UK Book Club discussion
Around the World in 80 Books
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The Challenge
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Paulfozz wrote: "I started another book for the challenge, Papillon by Henri Charrière - for French Guiana, which should hopefully get me to 20 in the challenge.I've just read two othe..."
Pretty sure Papillon one of those rarities where prefered film to the book. Though with cast of Dustin Hoffman And Steve McQueen very difficult to go wrong. Steve McQueen coolest man ever!!
I don't really remember much about the film - all I remember is that it was a truly awful 'pan-and-scan' vhs tape that we saw it on (things have certainly moved on!). Am enjoying the book a lot so far though.
I preferred the book myself, even with Hoffman and McQueen, as I recall anyway. It was a few (read many many) years ago.. :)
i saw this challenge couple of years ago and never put my name down - however i did start noting the counties my reading was taking me-first question
do they count or do I have to begin from now?
second question being an old woman many of my books are set in the old countries and as boarders have moved do I take it a book set in Russia ie the old Soviet Union Russia is discounted as the country even if it is written as if it is a country?
third question if the Channel Islands are being counted as a country(when did it happen that they became a country!) do I take it that Wales, Scotland and Ireland are countries -I am talking of Northern Ireland of course Eire is an independent country.
sorry to ask so many questions, just new countries are very difficult sometimes some have changed names and identities a few times in my lifetime:(
Mod
a) You can start your challenge from when you want. Most people start from now or backdate to the beginning of the current calendar year, but it's up to you.
b) All countries are as per now - so as the Soviet Union no longer exists - books set before or during that era could be in Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan etc depending on their setting and the same goes for the countries that make up the former Yugoslavia. It's up to you to identify which country. This can sometimes be tricky but using the internet you can usually get a pretty good idea from the city/town - though these can change as well - and is part of the challenge.
c) All 4 parts of the UK can be counted, as can one of the Channel Islands plus the Isle of Man - the definition of a "country" in the challenge is pretty loose - see below.
d) There is a full alphabetical listing of the 240 countries possible and an explanation of why it is 240 at the link below:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Enjoy the challenge and I hope you have fun doing it.
Count me in - I'll give it a go.
Hi just seen this challenge and love the idea. I see its been running for 3 years. has anyone declared that they have completed it? I may also repeat the idea in the Group I moderate; that will also further promote the UK Book club
Mod
Ian wrote: "Hi Albertaa) You can start your challenge from when you want. Most people start from now or backdate to the beginning of the current calendar year, but it's up to you.
b) All countries are as pe..."
great - thanks I will have to get the atlas out I can see:) will post a list sometime just finished binu so that's china done
Ian wrote: "Three of us have done the 80. Me, Sue and Robert(Bob). Bob's retired from the fray, but Sue and I are gluttons for punishment and struggling onwards to even more countries."I really enjoyed doing it but 80 enough for me Had break from group as well but just starting to read posts again
Mod
Safe House set on Isle of Man, kindle daily deal today. 99p
Not sure where to post this! Book is currently free on kindle, highly recommended by those who have read it and looks like it would cover Senegal. However Long the Night: Molly Melching's Journey to Help Millions of African Women and Girls Triumph
Sue wrote: "Not sure where to post this! Book is currently free on kindle, highly recommended by those who have read it and looks like it would cover Senegal. [book:However Long the Night: Molly Melching's J..."This is still free, now going to find out where Senegal is!
Hi! I'm new to Goodreads and new to the group - but I love the idea of this challenge!!I guess my first book is Ireland as I'm currently reading a Cecelia Ahern novel ...
Babs wrote: "Hi! I'm new to Goodreads and new to the group - but I love the idea of this challenge!!I guess my first book is Ireland as I'm currently reading a Cecelia Ahern novel ..."
Hi Babs - enjoy the journey!
OK, so I've just bought Michael Palin's 'Around The World in 80 Days' on audiobook, which will also cover 'Travel' in the Genre challenge BUT does this mean I can cover all the countries mentioned? I don't like cheating so I needed to ask.
Personally Chris I'm not counting those kinds of books - just those set in (or mainly set in) one particular country. But I'm not sure if there are any formal rules to follow as such!!
Mod
Ian is the law-giver here, but judging by previous cases, I'd say you can claim one country per book.
I had a book that toured the Mediterranean (likewise for the travel genre) and just claimed Libya - it was unlikely I'd get there any other way!
Chris wrote: "OK, so I've just bought Michael Palin's 'Around The World in 80 Days' on audiobook, which will also cover 'Travel' in the Genre challenge BUT does this mean I can cover all the countries mentioned?..."If you go the challenge page Ian has kindly drawn a list of all the countries for us to use then you get to choose do I do 80 or go the whole hog and do 240 countries. There’s no time limit it’s more how gullible (mad, crazy) are you.
Mod
That'd be far too easy Chris. It's one country per book. The original firm rule of the challenge was also that that one country could only be the one where the book spends the most time(in pages not time itself). And that's the rule by which some of the more masochistic of us - ie me, myself and I - still travel by, but others apply varying levels of monastic zeal - ie ignore my wholly democratic law giving and finely thought through judgements - and bag any country a book visits, however briefly. As Confucious no doubt didn't say - each may choose their own path.
Well, the book doesn't stay in one particular country any longer than the others, with the exception of England where he starts and finishes, so I'll listen to the book then make a judgement. Thank you people!
Review of book in todays paper, set in Kyrgyzstan if anyone wants a visit! A Killing Winter sounds a bit violent but review was quite encouraging. Crime genre.
Mod
I found this blog where I woman read her way around the world in 2012. "Only" 196 countries as she goes by the UN and not FIFA. She has a list of all the books she read, with multiple options for several countries. Might be of some help to people in finding books to read, though some of her choices appear to be hard to come by. (It has helped me locate a book on Panama written by someone who actually is from Panama, which turned out to be remarkably difficult when you don't read Spanish.)http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/the...
Mod
Looks a good blog, I will have to have a look for a few ideas too.
I love these challenges, but I don't want to read a book just because it gets me a particular country, I want to enjoy it too! So I'm quite picky with my choices for the challenge and despite this, I still end up reading the occasional dud. I guess it's inevitable!
Liz wrote: "I love these challenges, but I don't want to read a book just because it gets me a particular country, I want to enjoy it too! So I'm quite picky with my choices for the challenge and despite this, I still end up reading the occasional dud. I guess it's inevitable!" Exactly! I came to the conclusion many years ago that as it is impossible to read every book ever published, life is too short for poorly written books. (Life is too short for "Grapes of Wrath" and certain other classics as well, even though those aren't poorly written. But anyway...) Point is, pick your reads carefully, you only get so many in a lifetime!
Mod
Don't get me started on The Grapes of Wrath. It has to be one of the most depressing books I've ever read (IMHO, it makes The Road seem hopeful!!)
Liz wrote: "Don't get me started on The Grapes of Wrath. It has to be one of the most depressing books I've ever read (IMHO, it makes The Road seem hopeful!!)" Thank you! Makes me feel less bad about not finishing it back in the day. It might be 'the most American of American classics', but I can't bring myself to attempt it again. Not for an 'Around the World', or 'Around America', or even for my A-Z of Classics. (Though I still feel like I ought to. :P )
Liz wrote: "Leni wrote: "Exactly! I came to the conclusion many years ago that as it is impossible to read every book ever published, life is too short for poorly written books. (Life is too short for "Grapes ..."I loved The Grapes of Wrath!
I would like to join this challenge as the book I am currently reading is set in Paris. Also, its New Year's Eve which seems like a good time to start a new project.
good luck Maggie - you will meet lots of fellow travelers!!
Was looking for a book for my mum and came across this if anyone is looking for a book for Nepal
Is this challenge still going or am I too late?
Mod
Maggie wrote: "Is this challenge still going or am I too late?"It's a fun challenge. I've worked on it a few times but never completed. Others have though.
Its a fun challenge, started my trip in 2014 and am still working on it.
Mod
I made the 80 and I'm now trying to get to 100.... My rucksack has been repacked, my hiking boots re-heeled, and my Kendall Mint Bar is in my pocket, but where to go next? You know I haven't been to Wales yet!
Mod
Hi Bookish FamilyI am a Texan author that wrote a Human Interest story that stages
The Quest for Family. I was born and raised in Texas, USA however in my story I walk the reader thru my travels abroad and in the states chronicling the importance of family, and culture.
Check it out. Exposure and Available worldwide
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/195858...
UK Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Don't Let the Goats Eat the Loquat Trees (other topics)The Grapes of Wrath (other topics)
The Grapes of Wrath (other topics)
The Road (other topics)
A Killing Winter (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Henri Charrière (other topics)Henri Charrière (other topics)
Remzija Sherifi (other topics)
John Buchan (other topics)
Peter Høeg (other topics)
More...
I've just read two others that took me around the world, Sahara by Michael Palin and On The Trail Of The Whale by Mark Carwardine, but both skipped from country to country and so I couldn't with any honesty declare them as being 'from' a particular country. Excellent books though.