2015 Where in the world are you? (Currently reading)

[Claire]

I'm in China with Edmund De Waal's The White Road, A Pilgrimage of Sorts.

I read his previous book, The Hare With Amber Eyes two years ago and loved it, seeing history, human connections and art through the eyes of a potter.

[Rusalka]

I have The Hare With Amber Eyes sitting there, I really need to pick it up.

I however, *did* pick up The Coroner's Lunch for Laos today though, mainly from everyone's raving and enjoyment of the book ;)

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Claire wrote: "I'm in China with Edmund De Waal's The White Road, A Pilgrimage of Sorts. I read his previous book, The Hare With Amber Eyes two years ago and loved it, seeing history, human connections and art through the eyes of a potter. ..."

Oh, I didn't realise he had a new book published - I'll be watching out for this one. I treated myself to the hardcover illustrated edition of The Hare With Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance and thought it was worth every cent. Delicious.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I've started A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James for Jamaica. It is shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize this year and is the first Jamaican author even nominated for the prize.

It almost 700 pages long and each of the seven narrators (with alternating chapters) speak slightly differently - some of Jamaican patois but some are from other places. There is a lot of profanity as well (including the N- word which I understand is contextual but difficult.)

It is about Jamaica starting in December 1976, a period I know very little about. But I'm learning!

[Claire]

Rusalka wrote: "I have The Hare With Amber Eyes sitting there, I really need to pick it up.

I however, *did* pick up The Coroner's Lunch for Laos today though, mainly from everyone's raving and enjo..."

The Hare With Amber Eyes is a really great read, a memorable favourite.

[Claire]

Andrea wrote: "Claire wrote: "I'm in China with Edmund De Waal's The White Road, A Pilgrimage of Sorts. I read his previous book, The Hare With Amber Eyes two years ago and loved it, seeing history, human connec..."

Yes, this one is about his obsession with white procelain, so more of his own story, but also that of the ancient tradition and the people it has concerned over the centuries.

[Lilisa]

In Palestine with The Blue Between Sky and Water and in India with Rebel Queen.

[Rusalka]

Haven't had a chance to review the others yet, but have now moved on to The Quiet American for Vietnam.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I'm in the Pitcairn Islands with Serpent in Paradise by Dea Birkett. Technically Pitcairn is "Britain" but it is located in the South Pacific so I'll be counting it for my Oceania challenge.

[Camille]

In the Netherlands and Botswana with Tirza

[Lilisa]

Listening to The Signature of All Things in the U.K., U.S. And various places and in Kenya with Circling the Sun.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I'm spending November in New Zealand for New Zealand November!

I am in the middle of:
Wulf
One Whale, Singing: And Other Stories From New ZealandFaces in the Water




I've also been doing some NZ baking. First up: rock cakes.

[Rusalka]

I'm currently in Havana, Cuba in 1989 with Havana Blue. Enjoying it, a gritty crime story. Getting to the pointy end now.

[Claire]

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I'm spending November in New Zealand for New Zealand November!

I am in the middle of:
Wulf
One Whale, Singing: And Other Stories From New Zealand[book:Faces in the W..."

Love it, I haven't heard of NZ November!

Been doing some kiwi baking today too, - pikelets, a favourite for the kids, my grandmother used to make them every Saturday for visitors and there were plenty (pikelets and visitors!)

[Claire]

I was in Uganda with Dinaw Mengestu's All Our Names, a powerful and insightful novel, am now in Perth, Australia with Tracy Farr's The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt - the fictional memoir of Dame Lena Gaunt: musician, octogenarian, junkie.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Just headed over to Afghanistan with A Fort of Nine Towers: An Afghan Family Story, and I have high expectations.

There was a time a few years ago that I was reading so much about Afghanistan that I began to dream about it...

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Claire wrote: "Love it, I haven't heard of NZ November!

Been doing some kiwi baking today too, - pikelets, a favourite for the kids, my grandmother used to make them every Saturday for visitors and there were plenty (pikelets and visitors!) "

I made up New Zealand November! Ha. I will take a look at pikelets!

[Lilisa]

I had to look up pikelets - sounds yum! I hope you enjoy Fort of Nine Towers, Andrea.

[Rusalka]

Pikelets are the best afternoon snacks!

And since when are they Kiwi? Don't us Aussies have claim over those?

[Rusalka]

Also Claire, I hope you and yours are okay after the weekend. Thinking of you all over in France.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Rusalka wrote: "Pikelets are the best afternoon snacks! And since when are they Kiwi? Don't us Aussies have claim over those?"

LOL I didn't want to weigh in on that debate, in case the pikelet goes the way of the pavlova.

[Rusalka]

Andrea wrote: "LOL I didn't want to weigh in on that debate, in case the pikelet goes the way of the pavlova. "

Me too! I was thinking "don't let us loose the pikelet AND the pav!"

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Who claims the lamington?

[Rusalka]

Aussies! Are you really asking that?! Jeez!

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Yeah I'm asking! :P

Is there anything New Zealanders can distinctly claim? Geez! :P

A few things I've marked to try from the reading I've done so far - rock cakes (done), ANZAC biscuits (done, and clearly also Australian), Sydney Specials (aka doormat, and I'm guessing with Sydney attached, also Australian), afghan biscuits (a racist cookie, are Aussies going to claim that one eh? haha)....

[Claire]

Rusalka wrote: "Pikelets are the best afternoon snacks!

And since when are they Kiwi? Don't us Aussies have claim over those?"

I don't know who invented the pikelet, I thought they may have been English, but I think not, all I know is my grandmother made them and the recipe is in The Edmonds Cookery Book - the quintessential guide to traditional New Zealand cuisine (happy to hear they are equally popular in Australia and may have originated there :).

At the annual Fete de la Crepe, the children were supposed to bring French homemade crepes to school, so I sent them with pikelets and an explanation, and all the little French kids loved them!

[Ayleen]

Now I'm in Istambul. I'm reading Pamuk's novel Me llamo rojo, a lovely and very interesting book.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Yeah I'm asking! :P
Is there anything New Zealanders can distinctly claim? Geez! :P A few things I've marked to try from the reading I've done so far - rock cakes (done), ANZAC biscuits (done, an..."

They can claim/keep Russell Crowe, Crowded House and lots more. I've never heard of Sydney Specials, but then I'm from Melbourne... Although Australia has a long, proud connection to Afghanistan via the 19th century Afghan cameleers (after which The Ghan railway from the south, all the way north to Darwin, is named) I have to admit the only Afghan biscuit I've ever eaten was from a packet that came out of a NZ factory. Heard of them as a favourite homemade biscuit, but not very familiar with them.

[Lilisa]

I'm in the U.S. with Saving CeeCee Honeycutt and in Turkey with Other Colors.

[Camille]

On The coast of England with On Chesil Beach

[Rusalka]

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "A few things I've marked to try from the reading I've done so far - rock cakes (done), ANZAC biscuits (done, and clearly also Australian), Sydney Specials (aka doormat, and I'm guessing with Sydney attached, also Australian), afghan biscuits (a racist cookie, are Aussies going to claim that one eh? haha).... "

ANZAC biscuits are both of ours, seeing we're both in the name (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps).

I have no idea what on earth a Sydney Special or an Afghan biscuit is. Can't google the Sydney Special (I just get flights) and the Afghan biscuit I have no idea, but wiki says it's NZ. Looks tasty though.

[Rusalka]

Andrea wrote: "They can claim/keep Russell Crowe, Crowded House and lots more."

We can keep Sam Neill though.

[Rusalka]

Camille wrote: "On The coast of England with On Chesil Beach"

I got given this for Christmas last year and haven't gotten to it yet. Be interested to hear what you think.

[Rusalka]

I just finished up in Cuba with Havana Blue and have headed over to Japan with Revenge

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

This morning I have made a start on A Constellation of Vital Phenomena (Chechnya), which I have been wanting to read for the longest time.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I'm in Singapore, on my second outing with Nury Vittachi's feng shui detective, in The Feng Shui Detective Goes South. This time around it has taken me a bit longer to get into the story, perhaps because of the way it's structured, but it's chugging along nicely now.

I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not reading Colin Cotterill - those who have enjoyed the coroner series might want to check this one out as well.

[Lilisa]

Haven't read any of his books Andrea. I've read the the first of Colin Cottrill's though - it was just okay for me.

[Val]

I am reading Elephant Moon set in Burma. It is not great so far, but it is not terrible either and it is loosely based on a true story, so I thought it worth mentioning.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Val wrote: "I am reading Elephant Moon set in Burma. It is not great so far, but it is not terrible either and it is loosely based on a true story, so I thought it worth mentioning."

It actually sounds quite good Val - I'll wait to see what you think at the end!

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Well, I've made a good start on my final book for the 2015 challenge, Half of a Yellow Sun (Nigeria). Enjoying it so far. I'm planning to hibernate through the current Melbourne heatwave, so I might even stand a chance of finishing it before the end of the month!

[Lilisa]

I'm in Egypt with The Heretic Queen and in the U.S./Iraq listening to Crescent.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I'm in Samoa with The Adventures of Vela by Albert Wendt. It feels like an old story told with verse but is actually a more recent work. Lots of language and gods and strangeness, also a lot of sex (which surprised me but I didn't really know anything about it.)

[Val]

I have not read that one, but did read another book by Albert Wendt, Leaves of the Banyan Tree. It was good, but quite depressing and very sexist from what I remember.

[Rusalka]

Andrea wrote: "I'm planning to hibernate through the current Melbourne heatwave"

Stay hydrated and safe. It's going to be a bugger of a weekend.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Rusalka wrote: "Stay hydrated and safe. It's going to be a bugger of a weekend."

Thanks Rusalka. Today will be the worst of it, but I've made sure I have no reason to leave the house.

[Rusalka]

We're having family Christmas today, and my Mum is making a turkey in 38 degree heat. She's insane.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Rusalka wrote: "We're having family Christmas today, and my Mum is making a turkey in 38 degree heat. She's insane."

No way! All my food choices today will depend on how long I can legitimately stand in front of the open fridge door.

[Rusalka]

I've already been told off for opening the fridge too much...

[Lilisa]

Stay cool you all in the Southern Hemisphere - I always find it tough imagining Christmas in the sweltering heat - being up north.

[Val]

I have started finding replacements for the books set in countries on my list but not written by native authors. This collection of short fiction from Jordan was only published this year and it looks like a good option. I have not read many of the stories yet, but here is an interim review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

P.S. Ignore the 'date read' field. I am using the date I 'should' have read the book for any replacements to keep the countries in order.

P.P.S. I finished it, so the review is complete.