Laurie's 2020 WIT challenge

[Laurie]

Here are books I am considering, but I will probably not read them all. I own several of these and I definitely want to get some of those off my TBR

Fireflies in the Mist by Qurratulain Hyder
Of Love and Shadows by Isabel Allende
Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi
The Door by Magda Szabó
Disoriental by Négar Djavadi
About the Night by Anat Talshir
The Bridge of Beyond by Simone Schwarz-Bart
Last Train to Istanbul by Ayşe Kulin
The House by the River by Lena Manta
Our Lady of the Nile by Scholastique Mukasonga
Cantoras by Carolina De Robertis

[Laurie]

My goal for this challenge is 12 books. CHALLENGE COMPLETE

1. Ms Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami translated from the Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai
2. After the Spring: A Story of Tunisian Youth by Hélène Aldeguer translated from the French by Edward Gauvin
3. Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi translated from the Arabic by Marilyn Booth
4. The Door by Magda Szabó translated from the Hungarian by Len Rix
5. I Remember Beirut by Zeina Abirached translated from the Lebanese by Edward Gauvin
6. Love in a Fallen City by Eileen Chang translated from Chinese by Karen Kingsbury
7. The Waiting Years by Fumiko Enchi translated from the Japanese by John Bester
8. The Diary of Lady Murasaki by Murasaki Shikibu translated from the Japanese by Richard Bowring
9. Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman's Awakening by Manal Al-Sharif translated from the Arabic by Hannah Campbell
10. La Bastarda: A Novel by Trifonia Melibea Obono translated from the Spanish by Lawrence Schimel
11. I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem by Maryse Condé translated from the French by Richard Philcox
12. The Bridge of Beyond by Simone Schwarz-Bart translated from the French by Barbara Bray

[Laurie]

Completed my first book with Ms Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami translated from the Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai

[Anita]

Laurie wrote: "Completed my first book with Ms Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami translated from the Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai"

That's one I've wanted to read but have been unable to get a hold of a copy so far. How was it?

[Laurie]

It was a sweet story. It's so short that there isn't much character development, but the main character whose name is never given is an endearing child. I wish it were longer.

[Laurie]

I finally finished another book for this challenge. I read After the Spring: A Story of Tunisian Youth by Hélène Aldeguer which is a graphic novel translated from the French about some young people's lives after the Arab spring protests in Tunisia in 2010 and 2011. The book is set in 2013. Here is my review

[Carol]

Laurie wrote: "I finally finished another book for this challenge. I read After the Spring: A Story of Tunisian Youth by Hélène Aldeguer which is a graphic novel translated from ..."

Well. that was disappointing. wasn't it? I hope you have a better reading experience with your next selection. You and Tamara have jointly reminded me that I have to make it a priority to read Ms. Ice Sandwich. I keep forgetting about it and it's there on my shelf. (It's not as though I'm not prone to pick Japanese selections. duh. lol)

[Laurie]

I am doing terrible on this challenge. I finally read a third novel. Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi which won the International Booker prize in 2019. I gave it 3 stars.

[Laurie]

I read The Door by Magda Szabó which I gave 4.5 stars.

[Laurie]

I read I Remember Beirut by Zeina Abirached translated from the Lebanese by Edward Gauvin. I gave this book 3.5 stars. My review

[Laurie]

I'm finally halfway through this challenge with the 6th book. I read Love in a Fallen City by Eileen Chang translated from Chinese by Karen Kingsbury. I'm not sure if the original language was the Shanghainese dialect since Chang was originally from Shanghai or another dialect.

[〰️Beth〰️]

Congratulations on being halfway to your goal Laurie🎉📚🎉

[Laurie]

〰️Beth〰️ wrote: "Congratulations on being halfway to your goal Laurie🎉📚🎉"

Thanks, Beth.

[Sara]

I noticed The Elegance of a Hedgehog on your list of possibilities. I just finished it and really loved it—I highly recommend it. I found it more moving than anything I’ve read for years, and that’s saying something significant.
Congrats on making it halfway!

[Laurie]

Sara wrote: "I noticed The Elegance of a Hedgehog on your list of possibilities. I just finished it and really loved it—I highly recommend it. I found it more moving than anything I’ve read for years, and that’..."

Thanks, Sara. I hope to read TEoaH but I don't know if I will get to it this year. I'm glad you loved it.

[〰️Beth〰️]

Sara wrote: "I noticed The Elegance of a Hedgehog on your list of possibilities. I just finished it and really loved it—I highly recommend it. I found it more moving than anything I’ve read for years, and that’..."

Reading it this month also. Glad you enjoyed the book.

[Laurie]

I've added one more to this challenge. I read The Waiting Years by Fumiko Enchi which I gave 3.5 stars. Here is my review.

[Laurie]

My ninth book is Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman's Awakening by Manal Al-Sharif translated from the Arabic by Hannah Campbell. I gave it 4 stars. Here is my review.

[Laurie]

My tenth book is La Bastarda: A Novel by Trifonia Melibea Obono which I gave 4 stars. My review.

[Laurie]

I have completed my goal of 12 books for this challenge.
11. I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem by Maryse Condé translated from the French by Richard Philcox
4 stars

12. The Bridge of Beyond by Simone Schwarz-Bart translated from the French by Barbara Bray
4 stars

I will continue to add any translated books I read for the remainder of the year.

[Hannah]

Congratulations Laurie! I'm hoping to find copies of La Bastarda and I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem (which seems to be ridiculously expensive in the UK) myself. The Bridge of Beyond is next on my list. I'm glad to see you liked them all :)

[Laurie]

Hannah wrote: "Congratulations Laurie! I'm hoping to find copies of La Bastarda and I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem (which seems to be ridiculously expensive in the UK) myself. [book:..."

I hope find the books to read. I read I, Tituba as a digital copy on the Internet Archive. It isn't terribly expensive in the US in paperback, but I chose to utilize the free digital copy.

[Liesl]

Congratulations Laurie! What was the stand out book for you from your 12 reads?

[Laurie]

Liesl wrote: "Congratulations Laurie! What was the stand out book for you from your 12 reads?"

Thanks, Liesl. The stand out is definitely The Door.