05 - A book set in a city that has hosted the Olympics

[Jennifer W]

If you want to stretch it a bit, and like YA, Gateway starts out in St. Louis.

Though now I do want to see Martian Olympics...

[Rachel]

A few from my current TBR:

The Yard by Alex Grecian (London)
Origin by Dan Brown (features Barcelona)
The Light of Paris by Eleanor Brown (Paris)
The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters (London)
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown (Berlin)

[Ellie]

I took The Martian Chronicles off the list unless someone explains the connection (and if so please put that in your comment on the listopia).

[Beth]

The Memory Police was on the listopia, but everything I can find says it takes place on an unnamed Japanese island. Does it actually take place in Tokyo, Sapporo, or Nagano? It's on my to-read shelf but I'm not sure if it actually fits this prompt.

[Ellie]

Beth wrote: "The Memory Police was on the listopia, but everything I can find says it takes place on an unnamed Japanese island. Does it actually take place in Tokyo, Sapporo, or Nagano? It's on..."

Oh sorry, I had it in my head it was set in Tokyo, but you can read it for the book set in Japan advanced prompt.

[Sarah]

While I was searching words for another prompt, I found Gold by Chris Cleave, which fits this prompt too.

[Morgan]

Jai wrote: "I have a few books on my TBR pile but I'm mainly interested in reading The Silent Patient A Tale of Two Citiesor The Martian Chronicles"

Where does The Martian Chronicles take place? I guess I always just assumed it was off of Earth, although that would make a fun Olympics game. :P

[Jackie]

Morgan wrote: "Jai wrote: "I have a few books on my TBR pile but I'm mainly interested in reading The Silent Patient A Tale of Two Citiesor The Martian Chronicles"

Where ..."

The high jump would definitely get some new records lol

[Deborah]

For this looking for something set in Athens, The Iliad & The Odyssey by Homer are options.

Also Apartment in Athen by Glenway Westcott is on my TBR

[Jenn]

Tokyo Ueno Station is about a man who worked on the Olympic construction for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and as a ghost, is enraged with Tokyo hosting it again in 2020. Very apt for this prompt or the prompt for taking place in Japan!

I'm saving that for the Japan setting, I think, but for this one I am going with Enchantée for Paris.

[Samantha]

The Paris Wife - Paula McLain

[Rachel]

Have narrowed it down (for now!) Course I may find another book later on.
The Shadow of the Wind (Barcelona)
84, Charing Cross Road (London)
Neverwhere (London)
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill (Los Angeles)

[Kels]

Rachel wrote: "Have narrowed it down (for now!) Course I may find another book later on.
The Shadow of the Wind (Barcelona)
84, Charing Cross Road (London)
Neverwhere (Londo..."

I loved The Bookish Life of Nina Hill!!

[Thomas]

I will finally read A Week in December (London)

[Katie]

Couple of Calgarys
419
Long Change

[Darci]

I'm going with A Gentleman in Moscow.

[Tina]

I'm going with one of these The Lost Girls of ParisThe Room on Rue Amélie

[Karin]

Rachel wrote: "A few from my current TBR:

The Yard by Alex Grecian (London)
Origin by Dan Brown (features Barcelona)
The Light of Paris by Eleanor Brown (Paris)
[b..."

The Boys in the Boat is excellent and it's set in at least two countries that have hosted the Olympics, but primarily in the
States. I don't usually like books about sports, but liked this one.

[Karin]

Morgan wrote: "Jai wrote: "I have a few books on my TBR pile but I'm mainly interested in reading The Silent Patient A Tale of Two Citiesor The Martian Chronicles"

Where ..."

I only remembered The Martian Chronicles being on Mars, butwhen I searched, it is primarily on Mars--not much on earth, so it depends on how particular you are about how much of the setting needs to be in a country that has hosted the Olympics.

[SadieReadsAgain]

I'm going to go for Sydney, because it's the closest I've ever got to being at the Olympics - we were on holiday there in December '99, and I remember seeing some prep going on for it before they hosted it in 2000.

I'm going to read The Husband's Secret.

[Shannon]

Little Bee by Chris Cleve is set in London.

[Shannon]

Two fabulous books:

All the Light We Cannot See (Paris) - Anthony Doerr
How to stop Time (London) - Matt Haig

[Karin]

Sarah wrote: "I'm going to go for Sydney, because it's the closest I've ever got to being at the Olympics - we were on holiday there in December '99, and I remember seeing some prep going on for it before they h..."

Oh, I should see if she has any other books set in Sydney. I've liked three of her books, but not this one. Don't let this deter you--a number of my GR friends have liked this one :)!!

[Savana]

If you like YA, The Wicked Fox by Kat Cho takes place in Seoul.

[Faith]

Autoboyography is a great choice that takes place in Salt Lake City, Utah

[Nadine in NY]

Faith wrote: "Autoboyography is a great choice that takes place in Salt Lake City, Utah"

it's in Utah, but I think it's not in Salt Lake City? My Utah geography is weak since I've never been there ...

[Faith]

Nadine wrote: "Faith wrote: "Autoboyography is a great choice that takes place in Salt Lake City, Utah"

it's in Utah, but I think it's not in Salt Lake City? My Utah geography is weak since I've ..."

You know what, you're right lol. I confused Provo and SLC. But I went back and looked and the end of the book takes place in LA, so it still can count :P

[Reenah]

The Amulet of Samarkand (+ both sequels) (London)
The Screaming Staircase (and the other books in the series) (London)
The Name of the Star (Shades of London series) (London obvs)
The Rook (London)

[Zoe]

Trying to avoid the obvious:

Athens:
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Outline

Paris
Delicacy
A Year in the Merde
Magnetism
The House I Loved
French Milk
Yellow Negroes and Other Imaginary Creatures

St. Louis:
The Glass Menagerie
The Twenty-Seventh City

London:
NW
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
The Name of the Star
A Week in December

[Bex]

Does anyone know which Murakami books are set in Tokyo??
Or is Naoko set in Tokyo? I really want to use it for the challenge

[Jenn]

Norwegian Wood, The Wind-Up Bird Cronicle, and After Dark are all Murakami books set in Tokyo.
I don’t know about Naoko, but I added it to my TBR!

[Marie-Eve]

If you havent read it yet, i strongly STRONGLY recommend All the Light We Cannot See

It's set in Paris and its beautiful. Very very moving.

Since I'm Canadian, and trying to read more Canadian books this year, I'm probably gonna read something set in Montreal or Vancouver.
I dont know lots of books set in Vancouver (and since im in Montreal, lots of French Canadian books are set here lol) so if you have any suggestions, send them my way! :)

[Megan]

Karin wrote: "Sarah wrote: "I'm going to go for Sydney, because it's the closest I've ever got to being at the Olympics - we were on holiday there in December '99, and I remember seeing some prep going on for it..."

Same! I have a photo somewhere of the Olympics banner (?) over the pool building they must have been using for the swim events.

[Cindy]

If you are still looking to fill this prompt I would recommend anything by Liane Moriarty. Being a born and raised Sydneysider I love how she captures my city - especially the Northern Beaches.

[Karin]

Marie-eve wrote: "If you havent read it yet, i strongly STRONGLY recommend All the Light We Cannot See

It's set in Paris and its beautiful. Very very moving.

Since I'm Canadian, and trying to read ..."

It is excellent, but only a small part of it is actually set in Paris. The vast majority of it is set in places that did not host the Olympics. But it works for other prompts.

[Elke]

I lived in Munich for a number of years, so I think I will pick that as "my" city. And check the out, here is the "Global Book Map" that shows where books are set. So cool!
https://www.mappit.net/bookmap/

Edited to add: these two at the top of my list:
Robert Harris, Munich
Philip Kerr, The One from the Other

[Nadine in NY]

Elke wrote: "I lived in Munich for a number of years, so I think I will pick that as "my" city. And check the out, here is the "Global Book Map" that shows where books are set. So cool!
https://www.mappit.net/b..."


Wow! What an excellent tool!!! I bookmarked it :-)

[Teri]

I was living in Salt Lake City, Utah during the 2002 Winter Olympics (one of the great experiences of my life). I can't find a good book that is set in Salt Lake City that doesn't involve religion. The best I can come up with is My Story by Elizabeth Smart, but I'm not up for it. So I guess I'll have to go with another city.

If anyone wants to read a great book about an actual Olympics, try Rome 1960: The Olympics That Changed the World by David Maraniss. I picked this up about 10 years ago because I was born in 1960 and love the Olympics. This was the Olympics of Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) and Wilma Rudolph.

[Teri]

I found my book: Dream Team: How Michael, Magic, Larry, Charles, and the Greatest Team of All Time Conquered the World and Changed the Game of Basketball Forever by Jack McCallum
Two of my all-time favorite NBA players (Utah Jazz's John Stockton and Karl Malone) were on the 1992 Dream Team in Barcelona. How have I not already read this book?

[Kat]

Marie-eve wrote: "If you havent read it yet, i strongly STRONGLY recommend All the Light We Cannot See

It's set in Paris and its beautiful. Very very moving.

Since I'm Canadian, and trying to read ..."
Check out this VPL page:
https://markham.bibliocommons.com/lis...
I suggest "Monkey Beach" by Eden Robinson. Partially set in Vancouver and in my old home town of Kitimat, BC

[Viji]

Teri wrote: "I was living in Salt Lake City, Utah during the 2002 Winter Olympics (one of the great experiences of my life). I can't find a good book that is set in Salt Lake City that doesn't involve religion...."

I enjoyed Rome 1960 very much.

[Leona]

Deborah wrote: "For this looking for something set in Athens, The Iliad & The Odyssey by Homer are options.

Also Apartment in Athen by Glenway Westcott is on my TBR"

I have the Odyssey and this sounds like a good time to finally read it.

[Asia_k]

Don't forget Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood, the book on which movie (and musical) Cabaret was based.

Marie-eve wrote: "Since I'm Canadian, and trying to read more Canadian books this year, I'm probably gonna read something set in Montreal or Vancouver."

I love the idea! I visited Montreal this summer and it would be really fun to read a book set in the city and to recognize the places the protagonists visit :)
I found few lists that contain books set in Montreal, maybe you'll find some inspiration!
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/101131.Books_set_in_Montreal
https://www.mtlblog.com/lifestyle/the-best-books-you-can-read-set-in-montreal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Novels_set_in_Montreal

[Bloodorange]

I'm plannning to readIn the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson.

[Ira]

Deborah wrote: "For this looking for something set in Athens, The Iliad & The Odyssey by Homer are options.

Also Apartment in Athen by Glenway Westcott is on my TBR"

Actually the Iliad takes place in Troy that is considered to be somewhere in Turkey, and the Odyssey travels all over Greece, but I don't think they spend much time in Athens.

Those Who Are Loved by Victoria Hislop starts the story in Athens and I think it is mostly set there, but I haven't read the book yet to be sure. It is on my endless list of books I want to read.

[Frogli]

I read Certain Dark Things, I had started it last year but didn't actually finish it until this morning so I'm going with Mexico City :)

[Ashley Marie]

Katy wrote: "I don't know if this is even possible, but I'm going to try to go the extra mile and read a book that takes place in a city that hosted the Olympics and takes place in the same year that city hoste..."

If I recall properly, Robert Galbraith's Lethal White takes place in London in 2012.

[Nadine in NY]

Frogli wrote: "I read Certain Dark Things, I had started it last year but didn't actually finish it until this morning so I'm going with Mexico City :)"


Was it good? This seems like the sort of book I like to read in kindle, but my library only has the epub or the hardcopy versions ...

[Frogli]

Nadine wrote: "Frogli wrote: "I read Certain Dark Things, I had started it last year but didn't actually finish it until this morning so I'm going with Mexico City :)"


Was it good? This seems li..."

I enjoyed it! Refreshing well thought out take on Vampires.

I believe the book is out of print so not sure you'd be able to get it on kindle now. I picked up a second hand copy somewhere a while ago as it looked intriguing and forgot all about it until I read her latest book Gods of Jade and Shadow which I loved.

[Jenny Dahl Bakken]

If anyone’s into crime novels, most of Jo Nesbø/Nesbo’s books are set in Oslo - the capital of Norway. The city hosted the winter Olympics in 1952