Around the Globe (2019) - Rules & Questions

[Lauren]

Historical Mysteries Around the Globe
Duration: January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019

***Ask any questions in this thread***

GENERAL RULES:
1) Participants may join at any time during the challenge.

2) As the purpose of this challenge is to broaden our reading horizons to include mysteries set in as many different countries as possible, you can only read ONE book per country.

3) Definition of historical mystery for this challenge: Any book whose central plot involves a crime of any type (murder, robbery, etc.) and takes place at any point that is at least 50 years in the past. This includes works set in a time period that is historical from the author’s perspective (for example, The Cadfael Chronicles by Ellis Peters) as well as books written in the past from our perspective and set during the author’s lifetime (for example, Hercule Poirot by Agatha Christie).

Spy/espionage books do not work for the challenge. They are thrillers, not mysteries.

4) Setting is determined as 50% of the book taking place in the required country.

5) Re-reads and audiobooks are acceptable 

6) All books begun on January 1st count toward the challenge

7) Create a personal thread in the challenge folder to keep track of your countries and books. Indicate in the first post which level you are aiming for. You can change your level at any time during the challenge.

8) Please make a new post for every task that contains:
A. The region
B. The country
C. The book to be read. 
D. Once you have finished the book, create a new post with all the details above AND the date read. You can also add a few comments about the book if you want (this is not compulsory). 

LEVELS:

* For all levels, each book must be set in a different country.

Level #1: Traveller - 5 to 15 books set in 1 to 3 regions
Level #2: Adventurer - 15 to 25 books in 4 to 5 regions
Level #3: Explorer - 25 to 35 books in 6 to 8 regions
Level #4: Globetrotter - 35+ books in all 8 regions 

REGIONS:

For the purpose of this challenge, we will be using the ThoughtCo official listing of countries by world region -

https://www.thoughtco.com/official-li...

[Lauren]

Reserved

[Alice]

Alice's spot

[Libby]

Thanks for organizing our fun activities, Lauren! I am having a difficult time deciding on what level I should do. It all depends on what else goes on in one’s life doesn’t it? Anybody got a crystal ball?

[Libby]

To set up my area to post the books I read do I just send a post with “reserved” on it?

[Christine]

Ok, I’m in -IF I can figure out the what and how of a “personal thread in this folder.”
Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

[✨ Vittoria ✨]

Quick question: when we stumble upon places that following wars and other political changes have gone from belonging to one country to another, which country do we mark that book for?
For example, a book set in Königsberg... after being a part of the German Empire, Königsberg became Russian: do we pick Germany or Russia?

[Tracey]

Sounds harder than the past couple years' challenges (so many English books!) - but I think I'm in.

[Lauren]

Alice wrote: "Alice's spot"

Alice, you need to start your own thread in the Around the Globe Challenge folder.

Here is the link - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

Just click on "new topic" on the right hand side and create your thread.

[Lauren]

Libby wrote: "Thanks for organizing our fun activities, Lauren! I am having a difficult time deciding on what level I should do. It all depends on what else goes on in one’s life doesn’t it? Anybody got a crysta..."

No problem, Libby!
You can always start with level one and change as you go along.

[Lauren]

Libby wrote: "To set up my area to post the books I read do I just send a post with “reserved” on it?"

You start a thread in the Around the Globe challenge folder (exactly the same as the Clue challenge).

Here is the link to the folder - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

[Lauren]

Christine wrote: "Ok, I’m in -IF I can figure out the what and how of a “personal thread in this folder.”
Any guidance is greatly appreciated."

Welcome to the challenge Christine :)

To create a personal thread follow the link below and click on "new topic" to create the thread.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

[Lauren]

Vittoria wrote: "Quick question: when we stumble upon places that following wars and other political changes have gone from belonging to one country to another, which country do we mark that book for?
For example, ..."

Hmmm... good question.
I'm going to say that you choose the country that the book is set in. In other words, if the book is set before the war then it is Germany and if the book is set after the war then it is Russia. Does that make sense?

[Lauren]

Tracey wrote: "Sounds harder than the past couple years' challenges (so many English books!) - but I think I'm in."

I know. I was debating about whether or not to limit to one book per country and decided that as the purpose is to broaden horizons, I would put the limit in place.
If people begin to struggle, I will rethink it.

[✨ Vittoria ✨]

Lauren wrote: "if the book is set before the war then it is Germany and if the book is set after the war then it is Russia. Does that make sense?"

Absolutely. Thanks, Lauren !!

[Veronica]

I'm in! I'm starting with level 1 and see how that goes.

[QNPoohBear]

I'm in for level 1. I have to see what else looks good and what my schedule allows.

[Christine]

Bummer! Link to set up personal thread isn’t working.

[Christine]

So link still didn’t work but I found the + sign in top right corner and that did it!

[Lauren]

Christine wrote: "So link still didn’t work but I found the + sign in top right corner and that did it!"

That's weird!
Glad you found a workaround though.

[Dawn]

Lauren,

Can we maybe set up a thread where people can post book titles and the countries they are set in? Of course, England and the US are easy but I am going to struggle with many of the other countries. Or maybe there is a website that has this information? Thank you.

[Lauren]

Sure thing Dawn. That is a great suggestion. I will set one up now.

[Viji]

Lauren wrote: "Sure thing Dawn. That is a great suggestion. I will set one up now."

Oh! That would be a great help, Lauren. Thanks, Dawn, for the suggestion.

[Carol]

What an awesome challenge. I’m in! Thank you, Lauren.

[Lauren]

Carol wrote: "What an awesome challenge. I’m in! Thank you, Lauren."

Sure thing Carol. Hope you enjoy it :)

[Viji]

Would A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander work for the country: France?

From the synopsis, I am not able to make it out. Could somebody who read this book already help me with this query?

Thanks.

[Lauren]

Viji wrote: "Would A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander work for the country: France?

From the synopsis, I am not able to make it out. Could ..."

Unfortunately no. The book is set entirely in England.

[QNPoohBear]

There's another Lady Emily book set in the Ottoman Empire. I haven't read it but I might if I have time.

[Viji]

Lauren wrote: "Viji wrote: "Would A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander work for the country: France?

From the synopsis, I am not able to make i..."

Thanks, Lauren. I wanted to be sure before I started it.

[Lauren]

Please note!

Spy/espionage books do not work for the challenge. These are not mysteries; they are thrillers.

Rules have been updated to reflect this.

Thanks :)

[✨ Vittoria ✨]

Question: I just started reading Shroud for the Archbishop by Peter Tremayne, which is set in Rome's Lateran Palace - so technically one could consider the book set in Italy. The thing is, the Lateran Palace is actually one of the extraterritorial properties of the Holy See (aka Vatican City).
Do I mark Vatican City or Italy?

[Lauren]

✨ Vittoria ✨ wrote: "Question: I just started reading Shroud for the Archbishop by Peter Tremayne, which is set in Rome's Lateran Palace"

Similar to the question about areas that have been conquered during wartime, you would go with the country it belonged to at the time the story was set. So as the setting is during the time of the Roman Empire and it was not yet part of the Holy See, you would mark it as Italy.