The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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15. 1 (Independently Speaking)
help on the second part please
Author from Sierra Leone...Ishmael Beah - A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
Author from Zimbabwe...
Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga
Author from Bangladesh...
Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty - by Muhammad Yunus. This I can definitely recommend. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 and I really enjoyed reading his memoirs about setting up micro-lending. The writing style is nothing too special but I was really inspired by the story.
From Cuba...
Dancing to "Almendra": A Novel by Mayra Montero would work for both parts if you're using Cuba (it's set in Cuba and she is Cuban). I'm planning on using this for one of the parts - I got the book for Christmas and haven't read it yet. It looks good.
From Sierra Leone...
Aminatta Forna - she's written a number of books. I haven't read them, so I can't promise anything, but she's on my list :) She was not born in Sierra Leone but grew up there so I'm not sure if she counts for part B. However, at least one of her books is set in Sierra Leone so would work for part A.
There are also many author's from Ireland...
Ooh for part one I found 2 good ones for Bosnia:The Cellist of Sarajevo
Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Wartime Sarajevo
Would People of the Book work for Bosnia of part A? It seems as part of it takes place in Bosnia.
From Ireland: Eoin Colfer, Cecelia Ahern, Marian KeyesA ha! Zlata's Diary... I've got that one on my TBR and everything! And it would work for either part...
I was initially nervous and overwhelemed by this task until I read it closely and saw Ireland and Greece! This means I can read 2 more books that have been gathering dust at home:A. Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter
B. This Charming Man
SUPER AWESOME!
I've added Romania to the list as Andreea pointed it out to me that I had missed it. If there are other countries that celebrate independence in spring that I've missed let me know and I'll add them to the list.
For part B, some of these might work (I haven't confirmed all of them):Bosnia:
Selimovic, Mesa
Cuba:
Arenas, Reinaldo
Gutierrez, Pedro Juan
Infante, Guillermo Cabrera
Calvino, Italo
Carpentier, Alejo
Greece:
Douka, Maro
Doxiadis, Apostolos
Fakinou, Eugenia
Kazantzakis, Nikos
Markaris, Petros
Matesis, Pavlos
Taktsis, Costas
Vassilikos, Vassilis
Guyana:
Dabydeen, David
Ireland:
Banville, John
Beckett, Samuel
Behan, Brendan
Bowen, Elizabeth
Childers, Erskine
Dillon, Eilis
Farrell, J.G.
Joyce, James
LeFanu, Sheridan
Maturin, Chalres
McCabe, Patrick
McGahern, John
Murdoch, Iris
O'Brien, Edna
O'Brien, Flann
O'Hanlon, Ardal
Plunkett, James
Somerville and Ross
Stephens, James
Sterne, Laurence
Stoker, Bram
Swift, Jonathan
Toibin, Colm
Tressell, Robert
Trevor, William
Wilde, Oscar
Israel:
Agnon, Shmuel Yosef
Oz, Amos
Norway:
Hamsun, Knut
Sandel, Cora
Undset, Sigrid
Vesaas, Tarjei
Wassmo, Herbjorg
Romania:
Rebreanu, Liviu
Cioran, Emile (Emil)
Nicki wrote: "THis would work for both parts right? A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier"
Yep! :o)
For Part A:Sierra Leone: The Heart of the Matter - Graham Greene
Blood Diamonds - Greg Campbell
The Secret Keeper - Paul Harris
Cuba:
Our Man in Havana: An Entertainment - Graham Greene
To Have and Have Not - Hemingway
Dreaming in Cuban - Cristina Garcia
In the Name of Salome - Julia Alvarez
Three Trapped Tigers
Romania: Dracula - Bram Stoker
Children of the Night - Dan Simmons
The Land of Green Plums - Herta Muller
Hey Cynthia, South Africa got it independence on May 31. Here is what the CIA factbook says:31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared) 27 April 1994 (majority rule)
J.M Coetzee is from south africa...hhhmmmm
Nicole wrote: "I was initially nervous and overwhelemed by this task until I read it closely and saw Ireland and Greece! This means I can read 2 more books that have been gathering dust at home:A. [book:Saili..."
Nicole thanks for mentioning This Charming Man that's on my TBR shelf too!
Other Irish Authors:Maeve Binchy
Cecelia Ahern
Marian Keyes
Kathryn wrote: "Hey Cynthia, South Africa got it independence on May 31. Here is what the CIA factbook says:31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and..."
Thanks I'll add it.
Cynthia for the first part of the task will Nora Roberts book Jewels of the Sun work?
Fiona (Titch) wrote: "Can we read The Reluctant Fundamentalist or A Thousand Splendid Suns for part B?"Mohsin Hamid from Pakistan and Khaled Hosseini is from Afghanistan, so neither qualifies for part B.
Liz wrote: "Fiona (Titch) wrote: "Can we read The Reluctant Fundamentalist or A Thousand Splendid Suns for part B?"Mohsin Hamid from Pakistan and Khaled Hosseini is from Afghanista..."
Thanks Liz, think I just read it wrong.
So now with South Africa added I could read Cry, the Beloved Country?Also, would People of the Book work for Bosnia of part A? It seems as part of it takes place in Bosnia.
Jamie wrote: "So now with South Africa added I could read Cry, the Beloved Country?Also, would People of the Book work for Bosnia of part A? It seems as part of it takes place in Bosnia. "
It takes place in multiple locations and I'd prefer one set in just the one (great book by the way - my favorite of her's by far - hope you can find somewhere else to put it).
Lisa Julianna wrote: "Cynthia for the first part of the task will Nora Roberts book Jewels of the Sun work?"
Yes for part A
Cynthia wrote: "Jamie wrote: "So now with South Africa added I could read Cry, the Beloved Country?Also, would People of the Book work for Bosnia of part A? It seems as part of it takes place in Bosn..."
K thanks! I wasn't sure if it was set in a few places or not. I'm sure I can fit it somewhere else!
Jamie wrote: "Cynthia wrote: "Jamie wrote: "So now with South Africa added I could read Cry, the Beloved Country?Also, would People of the Book work for Bosnia of part A? It seems as part of it tak..."
You can fit it in the Australia task. Geraldine Brooks (author) was born and raised in Australia.
Kathryn wrote: "Jamie wrote: "Cynthia wrote: "Jamie wrote: "So now with South Africa added I could read Cry, the Beloved Country?Also, would People of the Book work for Bosnia of part A? It seems as ..."
Ooh good to know! Hopefully when the other tasks come out I'll be able to rearrange a little bit so that I can read both I am the Messenger and People of the Book and stick one of them in the Australia task and one somewhere else.
Jamie wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Jamie wrote: "Cynthia wrote: "Jamie wrote: "So now with South Africa added I could read Cry, the Beloved Country?Also, would People of the Book work for Bosnia of part..."
I know. I have two books I want to read for the Australia task, so I hope that at least the other 25-pointers will come out soon so I can hopefully shove it there. I do still have 5-9 open, but I am saving that for a last minute "emergency".
According to wikipedia, the asia-pacific region includes Australia so maybe one of the books could be used for 5.6?
Oh, I didn't know that! Good idea. Thanks so much, Liz!!!
Cynthia, is The Book of Samson acceptable for Part A of this task? I believe Samson was born in Torah, a town in what is now Israel.
Petra wrote: "Cynthia, is The Book of Samson acceptable for Part A of this task? I believe Samson was born in Torah, a town in what is now Israel. "If the book is set primarily/entirely in that location yes - if not no.
I'm not sure. I've read Samson's story (on Wikipedia) and it seems that he travelled but mainly (maybe entirely) in what is today Isreal. He was captured and enslaved in what is now Gaza for about 10 years. He was buried in what is now Isreal. The story is a bit vague and not many locations are mentioned in regards to his travels. It seems that he may have stayed within these areas but maybe not.
I'll leave it up to you. If this doesn't fit the intentions of the Task, I'll find something else.
Here is a list of books by country (only some are by authors from those countries). It is a work in progress and I will be adding more soon. http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2...
Haunted Ground: A Novel takes place in Ireland and Brooklyn: A Novel by Colm Tóibín who is from Ireland.
Do Frank and Malachy McCourt work for Ireland for part B?
Don't forget these links to find books with a setting in one of those countries:http://www.bibliotravel.com/
http://www.whichbook.net/
https://www.cia.gov/library/publicati...
http://www.sldirectory.com/libsf/book...
Here's a link to find authors by country:http://wikilivres.info/wiki/Category:...
http://thinkexist.com/nationalities/
Kay wrote: "Do Frank and Malachy McCourt work for Ireland for part B?"No because they were born in the US not Ireland.
So books that take place in the countries but in historical times are okay, aren't they? Like I'm thinking about reading The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus for part A. The setting is the independence state of Ithaca, but it is part of Greece today.
Potjy wrote: "So books that take place in the countries but in historical times are okay, aren't they? Like I'm thinking about reading The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus for part A. T..."It should be the country at the time of the story so no.
Okay. Thanks. I'll attack my pile of Coetzee then. :)
Hi Cynthia! When you say in part B that an author needs to be "from one of those countries," do you mean born there, holds citizenship, or currently resides? I'd like to do a Maeve Binchy book for Part A, and was hoping I could do Infidel for Part B. Ayaan Hirsi Ali was born in Somalia, lived in Kenya, but obtained political asylum in the Netherlands in 1992 and was a member of the Dutch government at one time.
Jay, Infidel is good. And Cynthia if you haven't read the novel, the latter half of the book focuses on the Netherlands, how Ayaan Hirsi Ali adjusts to the new country and her election into the gov't post. It's a healthy chunk of the overall novel.
Random question, but can anyone tell me why Agatha Christie's books are tagged 'Netherlands' multiple times on Library Thing? I can't seem to figure out the connection.
Cait - The only reason I can come up with is that her book was published in the Netherlands (translated to country's languages)
Jay wrote: "Hi Cynthia! When you say in part B that an author needs to be "from one of those countries," do you mean born there, holds citizenship, or currently resides? I'd like to do a [author:Maeve Binch..."
For that part it should be where the author was born.
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Corelli's Mandolin (other topics)Three Junes (other topics)
Three Junes (other topics)
Sputnik Sweetheart (other topics)
Infidel (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Maeve Binchy (other topics)Ayaan Hirsi Ali (other topics)
Cecelia Ahern (other topics)
Cecelia Ahern (other topics)
Eoin Colfer (other topics)
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The following countries celebrate their independence in the spring...Bosnia and Herzegovina (March 1), Ghana (March 6), Mauritius (March 12), Tunisia (March 20), Namibia (March 21), Greece (March 25), Bangladesh (March 26), Zimbabwe (April 18), Ireland (Easter Monday), Sierra Leone (April 27), Togo (April 27), Netherlands (May 5), Romania (May 9), Israel (May 14), Paraguay (May 15), Norway (May 17), Cuba (May 20), East Timor (May 20), Montenegro (May 21), Eritrea (May 24), Jordan (May 25), Guyana (May 26), Georgia (May 26 and April 9) and South Africa (May 31). In honor of their independence days...
A.Read a fictional book set in one of those countries or a non-fiction book about one of those countries.
AND
B.Read a book written by an author from one of those countries.
Different countries must be used for each part of the task.
If you need suggestions OR have suggestions for books to read for this task post them here.