Caroline's Around the World in 80 Books

[Andrew]

brill, well done.

[[deleted user]]

Thanks everyone. It snuck up on me a bit. Almost missed the fact I'd got to 40!

Time for a recap. Countries 1 - 40.

Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com

Start date: 7th May 2014
End date:

AFGHANISTAN - The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul - Deborah Rodriguez (28/3/15)
AUSTRALIA - The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion (5/8/14)
AUSTRIA - Five - Ursula Poznanski (15/2/15)
BRAZIL - The Mayan Conspiracy - Graham Brown (30/11/14)
CANADA - Never Knowing - Chevy Stevens (18/8/14))
CHINA - Village of Stone - Xiaolu Guo (7/5/14)
CROATIA - Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie - (31/1/15)
DENMARK - One, Two ... He Is Coming For You - Willow Rose (12/4/15)
EGYPT - Death on the Nile - Agatha Christie (10/8/14)
FRANCE - Thérèse Raquin - Emile Zola (19/5/14)
GERMANY - Frankenstein - Mary Shelley (19/6/14)
GREECE - The Lost Throne - Chris Kuzneski (6/8/14)
GREENLAND - Blizzard: Race to the Pole - Jasper Rees (16/5/15)
GUERNSEY - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer (23/2/15)
ICELAND - Black Skies - Arnaldur Indridason (4/7/15)
INDIA - The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - Deborah Moggach (24/6/14)
IRAN - Not Without My Daughter - Betty Mahmoody (4/10/15)
IRAQ - Murder in Mesopotamia - Agatha Christie (16/5/14)
IRELAND (REPUBLIC OF) - One Hundred Names - Cecelia Ahern (27/6/14)
ISLE OF MAN - Safe House - Chris Ewan (2/8/14)
ISRAEL - Before Bethlehem - James Flerlage (7/12/14)
ITALY - Sign Of The Cross - Chris Kuzneski (25/7/14)
JORDAN - Appointment with Death - Agatha Christie (13/2/15)
LEBANON - The Sanctuary - Raymond Khoury (13/5/14)
MADAGASCAR - Entwined - Colette Gale (14/7/15)
MEXICO - The Death Relic - Chris Kuzneski (21/8/14)
MOROCCO - Destination Unknown - Agatha Christie (2/3/15)
NETHERLANDS - The House of Dolls - David Hewson (20/7/15)
NORWAY - Don't Look Back - Karin Fossum (14/8/14)
POLAND - The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne (5/10/15)
ROMANIA - The Hunters - Chris Kuzneski (8/11/14)
RUSSIA - The Black Sun - James Twining (5/9/14)
SAUDI ARABIA - Sword Of God - Chris Kuzneski (27/8/14
SOUTH AFRICA - The Man in the Brown Suit - Agatha Christie (25/1/15)
SPAIN - As Easy as Murder - Quintin Jardine (4/6/14)
SWEDEN - Echoes from the Dead - Johan Theorin (1/9/14)
SWITZERLAND - Heidi - Johanna Spyri (3/10/15)
TIBET - Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet - Xinran (23/1/15)
TURKEY - Sanctus - Simon Toyne (6/7/14)
ZIMBABWE - A Matter of Clues - Monica Marsden (16/1/15)

[Sue]

Brilliant. Homeward Bound!

[Kate, Moderator]

Nice list! I've jotted down a couple of Agatha Christies from your list for countries I haven't done yet. Ironic that I now know where Destination Unknown is set! lol

[Ian, Moderator]

Caroline wrote: "Just realised I'm halfway!! Yay!"

Well done Caroline. All downhill now.

[[deleted user]]

Thanks everyone. It's funny, I've been plodding along at this, hardly getting any new countries and then all of a sudden I've got 4 in a week!

[[deleted user]]

#41 - THAILAND - Everyone Burns - John Dolan -

Good but not great murder mystery set on the Thai island Samui.

[Danielle]

Well done, Caroline

[Ian, Moderator]

Caroline wrote: "#41 - THAILAND - Everyone Burns - John Dolan -

Good but not great murder mystery set on the Thai island Samui."

The Dr Siri Paiboun crime mystery novels set in Laos are really good. First one is if you fancy moving next door from Thailand.

[Mercia]

Ian wrote: "The Dr Siri Paiboun crime mystery novels set in Laos are really good. First one is The Coroner's Lunch (Dr. Siri Paiboun, #1) by Colin Cotterill if you fancy moving next door from Thailand. "

Thanks for the tip my original Laos choice was actually about emigrating to America and I've found Disco For The Departed on Scribd, but polishing off Europe first.

[[deleted user]]

Ian wrote: The Dr Siri Paiboun crime mystery novels set in Laos are really good. First one is The Coroner's Lunch (Dr. Siri Paiboun, #1) by Colin Cotterill if you fancy moving next door from Thailand.

Sounds good. Cheers Ian.

[[deleted user]]

#42 - FINLAND - Snow Angels - James Thompson .

Fairly good crime/thriller.

[[deleted user]]

#43 - ST. BARTS - Love on St. Barts - Emme Cross

Kindle freebie romance involving a 23 year old virgin getting sex lessons from a movie star stud! Downloaded just to get the country.

[Ian, Moderator]

And a very good country indeed lol.

[[deleted user]]

Ian wrote: "And a very good country indeed lol."

Shame I can't say the same about the book!

[[deleted user]]

#44 - JAPAN - Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

Fascinating subject but the story dragged a little in places.

[[deleted user]]

#45 - DOMINICA - Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys .

First part was set in Jamaica, second (slightly longer) part set in Dominica (I think!). Not sure how I feel about the book - bit of a strange one.

[Andrew]

Caroline wrote: "#45 - DOMINICA - Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys .

First part was set in Jamaica, second (slightly longer) part set in Dominica (I thin..."
That's a good country! I read it some years ago and agree it was unusual, someone I know has recommended others of her books as their favourite and I tbr'd it.

[[deleted user]]

Andrew wrote: "Caroline wrote: "#45 - DOMINICA - Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys .

First part was set in Jamaica, second (slightly longer) part set in..."

I found it really chaotic and muddled. Almost seemed like a first draft. Quite disappointed really because I was looking forward to reading it.

[Andrew]

Caroline wrote: "Andrew wrote: "Caroline wrote: "#45 - DOMINICA - Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys .

First part was set in Jamaica, second (slightly long..."

Im never sure whether I like the reimagining of existing characters from well loved book, there seems to be a fashion for this and a couple of years ago I read pride and prejudice for the first time followed in my book group by two reimagining's ; Longbourn and Death comes to pemberley both good but I couldn't see the point.

[[deleted user]]

I think it's a nice idea as long as we actually learn something new about the characters. In Wide Sargasso Sea I'm not sure that was achieved.

I have Death Comes to Pemberley on my TBR but I keep putting it off until I get around to re-reading Pride and Prejudice.

[[deleted user]]

#46 - ALGERIA - A Happy Death - Albert Camus - .

Hated this book. So dull. I would have given up on it if I already had Algeria!

[[deleted user]]

#47 - LAOS - The Coroner's Lunch - Colin Cotterill

Thanks to Ian for recommending this one. I really enjoyed it and will be adding the rest of the series to my TBR list.

[Ian, Moderator]

And nearly at 50.

[[deleted user]]

#48 - KYRGYZSTAN - A Killing Winter - Tom Callaghan -

So-so crime thriller set in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan. A little bit bloodthirsty in places.

[[deleted user]]

#49 - BULGARIA - Valley of Thracians - Ellis Shuman -

This book has a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews so I appear to be in the minority but I didn't think it was very good. Parts of it were more like reading a textbook than a novel and the plot was a bit limp.

[Mercia]

Caroline wrote: "This book has a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews so I appear to be in the minority."
At least you finished it. I gave up after about a chapter as the main character did not seem to like Bulgarians and I don't like reading books where the MC is unpleasant about the locals. Dosen't sound like a missed much.

[[deleted user]]

Mercia wrote: "Caroline wrote: "This book has a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews so I appear to be in the minority."
At least you finished it. I gave up after about a chapter as the main character did not seem to like..."

There did seem to be a little bit of American = Good / Bulgarian = Bad, although to be fair the author did say in a note at the end that he has lived in Bulgaria and most of the people are lovely, his characters are fictional etc etc.

[[deleted user]]

#50 - VENEZUELA - Empire Of Gold - Andy McDermott -

Entertaining treasure hunting adventure that takes in Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Afghanistan, England and USA. Largest page count goes to Venezuela so that's what I'm counting it as.

[Ian, Moderator]

Well done on another milestone.....a half century.

[[deleted user]]

Cheers Ian.

[[deleted user]]

#51 - NEW ZEALAND - Vintage Murder - Ngaio Marsh -

While on a holiday in NZ, Inspector Roderick Alleyn gets caught up with a murder in a touring theatre company.

First book I've read by Ngaio Marsh but I'll definitely be reading more.

[[deleted user]]

#52 - HUNGARY - The Crypt - Jonas Saul -

Laughably bad 'psychic vigilante' nonsense.

[[deleted user]]

#53 - FRENCH POLYNESIA / TAHITI - Ballads - Robert Louis Stevenson -

The first two poems in this collection make up roughly 80% of the book and are set in Tahiti (The Song of Rahero) and the Marquesas Islands (The Feast of Famine).

[[deleted user]]

#54 - VATICAN CITY - Angels and Demons - Dan Brown -

This was a re-read for me, I first read it a few years ago around about the time the film came out. Mindlessly entertaining fun.

[[deleted user]]

#55 - NIGERIA - Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe - .

Can't exactly say I enjoyed it but I did find it fascinating.

[[deleted user]]

#56 - CYPRUS - Othello - William Shakespeare -

Starts in Venice but the majority takes place in Cyprus.

[Kate, Moderator]

Interesting! I didn't know it was set there. Might be worth a read then especially as it would get me a one word O too. I always find the prospect of reading Shakespeare a bit daunting though. I generally read a quick synopsis before I go and see the play!

[[deleted user]]

Kate (Trojanhorse) wrote: "Interesting! I didn't know it was set there. Might be worth a read then especially as it would get me a one word O too. I always find the prospect of reading Shakespeare a bit daunting though. I ge..."

It's quite short but did take me a while to read it as I struggled to understand what was being said in places. Enjoyed it in the end though.

[[deleted user]]

When I first started this challenge I said I wasn't going to use USA or any UK countries as I was also doing separate challenges for them. But, I've been plodding away at this for over two years now and it's not as easy as I thought, and in the last few days I've read 3 books that would count if not for my self-imposed restriction. So - I take it back!

Scotland - Close to the Bone - Stuart MacBride (1/7/16)
Wales - Rubbernecker - Belinda Bauer (2/7/16)
USA - Hot Blooded - Lisa Jackson (4/7/16)

Which takes me to 59 :)

[Liz, Moderator]

Never say never ;)

[[deleted user]]

#60 - ENGLAND - The Zig Zag Girl - Elly Griffiths - .

Another country I said I wasn't going to use! This was a fairly good murder mystery set in 1950s Brighton, involving magicians.

[Ian, Moderator]

75% done - almost there.

[[deleted user]]

Ian wrote: "75% done - almost there."

My plan is to get to 80 by the end of this year - we'll see... :)

[[deleted user]]

#61 - NEPAL - The Lie - C.L. Taylor - .

Psychological suspense about four women whose dream holiday turns into a nightmare. I couldn't put it down.

[Ian, Moderator]

Just added it. Sounds a page turner.

[[deleted user]]

#62 - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Amanda in Arabia: The Perfume Flask - Darlene Foster -

This challenge has become a bit of a family affair now. My niece suggested this one to me. It's aimed at 8-12 year olds and at that age I probably would have loved it. At my age - it just got me a new country!

[Ian, Moderator]

Racing along. Think I can resist that one even tho' Dubai etc remains unvisited and idealess for me.

[[deleted user]]

Ian wrote: "Racing along. Think I can resist that one even tho' Dubai etc remains unvisited and idealess for me."

Don't blame you!

[Sue]

Ian wrote: "Racing along. Think I can resist that one even tho' Dubai etc remains unvisited and idealess for me."

I read The Dog which was fine ( despite being on booker longlist). Is on kinndle, although a tad expensive.