Goodreads Ireland discussion
Continental Challenge 2016
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Continental Challenge
I'm ready to get started as I had lots of books on my shelves. I've put them all together and there may be a couple - such as a book on Antarctica - that I still have to get.
I thought this was quite apt considering our own challenge for next year....it's a bit ambitious for me but I know some people here who fly through 100+ books is the yearhttp://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/the...
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http://ayearofreadingthewo..."
Seraphina, this is an interesting list. I have read some of these books. I am working on reading 1 mystery book from every US state and as many countries as possible in a separate group(Mystery).
A few of the books on my list are also on this list.
See https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I'm looking forward to this challenge.I Think I have my list for this challenge.
Africa - We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
Antartica - An Antarctic Mystery by Jules Verne
Europe - The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson
North America - Water for Elephants Sara Gruen I've been meaning to read this one for a while.
South America - In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin
Asia - The Orphan Master's Son Adam JohnsonI would like to have another go at this one. It was interesting.
Australia/Oceania - Girt: The Unauthorised History of Australia David Hunt or A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute
I really enjoyed The Girl who Saved the King of Sweden. Very funny book
Cool, I'm looking forward to reading it.
Mod
Africa: GraceLand
Antartica: (I'm going to swap out Antartica for the Middle
East which is part of Asia and do two selections from that continent)
Tablet & Pen: Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East
Asia: The Man with the Compound Eyes: A Novel
Europe: The Secret History of MoscowThe Secret History of Moscow
North America: Oryx and Crake
South America: Kalpa Imperial: The Greatest Empire That Never Was
My full set has arrived except South America which us annoying but the book has the furthest to travel
I am still looking for an Antarctic book. But Cold Skin by Albert Sánchez Piñol is set there. I started reading it last year but it's horror and not my thing so I didn't finish it and passed it on to Sara.
The main antarctic books I found Barbara were mainly true life explorations gone wrong kind of things. I enjoy those but there not everyone's cup of tea.
HP lovecraft also has set some books in the antarctic but they are also horrors
Seraphina wrote: "The main antarctic books I found Barbara were mainly true life explorations gone wrong kind of things. I enjoy those but there not everyone's cup of tea."That may be what I end up reading. Sara Wheeler wrote a book Terra Incognita: Travels in Antarctica which I read and liked. I am intrigued by the various explorers but always confuse the Arctic and Antarctic explorations.
It's working out about 7 weeks or so for each of the reads btw Barbara. I saw your other post about keeping a journal. Its a great idea
Anyone stuck for their African read, I highly recommend Alexandra fuller's books. A really interesting tale of growing up in Rhodesia in the 70's
Seraphina wrote: "It's working out about 7 weeks or so for each of the reads btw Barbara. I saw your other post about keeping a journal. Its a great idea"Thanks Seraphina. I knew it was more than a month but because 12 months doesn't divide evenly, plus I couldn't remember how many continents we decided there were:)
I read Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight and it was excellent.
I was in the Paper Store today and a saw a book and picked it up.Everland.it's a lot thicker than The Birthday Boys but the first two pages I read was very interesting so I bought . I still plan on reading The Birthday Boys first. I thought I'd mention it .
We used it in the my SFF group to track a group challenge and it is very handy. Pretty much just needs memebers to set up a shelf for themselves for the challenge.
Already have the shelf set up as continental challenge.
Good question. I have all of the books except the first so interesting to see the line up
I went on awesome books and get 4 of the 7 for tenner so happy with that
Paul wrote: "I went on awesome books and get 4 of the 7 for tenner so happy with that"Cruz credo! (Brazilian expression for "good grief") - quite a haul!
As I said before, everything on my list are unread books on my shelves. I am pleased to satisfy my 'dusty book ' challenge to myself and have a structure for doing it. As I keep saying - Antarctica remains to be identified but there've been some interesting suggestions here.
I am going to put up the next read mid January to give people time to pick up there next reads. That's giving people @4 weeks to pick up their books. Plus 7 weeks reading time. I'll just announce the next read as we go. I wouldn't leave the antarctic read til last as I think people may just ignore it then.
This blog post about a novel set in Greenland is interesting. I think Greenland is considered North America.https://winstonsdad.wordpress.com/201...
Seraphina wrote: "I am going to put up the next read mid January to give people time to pick up there next reads. That's giving people @4 weeks to pick up their books. Plus 7 weeks reading time. I'll just announce t..."Sounds good, Seraphina.
Barbara wrote: "This blog post about a novel set in Greenland is interesting. I think Greenland is considered North America.https://winstonsdad.wordpress.com/201..."
That looks really good, Barbara. It made me think of that monthly read Burial Rites from a year or so ago.
If considering Australian books, here are books to read before you die, mostly based in Australia, from our national broadcaster and the Book Club.http://www.abc.net.au/arts/aussiebooks/
I've read 3/10 of those Stephen, thanks for that. Cloudstreet is a funny one, I didn't think it was an amazing book but it appears on every list of must read Australian fiction
Yes. I agree about Cloud Street. It is set in Western Australia; it is very good, but not great.I am reading Batavia by ex rugby player, Peter Fitzsimmons.
It is a great (true) story; an adult Lord of the Flies, well known here in Western Australia but a revelation to those on the east
Of that list I have only read The Book Thief but Picnic at Hanging Rock is my choice for Australia in the continental challenge
I'm not that keen on Tim Winton and Bryce Cortney. For me they are what I would consider popular writers, as in they are high profile and write quite a few books. Craig Silvey's book Jasper Jones, I can highly recommend. It really reflects Australian communites at that time.
Jasper Jones has just recently been made into a play which I think would be really cool to see.
Stephen wrote: "If considering Australian books, here are books to read before you die, mostly based in Australia, from our national broadcaster and the Book Club.http://www.abc.net.au/arts/aussiebooks/"
The Slap went down really well with my bookclub, Provoked a great discussion!
Stephen wrote: "Yes. I agree about Cloud Street. It is set in Western Australia; it is very good, but not great.I am reading Batavia by ex rugby player, Peter Fitzsimmons.
It is a great (true) story; an adult Lo..."
I have Cloudstreet on my list for the Continental Challenge for Australia. It's a book on my shelves so I am making progress on my dusty book challenge as well.
https://www.goodreads.com/challenges/...Just a link to the challenge that Emma set up in case any newcomers or anyone else wants to join in.
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I really enjoyed The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding when I read it a few years back.
Dear allBeing from Northern Ireland and now living in Western Australia, I am very aware of maiden voyages resulting in sinking. They tend to be great stories. None moreso than the events surrounding the sinking of the Batavia in 1629; a sort of Adult Lord of the Flies, totally factual and yet not known widely by Australians in other states.
I have finished Batavia by Peter FitzSimons.
This is a mostly (as researched) novel account of those events.
It is ironic that I finish it on this (contentious) Australia day. Captain Cook? NO, THE DUTCH WERE HERE FIRST IN 1629. The first encounter and first 'white settlement' took place through this awful voyage, sinking and then... well read the book I guess.
Finished this, ironically, today, Australia Day. Reading the book you realise that 'white settlers' arrived nearly 160 years before; the Dutch men Loos and Polgrom. A terrible story of a ship wreck on a maiden voyage, multiple murder, evil, good and rescue.
The Revenant and The Titanic were Sunday picnics compared to the Batavia. 4.5★
Some may wish to read it as part of this Continental challenge; beware, the level of human depravity is terribly true......read on
Stephen wrote: "Dear allBeing from Northern Ireland and now living in Western Australia, I am very aware of maiden voyages resulting in sinking. They tend to be great stories. None moreso than the events surround..."
Sounds like it's not for the fainthearted Steven.
I recently read Rabbit-Proof Fence, nothing to do maiden voyages, but may be of interest to anyone looking for an australian historical read.
Margo wrote: "Stephen wrote: "Dear allBeing from Northern Ireland and now living in Western Australia, I am very aware of maiden voyages resulting in sinking. They tend to be great stories. None moreso than the..."
Definitely not for the faint hearted unless you condone Torrentius and Rosicrurian beliefs
Savidge Reads posted His Top 12 Australian reads for Australia Day:https://savidgereads.wordpress.com/20...
Barbara wrote: "Savidge Reads posted His Top 12 Australian reads for Australia Day:https://savidgereads.wordpress.com/20..."
Good list! I say the film of Under the Skin and can recommend that. Very unusual film - I'd say the book would be "interesting"! I loved The Slap, didn't realise that Christos Tsiolkas is australian. I Suggested it for feb group read but it got 0 interest LOL
Margo wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Savidge Reads posted His Top 12 Australian reads for Australia Day:https://savidgereads.wordpress.com/20..."
Good list! I say the film of [book:Un..."
The Slap was a recent mini-series on US TV. Very, very over-hyped and I don't think many people watched it. To me, the premise seemed silly, but a book version might be much better.
Barbara wrote: "Margo wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Savidge Reads posted His Top 12 Australian reads for Australia Day:https://savidgereads.wordpress.com/20..."
Good list! I say the fi..."
The book brought up many interesting social issues, but I didn't know about the mini series. Not a great tv watcher.
We only recently had anti-slapping legislation introduced over here, but I was most interested in the discusion it provoked on breatfeeding, and at what age it becomes inappropriate.
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Books mentioned in this topic
Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm: A New English Version (other topics)The Shadow of the Wind (other topics)
The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault (other topics)
The Shadow of the Wind (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Peter FitzSimons (other topics)Peter FitzSimons (other topics)
Christos Tsiolkas (other topics)
Peter FitzSimons (other topics)
Jules Verne (other topics)
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I have all my book choices sourced now so ready to go come January