The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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15.3 - Continental Divide
If anyone ends up with Australia - Bryce Courtenay is an author from there and he has really long books...but they are hard to find in the US (the only downside)
Really, Dee?! That's a real shame as his books are really good (not all of them are long....although most are). He's one of my favorite authors and (happily) his books are in every bookshop.
Mod
Here is a link to countries, click on the country to find the authors:http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/cou...
I have the WORST luck with these types of tasks (on the summer roll the dice I got: 665!) and got Asia. I know, I know, lots of choices. But of all of the choices, I have nothing in my queue that fits for Asia. Any ideas?
Lots of good books listed by country for Diane's Around the World in 80 Books challenge:http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2...
World Atlas is also helpful for determining which countries are on which continent: http://www.worldatlas.com/nations.htmAshley -- I just finished Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (China). It was very good. The countries of the Middle East are also on the Asian continent, so maybe The Kite Runner or The Bookseller of Kabul, if you haven't read them.
Ashley FL wrote: "I have the WORST luck with these types of tasks (on the summer roll the dice I got: 665!) and got Asia. I know, I know, lots of choices. But of all of the choices, I have nothing in my queue tha..."You have Battle Royale on your list, which is by Koushun Takami, who is Asian. But remember, this task says you can read anything set or about your continent.
yeah - at least in the US...although I found that the book depository carries his books and they are like $15...he has a statement on his website, I guess penguin doesn't think he will sell over here...but I have a stack of his to pick fromPetra wrote: "Really, Dee?! That's a real shame as his books are really good (not all of them are long....although most are). He's one of my favorite authors and (happily) his books are in every bookshop."
power of one and tandia were also set during the arpathied, so they would work for that other category as well...2 are set in the pacific during WW2 (might work for asia - but would have to check with the creator)Sandy wrote: "I just checked my library website - they have a couple of his books. And one is set in South Africa, so that would also work if you wound up with Africa."
i'm reading one called the Mango Season right now that is set in India that is pretty goodThe Mango Season
Ashley FL wrote: "I have the WORST luck with these types of tasks (on the summer roll the dice I got: 665!) and got Asia. I know, I know, lots of choices. But of all of the choices, I have nothing in my queue tha..."
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Ashley FL wrote: "I have the WORST luck with these types of tasks (on the summer roll the dice I got: 665!) and got Asia. I know, I know, lots of choices. But of all of the choices, I have nothi..."Oh, Elizabeth, I would LOVE to read that book! I haven't been able to find it. I may have to just bite the bullet and buy it. The things I do for this Challenge ;)
Ashley FL wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Ashley FL wrote: "I have the WORST luck with these types of tasks (on the summer roll the dice I got: 665!) and got Asia. I know, I know, lots of choices. But of all o..."Ashley, www.alibris.com has it for less than $4.00 plus shipping.
Gosh, Ashley, it looks like its a big series!
I *think* that those numbered ones are sub-parts of the big 600+ pager. It must have been released as a series?!?
Fantastic Fiction says that the year after it's release it became a Manga series, so that's probably what all those #'d volumes are about.
Ahhhh. . . that makes sense. I've tried requesting it inter-library loan. I've never used that before, so we'll see what happens! They certainly don't encourage it ;)
I got Australia! I was unsure what to do with it at first, but then I remembered Kate Morton is from Australia & has a new book coming out in November: The Distant Hours.
I got South America, and I'd like to read some of Pablo Neruda's poetry. Is is possible for me to use multiple books for this to make up the minimum 100 pages? I've been cross-checking the editions on GR with the ones at my library, and none of the editions I can get are over 100 pages--they top out at 80 or 90.
I got Asia so I am going with "Memoirs of A Geisha". I haven't gotten around to reading it yet.
Mod
This is fine. Poetry is kind of an exception, since it's so hard to find poetry books, especially with one author, with more than 100 pages. Since you plan to read more than one book here, this is certainly within the spirit of the challenge - and I'd hate to make it too difficult to include poetry.
It's always okay to read more than one book to meet the minimum page requirements.
Yay! Thank you ^_^ I thought it would probably be okay, but I just wanted to make sure.
Delicious Dee the book slut wrote: "yeah - at least in the US...although I found that the book depository carries his books and they are like $15...he has a statement on his website, I guess penguin doesn't think he will sell over here...but I have a stack of his to pick from ..."Brother Fish is my favorite of his (set in Australia), as was the Australian trilogy, which starts with The Potato Factory. The Potato Factory takes place on 2 continents: half in England and half in Australia, so it wouldn't count for this task.
I think i'm going to read The Story of Danny Dunn for mine...I'm using The Persimmon Tree for a challenge with another groupPetra wrote: "Delicious Dee the book slut wrote: "yeah - at least in the US...although I found that the book depository carries his books and they are like $15...he has a statement on his website, I guess pengui..."
I think I got lucky because I got Europe. And since there are many many books that take place there it is just a matter of choosing one.
Ashley FL wrote: "I have the WORST luck with these types of tasks (on the summer roll the dice I got: 665!) and got Asia. I know, I know, lots of choices. But of all of the choices, I have nothing in my queue tha..."Here's a few suggestions:
Geisha: A Life by Mineko Iwasaki. Ms. Iwasaki's life was the inspiration for Memoirs of a Geisha. It's a lovely historical read.
The Good Earth byPearl S. Buck. I was surprised by how much I loved this book.
Ashley FL wrote: "I have the WORST luck with these types of tasks (on the summer roll the dice I got: 665!) and got Asia. I know, I know, lots of choices. But of all of the choices, I have nothing in my queue tha..."You must really be lucky in love, then!
I'm reading
which takes place in Venezuela.
Ashley FL wrote: "I have the WORST luck with these types of tasks (on the summer roll the dice I got: 665!) and got Asia. I know, I know, lots of choices. But of all of the choices, I have nothing in my queue tha..."Ashley, I liked Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil. I have also become a huge fan of Banana Yoshimoto. Her books usually focus on female protagonists who are recovering from some kind of traumatic event -- the books are very positive though.
Ms Anderson wrote: "I got South America, and I'd like to read some of Pablo Neruda's poetry. Is is possible for me to use multiple books for this to make up the minimum 100 pages? I've been cross-checking the editions..."I loved Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair!
ColleenPA wrote: "Ms Anderson wrote: "I got South America, and I'd like to read some of Pablo Neruda's poetry. Is is possible for me to use multiple books for this to make up the minimum 100 pages? I've been cross-c..."I'm reading that one and The Heights of Macchu Picchu. Although, the versions my library has are both bilingual, so I'll probably add another book of his poems to it so it will really be over 100 pages. I'm looking forward to it, though...I looked him up after I remembered his name in the song from Rent, and since he's from South America, he works! ^_^
Mod
aha, THAT's why the name rang a bell!
It's one of my favorites from the show...and I definitely belt it in the car when I'm by myself lol So I figure I might as well find out what makes him "bohemian"!
For South America, I would like to read By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolaño. It is "only" 144 pages, but it's 144 pages of Roberto Bolaño!! :D Will you accept this?
Mod
Sure, that's fine.
Sandy wrote: "Ms Anderson wrote: "I looked him up after I remembered his name in the song from Rent, and since he's from South America, he works.."aha, THAT's why the name rang a bell!"
Dies!
Sandy If you have not read Pablo Neruda you should definitly give it a try, his autobiography Confieso Que He Vivido, Memoirs is a great work of literature, but his poems are even better, Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair is awsome.
ColleenPA wrote: "I love Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair"
Me too, my favorite is no.15, is so beautiful.
Mod
Thanks for the recommendation!
Sandy wrote: "Thanks for the recommendation!":), some of his pomes are really short, it takes no time at all, though I don't know if the translations do him justice.
Can anyone recommend some South America books? This is probably the only continent not represented on my to-read list (I even have antartica), so of course I got it!
I read The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann for Ms. Anderson's task this season and enjoyed it.
Some books from my TBR that would work for South America.Brazil: Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon
Chile: Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors
Columbia: One Hundred Years of Solitude OR Love in the Time of Cholera
Peru: The Bridge of San Luis Rey
Venezuela: The Lost World
Mandy here is a list Books_about_SOUTH_AMERICA_or_by_SOUTH_AMERICAN_authors, be carefull it is a list that anyone can put books Ex. Laura Esquivel is from Mexico=North America.Adding to Gabriel García Márquez this is my favorite of his books:No One Writes to the Colonel: and Other Stories. Can anybody tell me which are the other stories???? In Spanish this is a one story book.
Anithing by: Jorge Luis Borges, Gabriela Mistral, Pablo Neruda.
Chile: Isabel Allende is not really my cup of tea, but The House of the Spirits is fantastic, she also has a "YA trilogy" City of the Beasts that are a light, easy read.
South America***** 5 *****
Argentina - Heaven of Drums
Peru - The Bridge of San Luis Rey
by Isabel Allende
-- Portrait in Sepia
-- Daughter of Fortune
-- Inés of My Soul
**** 4 ****
Columbia - Love in the Time of Cholera
Chile - A Week in October
Venezuela - Swallowing Stones: A Novel Isabel Allende
-- Portrait in SepiaDaughter of FortuneInés of My Soul
The Seasonal Reading Challenge
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Go to The List Randomizer and enter:
- South America
- Europe
- Asia
- Australia
- Africa
(Note: Antarctica and North America are excluded.)
For the continent listed first in your random list, read a fiction OR non-fiction book:
- about any part of that continent, OR
- set any place on that continent, OR
- written by an author from that continent.
Your first shot on the randomizer is it for this task (no double-dipping).
.