2021 - Where in the World Are You? (Currently Reading)

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I’m quite excited to be in Cyprus for the first time, with Songbirds. A book I read earlier in the year had a key plot point set in Cyprus, but it would have only been a chapter at most. I’ve never read any of the Durrrell books. Another little patch of my map that I can colour in!

[Carol]

I have been doing an excellent job of starting books but not finishing them, so my world travels have included a lot of jets changing direction in mid-air. For the moment, I'm in:

Taiwan and NYC, with The Tiger Mom's Tale, a debut that is more YA in writing style than I enjoy, but I so want to like it, so am soldiering on, just in case;

1930 England, with Strong Poison, my first Dorothy L. Sayers novel; and

Late 1800s Austin (TX), with the non-fiction book, The Midnight Assassin: Panic, Scandal, and the Hunt for America's First Serial Killer, an IRL book club pick.

[Lilisa]

I’m in Cyprus and the U.K. with Elif Shafak’s latest - The Island of Missing Trees - enjoying it, especially the fig tree that plays a central role.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I’ve hopped from Cyprus to Greece with Afternoons in Ithaka, a memoir of family and food.

[Lilisa]

I’m in Jamaica with Island of a Thousand Springs and so far in Syria/Turkey/Greece with The Beekeeper of Aleppo - I think I may end up in the U.K.

[Lilisa]

I’m in the U.S. taking a road trip with with The Lincoln Highway.

[Carol (§CoverLoverGirl§)]

I’ve just been in Mexico and Texas with “A Dignified Exit” on my Kindle. Written by John J Asher who I’ve e not read before, but I will again.

[Lilisa]

I’m in Japan listening to Rice, Noodle, Fish: Deep Travels Through Japan's Food Culture. I’m 30 minutes into the audio and loving it. Keeping my fingers crossed it’ll continue that way. Andrea - you may want to check it out - food/travel! I’ll add the book to the food/travel thread.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Lilisa wrote: "I’m in Japan listening to Rice, Noodle, Fish: Deep Travels Through Japan's Food Culture. I’m 30 minutes into the audio and loving it. Keeping my fingers crossed it’ll continue that ..."

VERY interested 😆

[Lilisa]

Andrea wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I’m in Japan listening to Rice, Noodle, Fish: Deep Travels Through Japan's Food Culture. I’m 30 minutes into the audio and loving it. Keeping my fingers crossed it’ll..."

The writing is really great - he waxes eloquently on food, travel, culture - it’s poetry!

I see he has a couple of others that I’ve added to my TBR list:

- Grape, Olive, Pig: Deep Travels Through Spain's Food Culture and
- Pasta, Pane, Vino: Deep Travels Through Italy's Food Culture.

[Carol]

Lilisa wrote: "I’m in Japan listening to Rice, Noodle, Fish: Deep Travels Through Japan's Food Culture. I’m 30 minutes into the audio and loving it. Keeping my fingers crossed it’ll continue that ..."

oh, this is tempting and I've not heard of it before! Yay! and Thank you!

[Lilisa]

Carol wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I’m in Japan listening to Rice, Noodle, Fish: Deep Travels Through Japan's Food Culture. I’m 30 minutes into the audio and loving it. Keeping my fingers crossed it’ll..."

Bon appetit and happy trails, Carol! Hope it speaks to you too.

[Carol]

I’m in Japan with Things Remembered and Things Forgotten, a short story collection by Kyōko Nakajima. I am two stories in and impressed.

I’m also in England with The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman because I needed a sure thing, and it is that from page one. I’m so glad to be back spending time with these characters. They charm me.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I’m in Ireland, but about to fly off to Rome with Beautiful World, Where Are You. My last couple of reads have been disappointing, so I’m glad to be in Rooney’s capable hands.

[Lilisa]

I’m in Spain with Grape, Olive, Pig: Deep Travels Through Spain's Food Culture and in India with Home in the World: A Memoir.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Sam wrote: "FREE BOOK PROMOTION! Good news for all you kindle readers out there because 'Wax & Gold: Journeys in Ethiopia & other roads less travelled' eBook is FREE to read from Sat 11th - Wed 15th December ..."

Sam, please feel free to promote your work in our In Focus folder. Meanwhile, I will delete your post from this folder as it does not fit.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I'm in Bolivia with The Puma Years: A Memoir of Love and Transformation in the Bolivian Jungle. I'd read the Amazon sample some months ago, and enjoyed it, but then promptly forgot about it until I noticed it had been nominated in the GR Choice Awards 2021 (spoiler - didn't win it's category). Love the cover.

[Sam]

OK thank you - where is the In Focus folder please?

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Sam wrote: "OK thank you - where is the In Focus folder please?"

It’s the 4th folder down on our Discussion Board. You can find it by navigating to either Group Home or Discussions on the top right of this page.

[Carol]

I'm in mid-century England with Elizabeth Taylor's debut novel, At Mrs Lippincote's. It's definitely a case of reading a book at the right moment because the quiet but sharp wit reminds me of Barbara Pym and yet it has extra un-Pym bonuses.

[Lilisa]

I’m in the U.K. with A Narrow Door and in Turkey with A Strangeness in My Mind.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I’m also in the UK, with two vastly different books Christmas Pudding by Nancy Mitford and All the Lonely People (superb audio!) by Mike Gayle.

[Lilisa]

Andrea wrote: "I’m also in the UK, with two vastly different books Christmas Pudding by Nancy Mitford and All the Lonely People (superb audio!) by [author:Mike Gayle..."

I’m going to have to check out ATLP - sounds fun. I liked MG’s bio - he’s humorous!

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Lilisa wrote: "I’m going to have to check out ATLP - sounds fun. I liked MG’s bio - he’s humorous!..."

I hadn’t read it, but you’re right - made me chuckle.

Interestingly, this is my second book for the year narrated by Ben Onwukwe, but a vastly different experience. The other one was The Mermaid of Black Conch, which I really struggled with as I couldn’t retain anything and was constantly flailing about for an anchor to the story. No such problem with All The Lonely People. He has a beautiful voice.

[Lilisa]

Andrea - Maybe it was the book, not the narrator? My library has the print of ATLP, but not the audio :-(