Play Book Tag discussion
September 2019: Cultural
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Announcing the September Tag
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Anita wrote: "Oh, I just noticed that the book I'm currently reading is featured prominently in the Goodreads list for cultural. It is Someone Knows My Name. I may finish it too early though, lol.However, I can tell anyone looking for a book that it is excellent and is going to be a five star read for me! "
YAY! In Canada, this is called "The Book of Negroes".
Ok, the one that's jumping out at me is not available at my library. I will likely request via ILL, but it may not come in in time: Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey / Isabel Fonseca
I am planning to pick out an alternate, as well, though...
Possibly:
- Hillbilly Elegy / J.D. Vance
- I'm a Stranger Here Myself / Bill Bryson
Well, 2 books on my TBR which I have earmarked for reading challenges I am participating in will fit cultural: Memoirs of a Geisha and Pachinko. My memory of Proust's Swann's Way, which I'm reading for a discussion group, suggests it will fit also. And if I pick the right Egypt book from my TBR, my Horizon's read will fit too. My Trim won't though - Exit West, although I could be surprised.
I am on a roll with women and sports books. Why not add one more to the list. I am going to read the following book this month.Futbolera: A History of Women and Sports in Latin America
by Brenda Elsey, Joshua Nadel
Theresa wrote: "Well, 2 books on my TBR which I have earmarked for reading challenges I am participating in will fit cultural: Memoirs of a Geisha and Pachinko. My memory of Proust's [bo..."Exit West is on the 3rd page of the popular Cultural books
Idit wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Well, 2 books on my TBR which I have earmarked for reading challenges I am participating in will fit cultural: Memoirs of a Geisha and Pachinko. My memory..."Whoa! Had not even bothered to look! Thanks, Idit!
I'm still a bit confused about what Cultural means. every few minutes my brain straggles with it againBut going with the list Nicole linked to -
I recommend any book by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi
including the short stories The Thing Around Your Neck
I might read any of these:
Dubliners
Song of Solomon (I want to read Sula, but it's on my Trim list
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Midnight's Children
The Good Earth
Wide Sargasso Sea (even though only 3 people tagged it)
Karin wrote: "I have a song in my head where the refrain starts "Oh, happy day...",..."And now it's MY ear worm as well!
Theresa wrote: "Well, 2 books on my TBR which I have earmarked for reading challenges I am participating in will fit cultural: Memoirs of a Geisha and Pachinko. My memory of Proust's [bo..."Exit West is perfect for this tag. It wouldn't have worked for Horizons only because the author never says what country they called home. They move to different countries and meet different people, so they are able to identify contrasts in the cultures (values, norms, beliefs, etc.). Just like a fish doesn't see the water, we don't really see our own culture, until we can contrast it with others.
AJ wrote: "I think I’ll read Homegoing this month. Anyone know if I really liked it, especially the early sections of the book that take place in Africa. The structure of the book makes it easy to stall, but I think it's very worthwhile reading for the cultural tag (even if you only finish the first half).
It's a compilation of short stories following the ancestors of two sisters. Just as I was really getting into the story of one person's life, the author skips to the other family, or someone in the next generation. It's perfect for someone who wants to read a little each night, because it's easy to find a stopping place. It took me a month (and a library due date) to return to finish the last half of the book. The early stories were very eye opening to me. The later stories were more familiar but I think two of them were really powerful. Some of them haunt me still.
I think I'm going to go with Circe for this one. I keep meaning to read it, and just haven't gotten around to it.
Idit wrote: "I'm still a bit confused about what Cultural means. every few minutes my brain straggles with it againBut going with the list Nicole linked to -
I recommend any book by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi
..."
I second the recommendation for anything by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi.
For anyone struggling to find something worthwhile, I strongly recommend A Thousand Splendid Suns. It gives a lot of information about the culture in Afghanistan over several decades. It's told from the point of view of two women in two generations. It's the best novel I've ever read to show culture change (which is related to my work). It's a great book for and about women, and it will make you very grateful for the freedoms you have.
I may read, "Notes From a Young Black Chef". We'll see.... I've been having a hard time settling into a book recently.
AJ wrote: "I think I’ll read Homegoing this month. Anyone know if it’s any good?"I read it a couple months ago and concur with NancyJ's assessment.
AJ wrote: "I think I’ll read Homegoing this month. Anyone know if it’s any good?"I read it and liked it-gave it 4 stars
I’m also hoping to read Tess of the D’Urbervilles. I saw the movie Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood and Sharon Tate is buying a first edition as a present for Roman Polanski. It made me remember I always wanted to read it
As I said - I can’t wrap my mind around this tag. I think I get it and then I’m not. So if anyone read this book they’ll have to tell me if it’s cultural or not. It’s a cultural asset - like any classic. Does that count? (I’m somehow still confused)
Idit wrote: "I’m also hoping to read Tess of the D’Urbervilles. I saw the movie Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood and Sharon Tate is buying a first edition as a present for Roman Polanski. It made me remember ..."
I probably wouldn't use the "cultural" tag for this book but 7 people have done so.
It's one of my favorite books. I think I've read it 3 or 4 times.
Nicole R wrote: "After what I believe is the closest vote—and revote— we have ever had on PBT, the September tag is:cultural
Please share your reading plans and recommendations below.
Remember, for the regular ..."
Plans?
I never plan for tags, if I have it next to me I read it.....
Joanne wrote: "Anita wrote: "Oh, I just noticed that the book I'm currently reading is featured prominently in the Goodreads list for cultural. It is Someone Knows My Name. I may finish it too early..."Joanne, have you read the Three Pines/Armonde Gamache mysteries by Louise Penny, set in Quebec, Canada? The beginning of the series discusses many Cultural issues in Quebec, including French versus English speaking people.
NancyJ wrote: "Joanne wrote: "Anita wrote: "Oh, I just noticed that the book I'm currently reading is featured prominently in the Goodreads list for cultural. It is Someone Knows My Name. I may fini..."No, sorry I have not. I am really not a mystery fan. I am going to start off The Sellout-a satire that some have raved about.
Joanne wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Joanne wrote: "Anita wrote: "Oh, I just noticed that the book I'm currently reading is featured prominently in the Goodreads list for cultural. It is [book:Someone Knows My Name|8754..."I am very curious to see if you like The Sellout, Joanne. It definitely fits the tag.
Finally I will be reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Been meaning to for years so looking forward to it.
My number one recommendation is one I've made often, Cry, the Beloved Country.I'm planning to finish reading Smoketown: The Untold Story of the Other Great Black Renaissance which deals with African American culture and history in Pittsburgh. I'm also going to be reading An Orchestra of Minorities. I'm not sure yet if it fits the tag, but I suspect it does.
Jen wrote: "Finally I will be reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Been meaning to for years so looking forward to it."Don't be discouraged by the rather boring beginning, Jen. The finance exposition almost made me give up, but it is necessary to the narrative, and once the investigation begins the pace takes off like a rocket. It's definitely worth it!
annapi wrote: "Jen wrote: "Finally I will be reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Been meaning to for years so looking forward to it."Don't be discouraged by the rather boring beginning, Jen...."
Thanks for the warning!
I'll admit, I threw all ten points to Paranormal when voting, so I wasn't that excited about the Cultural tag when it won. I just read a nearly 700 page book for Trim (The Invisible Bridge - really good) that fits this tag excellently! Can I report it for Trim in August, but wait to report it on the monthly tag until September LOL? (JK - I know that would be a no-no.)But then I remembered that I have several books that I picked up for or during my travels last summer (to the Scottish Islands and Prague/Germany/Hungary). So this gives me a wonderful reason to read them!
Meli wrote: "Once again Outlander fits <:i>And yet, even though I have TEN Outlander books on my Trim list, one of them was not picked for this month ….. Sigh.
And it would have fit Paranormal also :-)
I really wanted paranormal! Where my horror fans at!? Remember Creepygate? Lost that battle too :(
Oh Dough Friend I feel you! After the (wonderful) 750 pages of The Invisible Bridge, I am now in the 805 pages of the Labryinth of the Spirits! Thank Gos my Trim book is like 75 pages - I just can’t find it!
I have a lot of books tagged Culture on my TBR. For September, I'm going to go with The Poisonwood Bible because it is also my Trim the TBR Challenge book for September.I'd like to also try to fit Cutting for Stone in.
A few recommendations that are real standouts for me, although I'm sure everyone has their own full list of possibilities:
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea
Moloka'i
The Leavers
Educated
Jen wrote: "Finally I will be reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Been meaning to for years so looking forward to it."Lisbeth Salander is one of my all time favorite characters. I just finished the third book in the trilogy by Larsson.
Doughgirl5562 wrote: "I'll admit, I threw all ten points to Paranormal when voting, so I wasn't that excited about the Cultural tag when it won. I just read a nearly 700 page book for Trim (The Invisible Bridge - really..."Ah, and I put ten points to cultural, so we cancelled each other out :). I just don't like paranormal anymore and have read plenty of it back in the day so am not helping all of you who enjoy it now!
Meli wrote: "I really wanted paranormal! Where my horror fans at!? Remember Creepygate? Lost that battle too :("If I could vote, I probably would have voted paranormal.
LibraryCin wrote: "If I could vote, I probably would have voted paranormal."Really Cin? LOL me too!
You know it would have had my vote too. Lol.
Book Concierge wrote: "My recommendations ... 5-star books from my "culture" shelf - (page 1)The Kite Runner
The Red Tent
The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child
[boo..."
Thank you for the list. Under the Mesquite sounds really good. I think I am going to read it.
annapi wrote: "LibraryCin wrote: "If I could vote, I probably would have voted paranormal."Really Cin? LOL me too!"
Overall, I was ok with any of them, but I'm pretty sure if I was voting that would have been the one!
And Nicole, too! Jeez, if only the admins were voting! LOL!
Nicole R wrote: "You know it would have had my vote too. Lol."annapi wrote: "LibraryCin wrote: "If I could vote, I probably would have voted paranormal."
Really Cin? LOL me too!"
LibraryCin wrote: "Meli wrote: "I really wanted paranormal! Where my horror fans at!? Remember Creepygate? Lost that battle too :("
If I could vote, I probably would have voted paranormal."
This is one time where I am delighted that the mods cannot vote ;)--you can all read plenty of that for the Fall Flurries Challenge!
I am very happy to learn that the tag for September is Cultural. I am reading Noah Trevor's new book Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood. Looking forward to it!
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
The Kite Runner (other topics)The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child (other topics)
The Red Tent (other topics)
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (other topics)
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Khaled Hosseini (other topics)Naguib Mahfouz (other topics)
Nawal El Saadawi (other topics)
Ahdaf Soueif (other topics)
Wilbur Smith (other topics)
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You can probably define it how you'd like, but this is what I'd like to focus on.
m trying to figure out what I might like to read that will really fit this. And not just be something set somewhere where I am not. I want more than that.