Around the World in 80 Books discussion
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Introductions
Thank you for welcoming me, it is a great place to visit, sunny, quiet and friendly. Its beautiful even in a rainstorm. Looking forward to meeting and talking to new people on here.
Hi Everyone,I love to travel and to read and learn about other cultures. At the last count I was up to 40+ countries and most of the U.S. Currently, I teach ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages), a perfect niche for me, and have an M.Ed. in Global and International Education. Now I'm going to browse around the shelves, and lists, and comments and hopefully join in on a challenge.
Fran wrote: "Hi Everyone,I love to travel and to read and learn about other cultures. At the last count I was up to 40+ countries and most of the U.S. Currently, I teach ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Lan..."
Hi Fran. Welcome aboard.
Fran wrote: "Hi Everyone,I love to travel and to read and learn about other cultures. At the last count I was up to 40+ countries and most of the U.S. Currently, I teach ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Lan..."
Welcome to the group, Fran!
Hi everyone , I love reading , but i couldn't compleat any book , cause i feel boring in the middle of it ... I hope that you all can help me by suggest to me interesting books ... ^_^
Hi guys! Hope everyone is doing well. Just joined goodreads. I am a huge reader…the type of person who always carries a book where every I go. I've had the opportunity to travel extensively throughout europe and currently planning a trip to asia. Any good recommendations on books from Asian authors or books on Asian cultures? Thanks!
Sehar wrote: "Hi guys! Hope everyone is doing well. Just joined goodreads. I am a huge reader…the type of person who always carries a book where every I go. I've had the opportunity to travel extensively through..."
Welcome aboard. I've just started reading this and think you might enjoy it.
Lian wrote: "Hi everyone , I love reading , but i couldn't compleat any book , cause i feel boring in the middle of it ... I hope that you all can help me by suggest to me interesting books ... ^_^"
Welcome, Lian!
Sehar wrote: "Hi guys! Hope everyone is doing well. Just joined goodreads. I am a huge reader…the type of person who always carries a book where every I go. I've had the opportunity to travel extensively through..."Hi, Sehar! Wow, I don't even know where to begin for books about Asia. There is so much. These authors come to mind:
Amy Tan
Lisa See
Haruki Murakami
Yukio Mishima
Aravind Adiga
Jhumpa Lahiri
Sehar wrote: "Hi guys! Hope everyone is doing well. Just joined goodreads. I am a huge reader…the type of person who always carries a book where every I go. I've had the opportunity to travel extensively through..."Welcome, Sehar! If you get a chance definitely check out This Burns my Heart by Samuel Park. I read it two years ago and still think about it.
Hi everyone,I live in Berlin, Germany, and work here as an event manager in a small theatre. In the past I was not able to travel very much but I love to learn about other cultures and did this mainly through books. I am a slow reader and was always too slow to join the book discussions. But I will start now with A room with a View. Looking forward to it!
Issie wrote: "Hi everyone,I live in Berlin, Germany, and work here as an event manager in a small theatre. In the past I was not able to travel very much but I love to learn about other cultures and did this ma..."
Welcome, Issie!
Stephan wrote: "My name is Stephan, I’m from Denmark. I have created a complete new genre in literature. This group appeals to me because I love both travelling and literature, and thought it was a brilliant idea ..."Hi, Stephan! Thanks for your kind words. I love to travel to the places where books are set or were written. I traveled to a few places this past year where books I have read were set and that was a lot of fun.
Hi All
I just signed up for this group. It sounds like lots of fun . I've been looking for a "Challenge Group " that I could work at my own pace, not have a lot of pressure to complete several tasks within a specific time frame. Reading is supposed to be fun, not a chore, right ?
So I am starting out small and will branch out to more as time goes on .
I signed up for one of the small challenges : The Appalachian Trail.
This group is so well organized ,so will be easy to decide where to go next .
Looking forward to making new friends ,reading new books and visiting new places .
I just signed up for this group. It sounds like lots of fun . I've been looking for a "Challenge Group " that I could work at my own pace, not have a lot of pressure to complete several tasks within a specific time frame. Reading is supposed to be fun, not a chore, right ?
So I am starting out small and will branch out to more as time goes on .
I signed up for one of the small challenges : The Appalachian Trail.
This group is so well organized ,so will be easy to decide where to go next .
Looking forward to making new friends ,reading new books and visiting new places .
julie2014 wrote: "Hi AllI just signed up for this group. It sounds like lots of fun . I've been looking for a "Challenge Group " that I could work at my own pace, not have a lot of pressure to complete several task..."
Welcome to the group, Julie2014! Thanks so much for your kind words. I look forward to reading with you.
I started off 2013 challenging myself to read a book starting with a different letter of the alphabet A to Z, not virtually going back to the same place twice.(Last year I read three series with "Games" in the title.)It wasn't until my son mistakenly referred to my challenge as "Around the World in 80 Books" in front of his new English teacher that I found a place for the books friends & family were suggesting that didn't fit into my alphabet plan. As if my A-Z challenge wasn't going to be tricky enough, now I'm going to have to find books from 80 countries total!
I think GoodReads is going to be essential towards pulling this one off. :) I've been posting my progress, and pleading for recommendations on Facebook.
I love a good challenge, and thrill in diversity. I can't afford to travel, so this is the next best thing.
Bernadette wrote: "I started off 2013 challenging myself to read a book starting with a different letter of the alphabet A to Z, not virtually going back to the same place twice.(Last year I read three series with "G..."Welcome to the group, Bernadette! I wish you all the best in your journey of books.
hello everyone. my name is Alex, and I am a newly self published author. I write about things that go on and have been going on in places all around the world (some fiction and some real) using imagination and reality in my adventures. and I am here just to learn about peoples views and hoping to attract some readers in my book series.
A.R. wrote: "hello everyone. my name is Alex, and I am a newly self published author. I write about things that go on and have been going on in places all around the world (some fiction and some real) using ima..."Welcome to the group, Alex!
Hello everyone,I signed up for this group some days ago (and forgot to introduce myself). I recently finished my studies (Egyptology and Classics) and am looking for the perfect job (preferably one with lots of travelling). I love reading and joined this group because it seemed really interesting.
Renate wrote: "Hello everyone,I signed up for this group some days ago (and forgot to introduce myself). I recently finished my studies (Egyptology and Classics) and am looking for the perfect job (preferably on..."
Hi, Renate! Welcome! Egyptology sounds very interesting. I wish you the best of luck in your job search.
Hi, I'm Narayanan from Chennai, India. 48 years old and working as a Realtor in a Real Estate Broking organisation....I'm excited in joining this group...
Hi everybody, I'm Narayanan, 48 years old, from living in Chennai, South India. I'm a Realtor by profession. I love reading and collecting books especially about countries and travelogues...hence I'm here...
Narayanan wrote: "Hi everybody, I'm Narayanan, 48 years old, from living in Chennai, South India. I'm a Realtor by profession. I love reading and collecting books especially about countries and travelogues...hence..."
Hi,Narayanan! Welcome to the group! So happy to have you here with us!
Hi, I am always interested in learning abut different cultures. That is why I joined. I was born in the US, but emigrated to Sweden when I was 19 and have lived in different countries in Europe since then. Now I am living in Belgium and France but will be returning to Sweden soon. My husband is retiring, so we will live in France and Sweden.Books and my dog are very important to me.
I don't quite know where to start in this group.... My idea was to first look around a bit and see what you others are reading. I am less interested in travel tourist books than books that show the culture of different lands. (I do like memoirs.) Having lived in several I cannot help but recognize that each country has their own special ways. This is what attracts me. You can pick up little good things from each.
Any advice about how to get into the group?
Hi, I'm Huw. Currently I live in the Western Isles of Scotland, but I've also lived in HK and Turkey. I love to travel, and to read about travel, and it would be fun to try and meet the challenge of 80 books!
Hi, I'm Charles Ameringer, a retired History professor who has drawn on his research and travel to write a spy novel, THE OLD SPOOK, about a fictional CIA operative who interacts with real people and actual events in recent history on the world stage. He matches wits with rebel leaders, Mafia dons, and KGB agents in such U.S. cities as Milwaukee, Detroit, and Miami and abroad in Mexico and Central and South America. The author/blogger Debra Hartmann writes that it is "a great read, powerful and entertaining, a story that constantly keeps you on edge." Publishd by Solstice Publishing and available exclusively at Amazon.com. The Old Spook
RitaSkeeter wrote: "Hi,I'm from Tasmania, Australia. I love books and I love travel so this looked like a good group for me! :)"
Welcome, RitaSkeeter! Oooooh, Tasmania! What an absolutely way cool place to live! It is a place I know so little about, but would love to know more.
Chrissie wrote: "Hi, I am always interested in learning abut different cultures. That is why I joined. I was born in the US, but emigrated to Sweden when I was 19 and have lived in different countries in Europe sin..."Chrissie wrote: "Hi, I am always interested in learning abut different cultures. That is why I joined. I was born in the US, but emigrated to Sweden when I was 19 and have lived in different countries in Europe sin..."
Hi, Chrissie! Welcome! I, too, love to read books that introduce me to the cultures of different lands. I have read so many good books like this that I hardly know where to start in giving recommendations. I have learned so much from my book "travels". A good way to see how other group members felt about a book is to go to the group bookshelf and click on the "view activity" link on the right hand side of the book listing.
You can find the bookshelf here::
http://www.goodreads.com/group/booksh...
Huw wrote: "Hi, I'm Huw. Currently I live in the Western Isles of Scotland, but I've also lived in HK and Turkey. I love to travel, and to read about travel, and it would be fun to try and meet the challenge ..."Welcome, Huw! I just love to see all the exciting places where group members have lived. Turkey is one of my favorite places to visit and Scotland is high up on my list of countries to see.
Charles wrote: "Hi, I'm Charles Ameringer, a retired History professor who has drawn on his research and travel to write a spy novel, THE OLD SPOOK, about a fictional CIA operative who interacts with real people a..."Hi, Charles! Welcome to the group! Thanks so much for telling us about your book!
RitaSkeeter wrote: "Diane wrote: "RitaSkeeter wrote: "Hi,I'm from Tasmania, Australia. I love books and I love travel so this looked like a good group for me! :)"
Welcome, RitaSkeeter! Oooooh, Tasmania! What an ..."
Thanks, RitaSkeeter!
Here are a few that came to mind:
Can you recommend any books that are set there?
How similar is the topography to mainland Australia?
What is the climate like?
How similar is it to mainland Australia culturally?
RitaSkeeter wrote: "I'll do my best to answer! A book set in Tasmania that I particularly enjoyed was The Potato Fatory by Bryce Courtenay. The reason I particularly enjoyed that one is it is about our convict herita..."Thank you! I love your descriptions. Definitely sounds like a place I would love to see someday. Hobart sounds beautiful. All I have ever seen on TV about Tasmania are nature shows about Tasmanian devils and the platypus.
Diane wrote: "Charles wrote: "Hi, I'm Charles Ameringer, a retired History professor who has drawn on his research and travel to write a spy novel, THE OLD SPOOK, about a fictional CIA operative who interacts wi..."Hi Diane, Thanks for the warm welcome. I hope that folks knowing about my book will read it. That's what it's all about. We thrive on having our work read and enjoyed. Looking specifically at this group,one interested in other places and cultures, I am recognized as a specialist in Costa Rica, hence, the episodes that take place in Costa Rica in my novel are authentic and provide the reader with a real feel for that delightful country. The Old Spook
Charles wrote: "Diane wrote: "Charles wrote: "Hi, I'm Charles Ameringer, a retired History professor who has drawn on his research and travel to write a spy novel, THE OLD SPOOK, about a fictional CIA operative wh..."Costa Rica really is a delightful country.
Hello everyone :) I'm Ilma from Bosnia and Herzegovina. I'm starting college this year, studying english language and literature and I want to be a translator one day. I also have some ideas and want to write a novel, but right now I'm too lazy. :DI love to travel but I haven't seen much by now, so I experience much through books. My faavourite place I visited so far is Istanbul :)
Ivy wrote: "Hello everyone :) I'm Ilma from Bosnia and Herzegovina. I'm starting college this year, studying english language and literature and I want to be a translator one day. I also have some ideas and wa..."Hi, Ilma! Welcome to the group! I completely know what you mean about having ideas for a novel but being too lazy. I have been lazy for a very long time.:) Istanbul is an awesome place to visit both in real life and in books.
Hi I love to read books written by authors from other countries, e.g. Russian, Chinese, Indian, and also books set in countries around the world (not always the same thing). My dream a few years ago was to live and work abroad, but frustratingly I developed M.E. Instead, I continue to enjoy books set in different countries, books that immerse the reader in different cultures and that enable me to go somewhere new and exciting, in my imagination at least. I've joined this group to 'go' to these places with fellow members.I'm pleased to see that in 2014 the group will be recommending books set in the counties of the UK, because my revised goal is to one day travel around and discover the many museums, the live music and the beauty of my own country.
Sarah wrote: "Hi I love to read books written by authors from other countries, e.g. Russian, Chinese, Indian, and also books set in countries around the world (not always the same thing). My dream a few years a..."Welcome to the group, Sarah! I look forward to traveling by book with you.
Hi everyone!I'm a student from New Zealand but I currently live in France with my family. I've always loved reading about other countries and cultures and now I get to really see them which is so cool! This is my first year doing the challenge. My favourite books are The Fault in Our Stars (America/Amsterdam), Inkheart (Germany), Les Miserables (French), Divergent (future America), and The Book Thief.
Hello! I am from Denmark but living in France, Nancy, for four years. I like also travellng with books. For example, I have never visited Asia but I have great experiences from discovering Asia throug books by Asian authors, e.g. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, God of small things, The Harmoni Silk Factory...
Caitlin wrote: "Hi everyone!I'm a student from New Zealand but I currently live in France with my family. I've always loved reading about other countries and cultures and now I get to really see them which is so ..."
Hi, Caitlin! You've listed three of my favorites. The other two I just haven't read yet. I would probably love them, too. Welcome to the group!
Jens wrote: "Hello! I am from Denmark but living in France, Nancy, for four years. I like also travellng with books. For example, I have never visited Asia but I have great experiences from discovering Asia th..."
Hello, Jens! Welcome to the group! I am feeling very envious of all of you members living in France! I look forward to seeing where you will travel to next by book.
Diane wrote: "Caitlin wrote: "Hi everyone!I'm a student from New Zealand but I currently live in France with my family. I've always loved reading about other countries and cultures and now I get to really see t..."
Thank you! Which are the two that you've read?
Caitlin wrote: "Diane wrote: "Caitlin wrote: "Hi everyone!I'm a student from New Zealand but I currently live in France with my family. I've always loved reading about other countries and cultures and now I get t..."
The Fault in Our Stars, Les Misérables, and The Book Thief. All are phenomenal. I actually own the other two but haven't got around to reading them yet.
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My name is Andy and I live in Huntington West Virginia. I am originally from St. Georges Grenada. I came to America to play basketball at a small college in Kentucky years ago and now here I am."
Welcome to the group, Andy! I hope to someday visit Grenada.