Around the World discussion
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2012-2024 Discussions
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Where in the World Have You Been?!?! (Book Finished and Review Linked)
I was in Scotland (and England and France) with Jane Dunn's dual biography of two queens, Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens. It was... meh... Full review linked below:http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I haven't been in Scotland in a while.:)
I finally finished another book in my journey. This stop was at Holland where I met Vincent Van Gogh in Lust for Life. All I knew about this artist was that he lived a troubled life and ended up cutting off his ear. What I learned from this book was that he suffered from mental illness, and had a truly tragic experience in life.
Completed Postcards from Nam. My less than glittering review is here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I have left Rwanda and Gilbert Gatore's brilliant story. My review is here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Last week I was in Peru with Bel Cantowhich is based on an event that took place in Lima in the 90's. It was my first book by this author and it just wasn't my cup of tea.
Janice wrote: "I finally finished another book in my journey. This stop was at Holland where I met Vincent Van Gogh in Lust for Life. All I knew about this artist was that he lived a troubled life and ended up ..."I read this book in the 70's and I remember that I liked it. Have also visited the places where he lived in France after reading this book.
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I just left South Korea with Into This World. Started shaky but ended up really liking it. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I was in 18th century England (with visits to France and Switzerland) via Amanda Foreman's Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire, on which the film The Duchess was based. I found it very entertaining. Full review linked below:http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
And after this I'm headed home to America and The Help to finish my 52 books. I'm really glad I joined this group and wish I could have participated more--but just by joining, it pushed me to read globally this year in a way I otherwise wouldn't have.
Lisa (Harmonybites) wrote: "I was in 18th century England (with visits to France and Switzerland) via Amanda Foreman's Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire, on which the film The Duchess was based. I found it very entertaining. F..."Great job, Lisa! It's so satisfying to have made the trip!
I've finished my travels in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and southern Africa with Doris Lessing's short stories. I really loved it. My review is here. I am now four books behind but I am reading two atm, still in Africa! When I leave Africa, I will be going to the Middle East. I won't finish this challenge by the end of the year though, but I'm not stressing about that. :)
Judy wrote: "We'd love to have you continue on to next year with us, Yrinsyde."Thanks Judy! I am going to finish the challenge and keep posting afterwards because I am doing all the states and provinces of Nth America next. :)
I finished my travels in Israel and the fortress of Masada with The Dovekeepers. It's a very heart rending story.
I just finished Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa, which could be used for Ivory Coast, Mali or Burkina Faso. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I have been in Botswana with Twenty Chickens For A Saddle which I liked; it brought me back to my beloved Africa.In between I was also in New Guinea with Lost in Shangri-la about an airplane crash in the Baliem Valley during WW2.
Today I finished The Eiger Obsession: Facing the Mountain that Killed My Father about summiting the north face of the Eiger in Switzerland.
I just finished my visit to India with The Selector of SOuls. My review is here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I ended my 52-around-the-world challenge by coming home to America and taking a tour through the Mississippi of 50 years ago in The Help--and by and large definitely worth the trip. Full review below:http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I want to thank the group--this has been a great way to expand my horizons. I'm only sorry I didn't participate more in the group itself--but just having you around really pushed me to read books I otherwise wouldn't have.
Congrats. I've enjoyed following you and so many others and getting lots of future reading ideas too. This has been a great idea.
Well, I was only able to get to about half of the countries that I wanted, but this challenge really pushed my boundaries, and got me into several new authors. Most of the reading was, surprisingly, Asia. I've got one entry over at my list, with the longer reviews linked, if anyone is interested.
Just completed my 29th book, The Black Flower: A Novel of the Civil War, for the U.S. The review is here thttp://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I thought my book was taking me to the Shetland Islands but it never got there. I feel robbed! I had to remove it from my Shetland Islands shelf AND my cold weather islands shelf. AND my Around the World shelf, because in the rules I've come up with, just being set in the UK is not good enough. :P
Finished my last book of the world, Surinam: Stumbling Through the Dark Heart of South America's Forgotten Jungle. Review soon.
Judy wrote: "Sue, did you have a goal of 30 books? If so, you are almost there!"Yes...and I'm half way through the last book. Next year, no goal, just pure enjoyment.
I have just been to Italy with Augustus: Son of Romewhich I thought was non fiction but turned out to be a historical novel.
I didn't start out reading these fantasy stories thinking they'd be appropriate for this challenge, but almost every story in Moscow But Dreaming by Ekaterina Sedia is set in Moscow. (My review is here)
I really liked Janeby Robin Maxwell for the character of Jane, but it would be very disappointing to anyone who chose it to learn something about Gabon. This is a re-visioning of a character from Tarzan. It will not give you any insight about Gabon. I do recommend it for readers who love independent women and adventure. Here's a link to my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...This will probably be the last book I link for the challenge, though I do have a book taking place in Zaire coming up on my library TBR. I don't know if I'll have time for it or even want to read it. I'm not reading books that I don't enjoy to add a country. I did that this year and I'm never doing it again. My recreational reading time is too limited to do that to myself. I'm preparing to be a teaching assistant for a course in grad school next semester. I read 46 out of 52 books, so I didn't make it. Next year no challenge--just international books I read in my normal course of reading.
I agree Shomeret. Read what you enjoy/enjoy what you read. Good luck with the teaching assistant position. I think many of us plan a much more casual approach next year.
Okay, Suriname review here, and I'm done with the world. I'll continue upgrading/replacing my selections and adding significant non-countries. I'll post when I've got a dedicated blog set up.
i am new to the challenge but just finished The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao which is set in both the US and the Dominican Republic. i gave it a 3* because while I loved the backstory of the mom and her relatives in the DR, i really disliked the portrayal ofOscar and his time in the US. Bah humbug, i wish i liked this story more than I did.
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I finally wrote my review of The Windup Girl after stomach bugs and Christmas (both combined with 35 degree Celsius days are not recommended) to be found here http://rusalkii.blogspot.com.au/2012/...
Jenny was right, and just stick with this book.
Yesterday I zipped through Rock Crystal by Adalbert Stifter for Austria (my review), and The Unknown Masterpiece by Honore de Balzac for France (my review). The second selection is actually two short stories/novellas - The Unknown Masterpiece and Gambara. I enjoyed the Balzac very much as a music person, and was not blown over by Rock Crystal.
I've finished my book for Russia (and my 30th book-Yeah!) Vladimir Nabokov's memoir Speak, Memory. My review is here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Sorry you've been ill Gaeta. Hope you're all better soon.
I finished Heart of Darkness a couple of weeks ago (I also read the other to novellas also - can't leave a book unfinished!) and am 1/2 way through my Ethiopia read - The God who Begat a Jackal. An interesting story with fairytale qualities. I'm also got two Agatha Christie stories (Eygpyt and Iraq) which will go quickly as I luuuurve her) and a book with a cute cover - The Little Coffee Shop of Karbul - which looks fun. I won't finish this challenge by the end of the year, but will in the first week of Jan I hope! Then it is on to the North America challenge... :)
I was wrong. I managed to both finish and review one more book for this challenge. It was Tent of Miraclesby Jorge Amado which I finally read for Brazil.I know that many GR reviewers had problems with the way the book was written, but I learned a great deal about the history and culture of Brazil. So I found it a very satisfying read and an excellent choice for this challenge.
Find my review at http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...has the list of all my World Tour books for 2012, with reviews for most of them.
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They were linked in to the 2012 personal thread and on the bookshelves, but I thought that we only linked them in this thread if they were not on Goodreads.
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Although I have reached the goal I set a couple of months ago I have finished another book for this challenge Fast Times in Palestine and I wrote a review about this very valuable book.http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Gaeta1 wrote: "Today I can! Finished all my challenges...though I would have preferred to get the final push without having the flu." Get well before the New Year's Eve and the party. Happy 2013 in good health
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Indeed, hope you're feeling better Gaeta!
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Around the World
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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Gloria Whelan (other topics)
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Big Breasts and Wide Hips by Mo Yan, the Nobel Prize winner for Literature this year (My review here). The author won the prize, not the novel, but he says this is the one to read of all his work.
Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China by Fuchsia Dunlop (my review here.) This book made me hungry.
So hungry, that I made cong you bing before I made it to the end. Tasty!