The Read Around the World Challenge

[Jessica]

Books are great way for us to travel with out ever leaving the comfort of our homes and this challenge is you ticket to a trip around the world. For this challenge, you can either select books set in or about a country OR written by an author from a specific county OR some combination of both. Both fiction and non-fiction books are acceptable. Here's how it works:

STEP ONE--Choose your level

1. "Tourist"--Select Five Countries from at least 3 different regions
2. "Jetsetter"--Select 10 Countries from at least 4 different regions
3. "Globe Trotter"--Select 15 Countries from at least 4 different regions
4. "World Traveller"--Select 20 Countries from 6 different regions

STEP TWO--Choose your (tentative) Countries and Regions from the list below. And before anyone freaks out, I got this list from wikipedia so I know it's not going to be 100% accurate. One problem is that it's sorted by their version of continents so geographical regions may not be where you think they should be i.e. the Middle East is split between Africa and Asia. If this really bugs you I'm sorry, feel free to modify the regions to fit your own challenge goals--within reason, no cheating ;)

REGIONS/Countries

AFRICA:

Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon (also spelled Cameroun)
Cape Verde
Central African Republic (Centrafrique)
Chad (Tchad)
Comoros
Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Djibouti
Egypt (Misr)
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia (Itiopia)
Gabon
The Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco (Al Maghrib)
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
São Tomé and Príncipe
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Western Sahara
Zambia
Zimbabwe

NORTH AMERICA

United States
Mexico
Canada

CENTRAL AMERICA

Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Cayman Islands
Costa Rica
Dominica
Dominican Republic (Republica Dominicana)
El Salvador
Grenada
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Nicaragua
Panama (Panamá)
Puerto Rico
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos

SOUTH AMERICA

Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil (Brasil)
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
French Guiana
Guyana
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela

AUSTRALASIA

Australia
New Zealand (Aotearoa)

POLYNESIA/MICRONESIA/MELANESIA
Fiji
Papua New Guinea
Solomon Islands
Vanuatu
Kiribati
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Nauru
Palau
Samoa
Tonga
Tuvalu

EUROPE

Albania (Shqipria)
Andorra
Austria (Österreich)
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria (България)
Croatia (Hrvatska)
Cyprus (Kupros)
Czech Republic (Česko)
Denmark (Danmark)
Estonia (Eesti)
Finland (Suomi)
France
Georgia (საქართველ)
Germany (Deutschland)
Greece (Hellas)
Hungary (Magyarország)
Iceland (Island)
Republic of Ireland (Éire)
Italy (Italia)
Latvia (Latvijas)
Liechtenstein
Lithuania (Lietuvos)
Luxembourg
(Former Yugoslav) Republic of Macedonia
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro (Crna Gora, Црна Гора)
Netherlands (Nederland)
Norway (Norge)
Poland (Polska)
Portugal
Romania (România)
Russia (Россия)
San Marino
Serbia (Србија)
Slovakia (Slovensko)
Slovenia (Slovenija)
Spain (España)
Sweden (Sverige)
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine (Україна)
United Kingdom
Vatican City

ASIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

Afghanistan
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Brunei
Cambodia (Kampuchea)
China, People's Republic of
Taiwan (a.k.a. Republic Of China)
East Timor (Timor Leste)
India (Hindi: Bharat)
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Palestine
Japan (Nihon)
Jordan (Al Urdun)
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Lebanon (Lubnan)
Malaysia
Maldives
Mongolia
Myanmar (Burma)
Nepal
North Korea
Oman
Pakistan
Philippines
Qatar
Russia (Россия)
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
South Korea l
Sri Lanka
Syria
Tajikistan
Thailand (Muang Thai)
Tibet
Turkey
Turkmenistan
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Yemen

STEP THREE-- Go and find your books. Post below and let us know what your challenge goals are and how you're progressing. HAVE FUN!

[Kris]

I think this one sounds good. I will try this one too. I am aiming for World Traveler, but I am not sure I will get there. Now to find the books/regions.

Asia/Middle East
Afghanistan - A Thousand Splendid Suns - Hosseini, Khaled - 1Jan2014
India - Life of Pi - Martel, Yann - 13Feb2014

Europe
France - Outlander - Gabaldon, Diana - 11Jan2014
Spain - The Sisterhood - Bryan, Helen - 11Feb2014
United Kingdom - Bunny & Biscuits - 16Feb2014
Ireland - Heart of the Sea - 6Mar2014
Czech Republic - The Lost Wife - Richman, Alyson -

North America
United States - Gabriel's Redemption - Reynard, Sylvain - 20Feb2014

[Jessica]

I'm going to try for Jettsetter with the ultimate goal of getting to Globetrotter. I'm not sure which countries I'm going to visit though.

CENTRAL AMERICA

Jamaica Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

EUROPE

United Kingdom Bluebells in the Mourning by Karalynne Mackrory
France Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
The Netherlands Girl with a Pearl Earring Dutch Paintings from the Mauritshuis (currently reading)

NORTH AMERICA

United States Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (currently reading)

[Teri Pre]

I'm going to add mine as I go to see how I do! * I also divided Asia, the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent into three different areas as I feel that the areas are divided as much by culture as they are by distance.

NORTH AMERICA

Canada: Blizzard of Glass by Sally M. Walker
United States: The Tattered Quilt by Wanda E. Brunstetter

South America

Guyana: Seductive Poison by Deborah Layton

EUROPE

United Kingdom: A Dangerous Mourning by Anne Perry
Chechnya: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
Republic of Ireland: Quentins by Maeve Binchy
Hungary: The Seamstress by Sara Tuvel Bernstein (also Romania)
Scotland: One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson
Germany: Private Berlin by James Patterson
Russia: The Charm School by Nelson DeMille
Italy: Pompeii by Robert Harris
France: Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose

Africa

Botswana: The Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith
Ethiopia: The Quest by Nelson De Mille
Somalia: Black Hawk Down by Mark Boden
Sudan: A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

Asia

North Korea: The World Is Bigger Now: An American Journalist's Release from Captivity in North Korea by Euna Lee
Philippines: Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides
South Korea: A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park


Middle East

Yemen: I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced

Indian Sub-continent

Maldives: On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves
India: The Far Pavilions by M. M. Kaye

Australia/New Zealand

Australia: April Fool's Day by Bryce Courtenay



I'm done!!! 9/21/14!!

[Danya]

The Read Around the World Challenge

I'm going to add books as I read them

ASIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

India: Q & A by Vikas Swarup

EUROPE

France: Demain by Guillaume Musso
Serbia: Bašta sljezove boje by Branko Ćopić
United Kingdom: Little White Lies by Katie Dale

NORTH AMERICA

United States: Minders by Michele Jaffe

____________________________________________

June 29 - level TOURIST achieved ✓

[Jo-Ann]

Lets see how far I get

REGIONS/Countries

AFRICA:

Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon (also spelled Cameroun)
Cape Verde
Central African Republic (Centrafrique)
Chad (Tchad)
Comoros
Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Djibouti
Egypt (Misr)
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia (Itiopia)
Gabon
The Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi - Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, by Alexandra Fuller
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco (Al Maghrib)
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
São Tomé and Príncipe
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Western Sahara
Zambia - Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, by Alexandra Fuller
Zimbabwe - Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, by Alexandra Fuller

NORTH AMERICA

United States
Mexico - Flapjack, by Daniel Ganninger, Hello Darlin': Tall (and Absolutely True) Tales About My Life by Larry Hagman, Todd Gold
Canada - Hello Darlin': Tall (and Absolutely True) Tales About My Life by Larry Hagman, Todd Gold; The Great Gold Rush A Tale of the Klondike by W. H. P. (William Henry Pope) Jarvis

CENTRAL AMERICA

Antigua and Barbuda
Aruba - The Viking Funeral (Shane Scully #2)by Stephen J. Cannell
Bahamas - Castle Cay by Lee Hanson, Spartan Gold, by Clive Cussler
Barbados
Belize
Cayman Islands
Costa Rica
Dominica
Dominican Republic (Republica Dominicana)
El Salvador
Grenada
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Nicaragua
Panama (Panamá)
Puerto Rico
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos

SOUTH AMERICA

Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil (Brasil) - Flapjack, by Daniel Ganninger, Hello Darlin': Tall (and Absolutely True) Tales About My Life by Larry Hagman, Todd Gold
Chile - Hello Darlin': Tall (and Absolutely True) Tales About My Life by Larry Hagman, Todd Gold
Colombia - The Viking Funeral (Shane Scully #2)by Stephen J. Cannell
Ecuador
French Guiana
Guyana
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela

AUSTRALASIA

Australia
New Zealand (Aotearoa)

POLYNESIA/MICRONESIA/MELANESIA
Fiji
Papua New Guinea
Solomon Islands
Vanuatu
Kiribati
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Nauru
Palau
Samoa
Tonga
Tuvalu

EUROPE

Albania (Shqipria)
Andorra
Austria (Österreich)
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria (България)
Croatia (Hrvatska)
Cyprus (Kupros)
Czech Republic (Česko)
Denmark (Danmark)
Estonia (Eesti)
Finland (Suomi)
France - Spartan Gold, by Clive Cussler; Wild Irish Ride by Jennifer Saints
Georgia (საქართველ)
Germany (Deutschland) - Spartan Gold, by Clive Cussler
Greece (Hellas)
Hungary (Magyarország)
Iceland (Island)
Republic of Ireland (Éire)
Italy (Italia) - Spartan Gold, by Clive Cussler
Latvia (Latvijas)
Liechtenstein
Lithuania (Lietuvos)
Luxembourg
(Former Yugoslav) Republic of Macedonia
Malta
Moldova
Monaco - Spartan Gold, by Clive Cussler
Montenegro (Crna Gora, Црна Гора)
Netherlands (Nederland) - Comedy in a Minor Key by Hans Keilson, Damion Searls (Translator)
Norway (Norge)
Poland (Polska)
Portugal
Romania (România) - Hello Darlin': Tall (and Absolutely True) Tales About My Life by Larry Hagman, Todd Gold
Russia (Россия) - Hello Darlin': Tall (and Absolutely True) Tales About My Life by Larry Hagman, Todd Gold
San Marino
Serbia (Србија)
Slovakia (Slovensko)
Slovenia (Slovenija)
Spain (España)
Sweden (Sverige)
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine (Україна)
United Kingdom
England - Flapjack, by Daniel Ganninger; Hello Darlin': Tall (and Absolutely True) Tales About My Life by Larry Hagman, Todd Gold, Mission to Berlin: The American Airmen Who Struck the Heart of Hitler's Reich by Robert F. Dorr; The Pinecone: The Story of Sarah Losh, Forgotten Romantic Heroine--Antiquarian, Architect, and Visionary by Jenny Uglow
Vatican City

ASIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

Afghanistan
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Brunei
Cambodia (Kampuchea) - The Lake of Dreams , by Kim Edwards
China, People's Republic of
Taiwan (a.k.a. Republic Of China)
East Timor (Timor Leste)
India (Hindi: Bharat) Show Business, by Shashi Tharoor
Indonesia - The Lake of Dreams, by Kim Edwards
Iran - Zahra's Paradise, by Amir
Iraq - Noble Beginnings, by L.T. Ryan
Israel - The Almond Tree, by Michelle Cohen Corasanti
Palestine
Japan (Nihon) - The Lake of Dreams , by Kim Edwards
Jordan (Al Urdun)
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Lebanon (Lubnan)
Malaysia - The Ugly Daughter: A Memoir by Julia Legian
Maldives
Mongolia
Myanmar (Burma)
Nepal
North Korea
Oman
Pakistan
Philippines
Qatar
Russia (Россия)
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
South Korea l
Sri Lanka
Syria
Tajikistan
Thailand (Muang Thai)
Tibet
Turkey
Turkmenistan
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan
Vietnam - The Ugly Daughter: A Memoir by Julia Legian
Yemen

[Isa]

Love the idea and the challenge (:

Globe Trotter: DONE :D

ASIA AND MIDDLE EAST:

- Malaysia: The Rice Mother - Rani Manicka
- Cambodia: In the Shadow of the Banyan - Vaddey Ratner
- China: Three Souls - Janie Chang
- Bhutan: Beyond the Sky and the Earth: A Journey into Bhutan - Jamie Zeppa
- Palestine: Mornings in Jenin - Susan Abulhawa
- Borneo: Stranger in the Forest: On Foot Across Borneo - Eric Hansen

EUROPE:

- Switzerland and Austria: The Bells- Richard Harvell
- Chechnya: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena - Anthony Marra
- England (And Australia, but mostly in England): The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton
- Iceland: Burial Rites - Hannah Kent

NORTH AMERICA:

- United States: The Storyteller - Jodi Picoult
- Mexico: Like Water for Chocolate - Laura Esquivel

AFRICA:

- Darfur: The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur - Daoud Hari

Antartica:

- Antarctica (hm, the book took place all over the world but the biggest climax of it seems to be here): Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer - Lynn Cox