Great job everyone! Updated.

[Kathy]

AROUND THE WORLD CHALLENGE - JAN 1 - DEC 31, 2014
-------------------------
1/12

Regions

North America

Central America

Caribbean -Assassin's Creed: Black Flag
1/5/14 Takes place in Nassau

South America

West Europe - Inferno 1/22/14 - Takes place in Florence,Italy

East Europe and Former Soviet Union

Africa

Middle East

East Asia

South Asia

Southeast Asia

Australia & South Pacific

[Theresa~OctoberLace]

I just edited message #75 to reflect my second finish,
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent 1/5/14

The author was born in Australia.

[Adriana]

I've updated you both Kathy and Theresa.

[Alison]

Adriana I finished Les Mis. I think that would be West Europe. So put me down! :) here is my challenge list. I will be updating more here. Ali's corner

[Adriana]

Fantastic accomplishment Alison!

[Marina]

Just finished my second region, Africa, with L'Ombre d'Imana : voyages jusqu'au bout du Rwanda by Véronique Tadjo. The book is set in Rwanda and the author is from Cote d'Ivoire.

[Adriana]

I've updated you Marina (:

[Paul]

Just finished a Western Europe book - An Officer and a Spy, by Harris. French intrigue at the turn of the 20th century. Awesome book.

[Adriana]

Sweet! Updated you Paul.

[Lynn]

Finished my Africa book for the challenge last night .... The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander McCall Smith. I'm 4/12 with this one.

[Adriana]

You are doing so well Lynn!

[Lynn]

Thanks Adriana ... I love reading about other places ... it's an easy challenge for me.

[Emily~]

Hello~ :)

Just finished a book for Western Europe: Heaven by Christoph Marzi. A really good YA fantasy story that takes place in London.

[Adriana]

Lynn wrote: "Thanks Adriana ... I love reading about other places ... it's an easy challenge for me."

Not so for me. I've never really ventured out from U.S. and U.K. books. I did recently read a book set in Germany or Italy but that was an exception and not at all planned.

[Adriana]

Emily~ wrote: "Hello~ :)

Just finished a book for Western Europe: Heaven by Christoph Marzi. A really good YA fantasy story that takes place in London."

Sweet! Great job Emily [:

[Chloé]

It's a nice challenge, I read from Canada, US, UK, France, Japan and China a lot. But read like one or two books from Africa, 1-2 transflation of Spanish/South America litterature and not of anywhere else (not that comme to mind). I want to try to read some Middle East, East Europe, Africa and South America for a Change. This month group read makes me read about Afganistan which is a first for me.

[Laura]

Hi, Today I read The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid (it was a pretty quick read!) - Pakistani setting and author so completes the South Asia region for me. One of those books that was loved by critics but left me feeling a bit underwhelmed.

[Adriana]

Chloé wrote: "It's a nice challenge, I read from Canada, US, UK, France, Japan and China a lot. But read like one or two books from Africa, 1-2 transflation of Spanish/South America litterature and not of anywhe..."

I would think it would be hard to find one from Afghanistan translated. Let me know when you've read one (:

[Adriana]

Laura wrote: "Hi, Today I read The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid (it was a pretty quick read!) - Pakistani setting and author so completes the South Asia region for me. One of those books..."

Too bad. At least you are getting even more ahead of the game.

[Lynn]

Finished my Australia book for this challenge -- The Dragon Man by Garry Disher. It is a police procedural mystery set in the Melbourne area and I'll definitely read more in this series. I'm 5 of 12 for the challenge.

[Theresa~OctoberLace]

I just finished listening to my Western Europe book, The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, narrated by Davina Porter. Loved it!

[Chloé]

Adriana wrote: "Chloé wrote: "It's a nice challenge, I read from Canada, US, UK, France, Japan and China a lot. But read like one or two books from Africa, 1-2 transflation of Spanish/South America litterature and..."

Yeah a translation might be hard to find, but this month group read And the Mountains Echoed is set in Afghanistan. The author was born there.