2022 - Where in the World Are You? (Currently Reading)

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

After a little break I’ve picked up my walk again in Uganda with The First Woman (aka A Girl Is a Body of Water). It’s the era of Idi Amin, although at this early stage of the story it’s still anchored firmly in the small village and its own politics/hierarchies. Kirabo is an intriguing young girl who thinks she might be a witch.

[Lilisa]

I’m in Ukraine with The Memory Keeper of Kyiv and in various countries with From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death about how we take care for the dead around the world - very interesting.

[Jim]

Japan with Cuckoo Heartfully.

[Lilisa]

I’m in Madagascar with Red Island House - I’m doing the audio and enjoying it - great sense of place and culture.

[Carol]

I’m in Japan with The Forest of Wool and Steel by Natsu Miyashita, and loving the details about piano tuning, the vibe, generally. (Page 42)

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I enjoyed my time in Uganda so much that I decided to stay a bit longer with Kololo Hill, which I expect will be a very different kind of story.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Moving on from Uganda, I've arrived in South Sudan with a memoir,Songs of a War Boy. I'm expecting a grim read, although I already know what happened next for this author.

[Lilisa]

I’m where a few of you have been and enjoyed the experience, so I had to check it out. I’m in Portugal with Two Nights in Lisbon.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I’m in 1950s Sudan with Lyrics Alley

[Caroline]

I'm in Ghana/the US with Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing which I'm really enjoying so far.

I'm also listening to the audiobook of A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott. Though this is a collection of essays so doesn't have a conventional 'setting', it very much reads like a memoir of growing up indigenous in Canada - I'm learning a lot I didn't know about the history there. It's a difficult listen at times but also very eye-opening.

[Emma]

I am currently in Sweden with Anxious People by Fredrik Backman.

I have a few others on my currently reading shelf but I’ve been in a serious reading slump lately (brought on by a stressful job transition) and this book has been exactly the right thing to get back into a rhythm with reading.

If anyone has suggestions for books that are fast paced but still sweet (anywhere in the world) please send them my way.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Emma wrote: "I am currently in Sweden with Anxious People by Fredrik Backman.I have a few others on my currently reading shelf but I’ve been in a serious reading slump lately (brought on by a stressful job tr..."

Sorry to hear you’ve been having a rough time, Emma. A book that springs to mind that might suit, is one I read early this year called The Arctic Curry Club, set in Norway and India.

We had a bit of a discussion a while back about how to pull yourself out of a reading slump, so there could be some useful strategies (or recommendations) there too. I think it was in the ‘off topic’ thread. Good luck 🍀

[Carol]

Emma wrote: "I am currently in Sweden with Anxious People by Fredrik Backman.

I have a few others on my currently reading shelf but I’ve been in a serious reading slump lately (brought on by a stressful job tr..."

Emma, if you're a fan of lighter mysteries and haven't already read, The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, it might fit the bill. Book #2 is fine, but not as strong as the first. I'll try to think of others and come back to this thread.

I'm currently in 19th century England with The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer by Kate Summerscale. Once I got on board that the author really, really wants to use this murder as a foundation for educating readers about class differences and the then-contemporary legal experience for defendants, and that she's compelled to describe every person and location with every single detail her research uncovered, I began to enjoy it. Plus the last 70 pages are endnotes, and the font is generously large.

[Chel]

I'm in space with a sci fi book series called Expeditionary Force.

[Lilisa]

I’m in the U.S. with Remarkably Bright Creatures and Marcellus, the octopus :-)

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I’m in Moldova with Set in Stone and I admit I had to check whether Moldova was a country or a region 🤭 As for the book, it’s a fairytale retelling which I usually enjoy. Gorgeous cover.

[Caroline]

Andrea, that cover is certainly beautiful!

I'm currently in Zimbabwe with Nervous Conditions

[Rusalka]

Ooo Moldova books are super rare, great find Andrea!

Hope you enjoy Nervous Conditions, Caroline. I picked it up from my little library the other day.

I'm in Mexico with Mexican Gothic

[Carol]

I’m in Italy with To Each His Own by Leonardo Sciascia, and wishing I’d known it was this good awhile ago.

[Caroline]

Rusalka - really enjoyed Nervous Conditions, however I did feel it ended too abruptly and left me wanting more so now I need to go and read The Book of Not and This Mournable Body as well!

Now in Argentina with Kamchatka as well as in Albania through the audiobook of Free: A Child and a Country at the End of History

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I’ve moved on to Egypt with The Last Watchman of Old Cairo, which is proving to be an engaging, quick read.

[Carol]

I’m in Copenhagen with Katrine Engberg’s debut novel, The Tenant.

[Lilisa]

I’m in Guadeloupe and France with Where Dogs Bark with Their Tails translated from French. I’m enjoying it. I found an interesting interview with the author and translator https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gV-PT5p...

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I'm in the Northern Isles of Scotland with a new release, Salt and Skin. Off to a good start, it seems to be about family and grief, in a story woven around historic witch trials and selkies.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I’m in Israel and Palestine with Apeirogon. It’s a slow start and I’m not sure whether I’m digging the style, but the story is starting to reveal itself and I’m intrigued to see where it’s going.

[Lilisa]

I’m in Turkiye on the imaginary island of Mingheria with Nights of Plague by Orhan Pamuk - it’s fascinating so far.

[Dace]

I'm in Jamaica just before the hurricane with Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield. Wow, an actress who can also write!

[Caroline]

I'm now in Dominican Republic with a collection of short stories Drown by Junot Díaz

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I’m in Kazakhstan with a new release, Sea Fever. I enjoyed the author’s earlier novel set in Bhutan, so was happy to give this one a try, too.

[Rusalka]

I've just finished up in a fantasy UAE with Alif the Unseen, and have moved to a very real Venezuela with It Would Be Night in Caracas

[Lilisa]

Andrea wrote: "I’m in Kazakhstan with a new release, Sea Fever. I enjoyed the author’s earlier novel set in Bhutan, so was happy to give this one a try, too.

"

I need to be there too, Andrea but I’m behind on my reading! How are you liking it so far?

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Lilisa wrote: "I need to be there too, Andrea but I’m behind on my reading! How are you liking it so far? ..."

I just finished it so my thoughts are still raw, but trust me, you can skip this one.

[Rusalka]

Oof. Sorry to hear Andrea!

[Rusalka]

I've moved on to somewhere that may be Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, or Sudan with The African Equation.

To me, from some of the landmarks they have mentioned it seems like Somalia is more likely. And unless something drastic happens, I shall count it for there.

[Lilisa]

Andrea wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I need to be there too, Andrea but I’m behind on my reading! How are you liking it so far? ..."

I just finished it so my thoughts are still raw, but trust me, you can skip this one."

Aargh, thanks for the heads up, Andrea. I was hoping… but I have to read it as it’s an NG one :-(

[Lilisa]

Rusalka wrote: "I've moved on to somewhere that may be Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, or Sudan with The African Equation.

To me, from some of the landmarks they have mentioned it seems like Somalia..."

Sounds like Somalia it should be, Rusalka! :-)

[Carol]

I’m in Cuba with Cuba: An American History by Ada Ferrer, and — admittedly after only 19 pages - I recommend it to anyone interested in the subject. I: (a) am not a great audiobook reader (I get distracted and don’t retain the content), (b) tend to lose interest (run out if steam) with long books , and (c) generally prefer fiction to nf. The jury is out on (b), but it’s overcome (a) and (c) with ease.

[Lilisa]

Carol wrote: "I’m in Cuba with Cuba: An American History by Ada Ferrer, and — admittedly after only 19 pages - I recommend it to anyone interested in the subject. I’m : (a) not a g..."

Lol Carol - I like your mini presentation or dissertation??!!! Will have to check it out!

[Carol]

Lilisa wrote: "Carol wrote: "I’m in Cuba with Cuba: An American History by Ada Ferrer, and — admittedly after only 19 pages - I recommend it to anyone interested in the subject. I’m..."

Enthusiasm + reluctance to oversell :)

[Lilisa]

Carol wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Carol wrote: "I’m in Cuba with Cuba: An American History by Ada Ferrer, and — admittedly after only 19 pages - I recommend it to anyone interested in t..."

Lol, Carol!

[Lilisa]

I’m in Turkiye with My Name Is Red and in Kazakhstan with Sea Fever.

[Carol]

I’m still in Cuba, but also in 1790’s America with Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton, and in contemporary New England with Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic and in Ireland with The Dead by James Joyce. A delightful mix.

[Lilisa]

I started My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird: New Fiction by Afghan Women.

[Lilisa]

I’m also in Slovenia with I Saw Her That Night.

[Rusalka]

Lilisa wrote: "Rusalka wrote: "I've moved on to somewhere that may be Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, or Sudan with The African Equation.

To me, from some of the landmarks they have mentioned it se..."

Turns out I was wrong. It's in Sudan.

[Carol]

I'm in contemporary Egypt with A Pure Heart, Rajia Hassib's sophomore novel; at the shore in 1930's England with The Fortnight in September by R.C. Sherriff and in early 1970s Italy with Leonardo Sciascia's Equal Danger.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I’ve resumed my long walk and am now in Jordan with Mother of All Pigs, which was a recommendation from Jenny (Reading Envy). It’s not what I was expecting! I’m finding it quite quirky and as an added bonus I think the family may live in Madaba (not named yet), where I spent a few days back in 2005.

[Lilisa]

I’m all over the place - in the Mediterranean with Claudia Roden's Mediterranean checking out her recipes, in the U.S. with The Violin Conspiracy, the U.K. with Wrong Place Wrong Time, and in Ottoman Turkey with The Lion House: The Coming of A King.

[Carol]

I’m in Money, Mississippi with Percival Everett’s The Trees, and also in rural Texas with Jeff Guinn’s Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde, that last for an IRL book club.

[Lilisa]

I’m in Turkey - my ears are with The Janissary Tree and my eyes are with The Lion House: The Coming of A King.