Around the World in 80 Books discussion
Getting to Know You
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Introductions
Alfredo wrote: "Hi! I am Alfredo, from a small beach town in the south of Mexico.. avid reader and I would really recommend My Name is Read by Orhan Pamuk to see what was Turkey like in the old days!"Hola, Alfredo! Welcome to the group! I have been wanting to read that book for quite a while. I read Snow, by him, and enjoyed it.
Hi all, I'm Susan, currently living in England but originally from Hungary. I love travelling and when I can't, I travel via books. Last year I stumbled into book blogging and discovered that in addition to reading I really enjoy writing and discussing books with others. So here I am and I'm looking forward to sharing and discovering travel books here!
Arwen1968 wrote: "Hi all, I'm Susan, currently living in England but originally from Hungary. I love travelling and when I can't, I travel via books. Last year I stumbled into book blogging and discovered that in ad..."Hi, Susan! Welcome to the group!
Arwen1968 wrote: "Hi all, I'm Susan, currently living in England but originally from Hungary. I love travelling and when I can't, I travel via books. Last year I stumbled into book blogging and discovered that in ad..."Hi Susan. We share a love of books about the sea in common. Looking forward to some discussions.
Chris
Chris wrote: Hi Susan. We share a love of books about the sea in common. Looking forward to some discussions.
Hi Chris. Yeah, I do love the sea and sea stories, both fictional and non-fictional. I still have to add loads of books that I've read to my bookshelves on Goodreads as at the moment it's rather random but I really like C.S. Forester and Patrick O'Brian. As for non-fiction, I recently read some great books by Ernle Bradford about his experiences sailing in the Mediterranean. Do you know him?
Right now I'm reading an exceedingly bad naval history fiction series written by a Spanish admiral, no less! I think he's trying to emulate Forester et al but he can't write for toffee! All the same it's very interesting to see how the Spanish view the same era. :)
Hi Chris. Yeah, I do love the sea and sea stories, both fictional and non-fictional. I still have to add loads of books that I've read to my bookshelves on Goodreads as at the moment it's rather random but I really like C.S. Forester and Patrick O'Brian. As for non-fiction, I recently read some great books by Ernle Bradford about his experiences sailing in the Mediterranean. Do you know him?
Right now I'm reading an exceedingly bad naval history fiction series written by a Spanish admiral, no less! I think he's trying to emulate Forester et al but he can't write for toffee! All the same it's very interesting to see how the Spanish view the same era. :)
Diane wrote: "Arwen1968 wrote: "Hi all, I'm Susan, currently living in England but originally from Hungary. I love travelling and when I can't, I travel via books. Last year I stumbled into book blogging and dis..."
Thank you, looking forward to getting to know you all!
Thank you, looking forward to getting to know you all!
Arwen1968 wrote: "Chris wrote: Hi Susan. We share a love of books about the sea in common. Looking forward to some discussions.Hi Chris. Yeah, I do love the sea and sea stories, both fictional and non-fictional. I..."
I love Forrester too.
Given how badly the Spaniards were thrashed at sea by both opposing sides during the Napoleonic Wars - English and French, I suspect they don't look back with the same fondness for the era as we do. Their glory days were pre-Armada.
I've ranged down the western seaboard of Europe, visiting some of the Spanish and Portugese ports where their great ocean-going enterprises set out from:
Voyages with Kipper: and other Sailing Reminiscences
I haven't heard of Ernie Bradford, but will look into him now.
Have you read:
Sailing Alone around the World ?
Chris wrote: "Arwen1968 wrote: "Chris wrote: Hi Susan. We share a love of books about the sea in common. Looking forward to some discussions.
Hi Chris. Yeah, I do love the sea and sea stories, both fictional an..."
Good for you, the closest I've been to a sailing boat was in a museum. :)
I've heard of Slocum but never got round to read the book yet. I'll have to add it to my to be read pile!
From the way this Spanish admiral describes their navy in the era of the Napoleonic Wars, I'm not surprised they were constantly trashed. It's not that they didn't have any good sailors because they did; it's just the whole system was inefficient (not to use a stronger word). They seemed to carry more servants for the officers than officers themselves, for example. :)
Although even if you look at their glory days, you sometimes wonder if they ever really grasped the significance of the seas and sailing? It's almost as if they used the sea exclusively for transport, both for their soldiers and their treasure and looking at it as a means to get to a battle rather than considering naval warfare as a form of war in its own right. Their ships would be full of land troops who would only be useful if it came to boarding. A mentality inherited from the Romans? A tactic they learned in the galley battles in the Mediterranean? Or is it just that the Castilians, being landlocked, never actually grasped how to dominate the sea, an element that was alien to them?
Hi Chris. Yeah, I do love the sea and sea stories, both fictional an..."
Good for you, the closest I've been to a sailing boat was in a museum. :)
I've heard of Slocum but never got round to read the book yet. I'll have to add it to my to be read pile!
From the way this Spanish admiral describes their navy in the era of the Napoleonic Wars, I'm not surprised they were constantly trashed. It's not that they didn't have any good sailors because they did; it's just the whole system was inefficient (not to use a stronger word). They seemed to carry more servants for the officers than officers themselves, for example. :)
Although even if you look at their glory days, you sometimes wonder if they ever really grasped the significance of the seas and sailing? It's almost as if they used the sea exclusively for transport, both for their soldiers and their treasure and looking at it as a means to get to a battle rather than considering naval warfare as a form of war in its own right. Their ships would be full of land troops who would only be useful if it came to boarding. A mentality inherited from the Romans? A tactic they learned in the galley battles in the Mediterranean? Or is it just that the Castilians, being landlocked, never actually grasped how to dominate the sea, an element that was alien to them?
Hello. I'm Dawn. I live in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. I love books, but I went back to college recently to tackle some prerequisites before applying to graduate school. I don't have time to read as much as I would like, and I don't know if I'll be able to keep up with four group reads a month. I find the most difficult part of reading to be deciding on which book to read, thus I've joined two book clubs on Goodreads to obviate that task.
Hi, Dawn. I find that since I have joined goodreads I have little trouble choosing books to read, but reading them all is a challenge.
Rosemarie, what I mean is that I have one hundred books on my "to read" list, and I have trouble choosing between these manifold options.
A hundred books is a lot Dawn. Do you have different types of books on your list? I read different books in different moods, and always have more than one on the go, but they are all of different genres. I also enjoy non-fiction and memoirs.
Yes, at least a quarter of them are nonfiction (memoir, ecology, history, language, sociology), some of them are plays or epic poems, and the rest are novels.
Dawn wrote: "Hello. I'm Dawn. I live in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. I love books, but I went back to college recently to tackle some prerequisites before applying to graduate school. I don't hav..."Hello, Dawn! Welcome to the challenge! I feel your pain regarding school. Graduate school definitely has put a crimp in my reading, but I know the sacrifice will soon pay off. Hopefully, your book clubs will make the decision part of the process easier.
I'm a brand new member and am currently looking for more reviews for my memoir Dislocation, published in July 2016. It charts my childhood in East Africa and Scotland living with a travel-thirsty father and Bi-polar mother...Any offers? Lucy Lang
Hello. My name is Alondra and I just started my own Around the World list; and wanted to join a group focused on reading books from other countries or authors. My challenge may be a little different, because I am really looking for horror, sci-fi, and suspense from other countries. It is hard finding a list like this. Any help would be appreciated.
I have browsed some threads already, and have come across great challenges and information that I haven't found anywhere else.
Lucy wrote: "I'm a brand new member and am currently looking for more reviews for my memoir Dislocation, published in July 2016. It charts my childhood in East Africa and Scotland living with a travel-thirsty f..."Welcome to the group, Lucy!
Alondra wrote: "Hello. My name is Alondra and I just started my own Around the World list; and wanted to join a group focused on reading books from other countries or authors. My challenge may be a little differ..."
Hello, Alondra! Welcome to the group! Horror and sci-fi from other countries are more difficult to find but can definitely be found with a little digging. I think we are going to see a lot more translated books in these genres in the near future.
Alondra, there is a classic science fiction novel called We by Yevgeny Zamyatin. It was written before Brave New World, with a similar theme.
Diane wrote: "Hello, Alondra! Welcome to the group! Horror and sci-fi from other countries are more difficult to find but can definitely be found with a little digging. I think we are going to see a lot more translated books in these genres in the near future..."Thank you. I hope so. I have had to dig quite a bit; but have managed to find quite a few. I think I will post up a challenge list (circumnavigater only ) , and post the goodies that I find. Thanks, again.
Rosemarie wrote: "Alondra, there is a classic science fiction novel called We by Yevgeny Zamyatin. It was written before Brave New World, with a similar theme."
I found that after someone else recommended it, too! Thank you so much :)
Alondra wrote: "Hello. My name is Alondra and I just started my own Around the World list; and wanted to join a group focused on reading books from other countries or authors.
My challenge may be a little differ..."
Hi Alondra. What about Stanislaw Lem - a Polish author of science-fiction? Several of his books have been translated into English and even made into films, like Solaris. He's one of the authors that brought me to science-fiction, I really do recommend him.
My challenge may be a little differ..."
Hi Alondra. What about Stanislaw Lem - a Polish author of science-fiction? Several of his books have been translated into English and even made into films, like Solaris. He's one of the authors that brought me to science-fiction, I really do recommend him.
Arwen1968 wrote: "Hi Alondra. What about Stanislaw Lem - a Polish author of science-fiction? Several of his books have been translated into English and even made into films, like Solaris. He's one of the authors that brought me to science-fiction, I really do recommend him. ..."Got it. I added it, after reading the blurb. Sounds really interesting and unearthly! Love it!
Thank you :)
Hi, I'm new to the book. I'm a housewife who reads a lot!! I tend to read mostly romance and some mystery/suspense. I love to travel and read about other countries and I came upon this group. I'm not sure where to go to now. Am I supposed to set up my own challenge in the discussion forum?
Hi, Missy. Welcome. I am relatively new to the group and it took me a while to figure it out. There are some threads that explain the rules of the challenges and the different types you can do and how to get started.I like reading books from all over the world too, so I joined this group for the same reason.
Thank you RosemarieRosemarie wrote: "Hi, Missy. Welcome. I am relatively new to the group and it took me a while to figure it out. There are some threads that explain the rules of the challenges and the different types you can do and ..."
You're welcome, Missy. I have discovered one thing about this group- the challenges are addictive because there are so many great ones to choose from.
Missy, Rosemarie is right that there are several challenges to choose from. It's very helpful to look under each major thread and read the rules (i.e. the ATW in 80 books world challenge, USA reading road trip challenge, etc.). Some of the challenges are for only each calendar year while others are ongoing. It's nice because you can choose what will suit your interests and reading style. Good luck on whatever you choose. And don't hesitate to ask questions. Diane, our moderator, will help you out.
Missy wrote: "Hi, I'm new to the book. I'm a housewife who reads a lot!! I tend to read mostly romance and some mystery/suspense. I love to travel and read about other countries and I came upon this group. I'm n..."Hi, Missy! Welcome to the group! As Rosemarie and Laurie said, find the challenges that work best for you. Some will have you start a new thread, others will not, depending on the rules. I will be happy to help you with whatever you choose.
Very excited to have found this group!! Would love to travel more but with two little ones it's a bit tricky - Europe is on the bucket list, and after having written a novel in which one of the main characters travels from London to Paris to Vienna to New York (and the other one longs to do all that...), I'm really now itching to get out of Australia ;) Guess it's going to have to be travelling vicariously through books... Trix Wilkins
Hi, Nova. I like travelling too. There are a lot of fun challenges to choose from. Welcome to the group.
Nova wrote: "Hello everyone! My name is Nova and I live in Oregon, USA, with my toddler son, my husband, and two border collies. I've always loved reading - I'll read anything, but mostly historical fiction, my..."Hello, Nova! Welcome to the group! It sounds like your book tastes are very similar to mine. Glad to have you in the group!
Hi Diane et al -I'm a writer and a lover of multicultural fiction. Love this site.
Cinda
Cinda wrote: "Hi Diane et al -I'm a writer and a lover of multicultural fiction. Love this site.
Cinda"
Hi, Cinda! Thank you, and welcome to the group!
Hello, I am new in this group. My name i Sofia and I am from Sweden. I live in Norrköping with my family, I have 2 kids. I am a librarian and work in a public library ( mainly with refugees and immigrants). I Love to travel (both in real life and through books) and learn more about different cultures. Looking forward to participate in various reading challenges.
Hi Sofia. I love libraries. Welcome to the group. I like to travel too.
Sofia wrote: "Hello, I am new in this group. My name i Sofia and I am from Sweden. I live in Norrköping with my family, I have 2 kids. I am a librarian and work in a public library ( mainly with refugees and im..."
Hello, Sofia! Welcome to the group!
Thanks for the warm welcomes! Wish you all a Merry Christmas./ Sofia
Hi, I'm Rowi (or Laura, it's the same.. as you prefer!), I'm 27 and I'm from Italy. I love travel but actually I really can't do it as much as I would like to, so here we are. I'm trying to complete my tour around the world throught books. :D
Rowizyx wrote: "Hi, I'm Rowi (or Laura, it's the same.. as you prefer!), I'm 27 and I'm from Italy. I love travel but actually I really can't do it as much as I would like to, so here we are. I'm trying to complet..."Hi, Rowi! Welcome to the group!
Hi, I'm Melissa and I'm currently a sophomore in high school. I'm not sure if I've already commented on this thread, so I apologize if I have, haha. I'd just like to say "happy holidays" to everyone!
Thank you, Melissa. Happy holidays to you too.
Melissa wrote: "Hi, I'm Melissa and I'm currently a sophomore in high school. I'm not sure if I've already commented on this thread, so I apologize if I have, haha. I'd just like to say "happy holidays" to everyone!"
Happy Holidays, Melissa!
Hello, first-time poster Patrick Murtha here, hailing from Queretaro, Mexico, where I teach English in my semi-retirement. I'm 58, single, a graduate of Yale (BA in American Studies) and Boston University (Master of Arts in Teaching). I read widely in world literature and travel literature. Recently read Mark Cocker's Loneliness and Time: The Story of British Travel Writing.
Hi, Patrick. Welcome. Reading books from different parts of the world has always been a goal for me.
Patrick wrote: "Hello, first-time poster Patrick Murtha here, hailing from Queretaro, Mexico, where I teach English in my semi-retirement. I'm 58, single, a graduate of Yale (BA in American Studies) and Boston Uni..."Hello, Patrick! Great to have you here in the group!
Hi, I am Zsofi from Hungary. This year I will start a personal challenge, in which I will read a book from each country of the world. I am very glad to have found your group, I think we will have a nice journey together :)
Zsofi wrote: "Hi, I am Zsofi from Hungary. This year I will start a personal challenge, in which I will read a book from each country of the world. I am very glad to have found your group, I think we will have a..."Hi, Zsofi! Welcome to the challenge! Look forward to traveling with you.
Hello!My name is Erik and I am from Sweden. I am a teacher of history and social science. I love reading and I read a wide range of genres.
This year my challenge is like every year to read at least 1 book more than the year before.
I will also attempt the ATW challenge in tourist class.
I wish you all a good reading 2017.
Erik, I am also new here and teach history and social sciences, as well as English and philosophy.
Around the World in 80 Books
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Hi, Jill! Welcome to the group! I visited Honduras a couple of years ago and fell in love with it. It is such a beautiful place.