2016 - Where in the world are you? (currently reading)

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I'm finishing and starting books set in Denmark, without even planning it. I have been reading a few pages now and then of The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen and finally just sat down to read the rest. I have a review copy of One of Us Is Sleeping, about a young woman going home to her mother who is dying of cancer. It's told in a very fragmented way that I worry whether I'll stick with it.

[[deleted user]]

I am not travelling efficiently! Somehow I'm simultaneously in Croatia with Girl at War by Sara Nović and Brazil with Near to the Wild Heart by Clarice Lispector.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Rachel wrote: "I am not travelling efficiently! Somehow I'm simultaneously in Croatia with Girl at War by Sara Nović and Brazil with Near to the Wild Heart by Clarice Lispector."

I call that 'balanced'!

[Lilisa]

I'm in Spain halfway through Winter in Madrid by C.J. Sansom - Goodreads is not cooperating so can't link. It's "so-so" and don't think it's going to get much better.

Andrea - how was your trip to Nepal?

[Rusalka]

Oh. I just went to link it for you Lilisa and my Goodreads is broken too. Must be everyone.

[Lilisa]

Rusalka wrote: "Oh. I just went to link it for you Lilisa and my Goodreads is broken too. Must be everyone."

Thanks for trying Rusalka!

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Lilisa wrote: "Andrea - how was your trip to Nepal? ..."

It was all I could have hoped for - before I left I'd already decided to return after the rainy season.

[Carol]

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Shomeret wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I'm in Ecuador with The Potbellied Virgin - I'm leading the discussion for my book club and had to do a lot of research!
[bookcover:The ..."

I'm curious, Jenny. (That's how I label nosy when I can get away with it, lol). Of the BC members who disliked it - what was the basis of their dislike? Did you find any online research links that you care to share? I know so little about Ecuador other than it's beautiful and the food is awesome.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Carol wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I'm curious, Jenny. (That's how I label nosy when I can get away with it, lol). Of the BC members who disliked it - what was the basis of their dislike? Did you find any online research links that you care to share? I know so little about Ecuador other than it's beautiful and the food is awesome. "

The person that contacted me was protesting that it was difficult to read. I didn't find it so difficult. It definitely isn't an easy read but it is not inaccessible.

Most of the research I found is in databases that you may or may not have access to. In English, I found only TWO reviews of the novel, even amongst scholarly journals. It has gotten very little attention. I did do some reading in Wikipedia about Ecuador's economic history, where I discovered how much of their economy is based on cacao. :) But even finding a list of presidents is fascinating, so much turnover.

Ooh and this article about the pope's visit, heh.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/04/wor...

[Lilisa]

Andrea wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Andrea - how was your trip to Nepal? ..."

It was all I could have hoped for - before I left I'd already decided to return after the rainy season."

[Carol]

Thank you, Jenny! Very interesting, especially the link.

[Val]

The Man Booker International is now awarded for a single book instead of a body of work. here is this year's shortlist:

The 2016 Man Booker International Shortlist

Title (imprint) Author (nationality) Translator (nationality)

A General Theory of Oblivion (Harvill Secker), José Eduardo Agualusa (Angola), Daniel Hahn (UK)

The Story of the Lost Child (Europa Editions), Elena Ferrante (Italy), Ann Goldstein (USA)

The Vegetarian (Portobello Books), Han Kang (South Korea), Deborah Smith (UK)

A Strangeness in My Mind (Faber & Faber), Orhan Pamuk (Turkey), Ekin Oklap (Turkey)

A Whole Life (Picador), Robert Seethaler (Austria), Charlotte Collins (UK)

The Four Books (Chatto & Windus), Yan Lianke (China), Carlos Rojas (USA)

I am going to read some of them, starting with The Vegetarian by Han Kang, and wondered if any of you had already. So far I have read Death by Water by Kenzaburō Ōe from the long list, which I had mixed feelings about (it was good in parts, but sent me to sleep - five pages and zonk) and White Hunger, which I found I couldn't stop reading until I knew what happened.

[Lilisa]

Val - Thanks for posting the Man Booker shortlist. Will have to check them out. Haven't read The Vegetarian or any of the others. It'll be interesting to see which one wins.

[Carol]

I'm simultaneously in Thailand with The Hot Countries by Timothy Hallinan, in Japan with Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata and the US with The Warmest December by Bernice L. McFadden. Three more different reads, each great in its own way, would be difficult to find.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I'm in Mozambique with The First Wife: A Tale of Polygamy by Paulina Chiziane, apparently the first published female author in that country. It is translated from the Portuguese and is just out among a few other new titles from archipelago press.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I'm in Himachal Pradesh (India) for the second time this year with Fire On The Mountain by Anita Desai. It's my first book by this author and I'm enjoying her wry humour.

As I said in another GR Group, what surprises me is the similarity between the basic plot of this book, published in 1977, and the plot of The Inheritance of Loss (Man Booker Prize winner 2006) by Kiran Desai - her daughter!!! I wonder why this doesn't seem to have been a big deal? Or maybe it was, and I'm simply not aware of the controversy?

[Rusalka]

Andrea wrote: "what surprises me is the similarity between the basic plot of this book, published in 1977, and the plot of The Inheritance of Loss "

That is interesting. I think I had heard mumblings at the time but nothing huge. I'd be a little annoyed if my daughter retold my story and then won the Booker for it though :P

[Carol]

I am in the UK with A Dedicated Man by Peter Robinson. It's the second in the series, but my first read of his.

[Val]

Rusalka wrote: "That is interesting. I think I had heard mumblings at the time but nothing huge. I'd be a little annoyed if my daughter retold my story and then won the Booker for it though."
I don't think I would. I kind of want my daughters to do better than me, it means we are getting closer to equality and that I brought them up to have dreams of success.

[Lilisa]

In Argentina with Perla.

[Carol]

I'm in 11th-century Japan with by I.J. Parker, except when I'm in Singapore with by Ovidia Yu, or in 1950's Egypt with . I'm having some difficulty committing these days to any particular country at one time.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I'm in Swaziland with When Hoopoes Go to Heaven. Interestingly the last place I visited in Africa for this challenge was Mozambique, the only other country bordering Swaziland other than S. Africa.

[Shomeret]

The Last Painting of Sara de Vos is causing me to transition between Amsterdam in 1631 and New York in 1957. According to the cover flap copy, I will also be traveling to Australia later. So far I'm getting more of a sense of place from the 17th century Holland sections, but in the New York sections I'm getting a strong impression of the viewpoint character.

[Carol]

I am in London with The Infidel Stain by M.J. Carter.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I'm in East Pakistan/Bangladesh with A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam. Apparently it's the first part of one of those non-connected trilogies. It's my first book by this author, and I'm enjoying it so far.

[Lilisa]

Andrea wrote: "I'm in East Pakistan/Bangladesh with A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam. Apparently it's the first part of one of those non-connected trilogies. It's my first book by this..."

It's on my list, Andrea so interested to see what you think when you finish it.

[Suzanne]

I'm in WWII Germany with The Life of Objects by Susanna Moore. I'm really enjoying this perspective of an Irish expat caught in Germany during the war.

I'm also reading The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan. It's set in Paris in the early 20th century about wannabe ballet dancers. I love books about ballet, but this one doesn't quite measure up.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I haven't moved too far with my current read, as The Shadow Lines by Amitav Ghosh so far seems to be straddling Calcutta/Dhaka with a bit of London thrown in. It's a bit all over the place in terms of story-telling, but entertaining enough.

[Lilisa]

I'm in Mexico with Like Water for Chocolate.

[Carol]

Lilisa wrote: "I'm in Mexico with Like Water for Chocolate."

Are you enjoying it? LWFC is one of the best reading experiences I ever had. Luminous, fun -- I hope you have the same enjoyment.

[Lilisa]

Carol wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I'm in Mexico with Like Water for Chocolate."

Are you enjoying it? LWFC is one of the best reading experiences I ever had. Luminous, fun -- I hope you have the same enj..."

Only about a dozen pages into it so far - enjoying it and hope that continues. Good to know you loved it! Last evening I finished - not for this group but a great read -- All the Things We Never Knew: Chasing the Chaos of Mental Illness, which was a pretty impactful, well-written nonfiction book on mental illness - a 5-star read if anyone's interested. So Like Water for Chocolate sounds like the perfect next book to read.

[Carol]

Lilisa wrote: "Carol wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I'm in Mexico with Like Water for Chocolate."

Are you enjoying it? LWFC is one of the best reading experiences I ever had. Luminous, fun -- I hope you hav..."

Wow. Yes. And I'm adding that rare nonfiction to my TBR now.

[Lilisa]

Carol wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Carol wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I'm in Mexico with Like Water for Chocolate."

Are you enjoying it? LWFC is one of the best reading experiences I ever had. Luminous, fun --..."

It's definitely worth the read, Carol - hope you feel the same way when you read it!

[Suzanne]

I'm in France with Chateau of Secrets - a perfect summer read!

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I'm in the Atlantic Ocean with Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I'm in the Atlantic Ocean with Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson."

A GR friend gave me a copy of that a few days ago - I'll await your review with interest. It certainly sounds good.

[Lilisa]

Andrea wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I'm in the Atlantic Ocean with Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson."

A GR friend gave me a copy of that a few days ago - I'll ..."

I've had a copy since last year as well. I had tickets to the author event but couldn't make it so my friend went instead and had him write a note and autograph it for me. It's been on my TBR pile for awhile and interested to know what you think of it, Jenny.

[Carol]

I'm in Sicily with The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri and in Vietnam with The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen. Egypt and Japan are on hold for the moment.

[Joy]

I'm currently in Ghana with Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey. So far so good!

[Val]

I have just started Man Tiger by Eka Kurniawan from Indonesia. It is another book from the Booker International list.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Late last night I started reading Songs At the River's Edge: Stories From a Bangladeshi Village by Katy Gardner. I've been reading a lot about Dhaka recently, so I figured I might as well stay in Bangladesh, but get out into the countryside for a change of scenery!

[Lilisa]

I'm in the same neck of the woods as Andrea covering India, Pakistan and Bangladesh with Indian Summer: The Secret History of the End of an Empire.

[Christine]

Andrea wrote: "Late last night I started reading Songs At the River's Edge: Stories From a Bangladeshi Village by Katy Gardner. I've been reading a lot about Dhaka recently, so I fi..."

[Christine]

You might try a river trip down to Kulna in the Sunderbans. I did this many years ago on the old Rocket paddle-wheel steamer. I wonder is it still operating.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Christine wrote: "You might try a river trip down to Kulna in the Sunderbans. I did this many years ago on the old Rocket paddle-wheel steamer. I wonder is it still operating."

I would love to do something like that! My one-week visit last year gave me a taste for Bangladesh, but in the blink of an eye it suddenly became a little bit dangerous. Hopefully it won't be long before things are back to normal. Do you have any reading recommendations for the Sundarbans in the meantime? I have The Hungry Tide on my list for later this year.

[Christine]

No, not current.

I wrote an article about it - then - ie 1988. It was frightening due to the traffic on the river -- boats with no lights ---and ferries in Bangladesh are always going down. Now I've put you off, but don't be. I survived, but yes, it was frightening during the night but worth it by day.
www.travelswithmyhat.com

[Josie]

I'm in the equatorial Pacific on the atoll of Tarawa in Kiribati with

[Josie]

Food of Ghosts by Marianne Wheelaghan
I'm in the equatorial Pacific on the atoll of Tarawa in Kiribati with

[Rusalka]

Not sure why that's not working Josie, but here's the link for those of us who are curious. Food of Ghosts

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Andrea wrote: "Christine wrote: "You might try a river trip down to Kulna in the Sunderbans. I did this many years ago on the old Rocket paddle-wheel steamer. I wonder is it still operating."

I would love to do ..."

I love The Hungry Tide for the Sundarbans, very place specific, not just a story that could have been set anywhere.