Around the World discussion

We just hit September, which means we have four months left. Take a moment to reflect. How many books have you read for the challenge? How many countries have you visited? No need for talking down to yourself. Focus on how many books/places you've read/visited since January!

Can you believe it??? Seems like we were making our lists just yesterday!

I am amazed that I am still on track, and even a couple of books ahead. It seems to be getting more difficult to stay there, however, since I saved some of the more difficult books for last.

So far, I've read about sixteen books. If I can get to 26 overall, I'll be happy.

The end is in sight for me - I've read 46 for 46 countries which is about a third of my reads so far this year - but less than 5 of those were on my original list! I had hoped to do some structured reading this year and make a dent on my physical TBR shelves - but have instead just managed to buy a heap of new books and still have an enormous pile at home ... so its looking like I'll be fronting up again next year.

I'm with you Tanya - my around the world to-read shelf at home is larger than when I started. Whoops.

I have read 44 books, but have visited only 36 countries so far. My goal is to get to 52 countries, regardless of book count, by the end.

I have read four in Japan because of the World's Lit group, so that's part of the off-kilter. I also somehow read two from Peru, two from Chile, and two from Australia.

Us tricksty Aussies Jenny.

I'm half way through as I started late. I nominated 20 books to read this year, and am at 16 with 6 months to go. So not getting the 52 but luckily I aim small ;)

Also with Tanya and Jenny, my ATW shelf is now way longer than 52 countries and 52 books. But I'm glad. I'm about 2 books behind but hoping I can catch up and still make 52 by the end of the year...but I'll continue with ATW next year. I would like to make a dent on the pile of American and Spanish authors that seems to surround me now. Next year is going to be busy.

I've only read 23 books for this challenge. And I haven't exactly read 20 countries: At one point in the year I got completely obsessed with indigenous cultures and so read a couple books that spanned continents, and these I labelled "worldwide".

I also split the US into 3 parts (east, west, and south) since it is a rather BIG country, yes?

So, technically, I guess I've only really covered 19 countries, and two world-wide tours. Clearly I won't make 52 books in 52 weeks, but I'm still aiming for 52 books and 52 countries. I just might need an additional 52 weeks.

My real challenge is that I've discovered it's really hard to stick to one book per country. One book leads to another book leads to another.... So while I've read perhaps 30 books for the year so far (I'm so impressed with all of the 40+ lists in this thread!), I've read from far fewer countries. I get hopelessly sidetracked.

I'm loving this challenge though. It really is getting me to read books I probably wouldn't have stumbled upon quite so readily. I now have a much deeper understanding of what happened in Biafra and in the Middle East, for example, and I've learned so much about the early cultures in North and South America, and that's had a profound impact on my life. And some of the books have been just plain fun.

And my to-read list just keeps growing and growing!

i set my goal for 52 books to see how close i could come, but i'm going to change it soon based on how many countries i think i will get to by the end of the year.

i have the multiple books per country, too, and i've only been shelving one per country for this group's challenge.

i've definitely enjoyed my reading this year!

I've read 24 toward my goal of 30 countries for the year. Like others, I've read more than one for several countries and I realize I've read a few British books without credit as they weren't on my list. I'll have to see about that (if I don't get to my intended books).

I too have many more books on my shelves (as well as a new bookcase) since the year began and plenty of books to read next year no matter what sort of challenge I should become involved in. Classics, international, bio/memoirs, travel, lit fiction, I have them all. (and still crave more!)

Tanya wrote: "- but have instead just managed to buy a heap of new books and still have an enormous pile at home ... so its looking like I'll be fronting up again next year. "

May I continue to travel along? This is going to be a lifelong challenge. I, too, keep adding books and getting layovers in certain countries as I keep falling in love with the history and just learning!

what Mikki said. seriously.

I agree Marieke. Mikki speaks for me too though I may be traveling unofficially.

I changed my goal from 52 countries to 26. I may get to more than 26 countries by the end of the year, but that's no longer my goal. I've read 38 books this year, but have been to only 22 countries. I've become (or always was?) a moody reader, so I am enjoying reading many books that were not on my original 52 list. I still hope to get to those books - just don't know when that will be. But I see I'm in good company as far as that goes. :)

Mikki wrote: "Tanya wrote: "- but have instead just managed to buy a heap of new books and still have an enormous pile at home ... so its looking like I'll be fronting up again next year. "

May I continue to tr..."

Me too! I'm reading much slower than the rest of you girls but I'm going to continue traveling along!

Mikki wrote: "This is going to be a lifelong challenge."

Echoing that! I think this challenge has completely "derailed" my reading forever more.

And by derailed I mean I will never ever finish all the books I wish to read in my lifetime now...

You know, this will lead us all to live forever. When Mozart finished his Requiem, POOF. If our reading lists keep growing, maybe we never die....

Jenny wrote: "You know, this will lead us all to live forever. When Mozart finished his Requiem, POOF. If our reading lists keep growing, maybe we never die...."

*whispers* Quick Jenny. Copywrite that storyline. Teenagers all over the world will buy it. You mentioned immortality and they may confuse it for vampires!

Jenny wrote: "You know, this will lead us all to live forever. When Mozart finished his Requiem, POOF. If our reading lists keep growing, maybe we never die...."

Thanks for that thought. Now I better re-calculate how much I need to save for retirement, since I'm going to live until I'm 150 or so :)

My intention is to finish all 52 books that I've chosen for this challenge. It may be well into 2013 when I complete it though.

I have read and reviewed 49 books for 49 countries. There are also another 9 I have read all or part of, but not written reviews for yet, and 12 sitting on my shelf waiting for me. (That leaves 6 more to borrow, buy or change to something else, because 4 of the ones I have read are for countries I should not be visiting until next year.)
Only two do not meet the country and author nationality criteria I set myself: I had to go for just setting, not author as well, in Madagascar and Niger.

This challenge has taken over my reading this year and accounts for about 70% of all the books I have read in 2012 so far.

Barbarac wrote: "Thanks for that thought. Now I better re-calculate how much I need to save for retirement, since I'm going to live until I'm 150 or so :)"

I like that, Barbara! :)

Thank you Judy.
It has been a very interesting and enjoyable experience.
I will be setting myself a lower target next year, as I now have a long list of books to read which don't fit into the challenge because they are nearly all by British authors or from countries I have already 'visited'.