Around the World discussion

I'm a newbie and excited about joining this book group! I'm hoping I'm doing this right in this Personal Lists folder, so if I'm not, someone please shout! I'm figuring my way out here! Although was great having some dialogue on where I've been and which country I'm in - that was fun. Am I supposed to post my reviews here as well?

So far, I've been to India Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity, to Iraq The Yellow Birds and just came from North Korea The Orphan Master's Son

Judy wrote: "You're off to a great start, Lilisa. If yo want to put a link to your review, that would be great."

Thanks Judy. Haven't done them yet, but will do them soon. Thanks.

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Stark realism, very well done and pretty clear that Boo had access to the intimate daily toils of the Mumbai people she featured. She captures their lives superbly as they put their entrepreneurship to work alongside the rich, just a stone's throw away. The people of Annawadi fight to survive every day - there are flashes of inspiration amidst the struggle to witness the sun rise each day. Not for the faint of heart who are accustomed to the modern conveniences of everyday life but a recommended read for those who truly want to understand what it's like to live without them...to better appreciate them. Humor, grit and hope are woven together artfully to portray a true reflection of life in the teeming city of Mumbai (or Bombay as most Indians refer to it!).



View all my reviews

The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Lilisa Hall I was drawn into this book immediately and couldn't put it down. There's a certain melodic cadence to the book - great writing style that artfully moves between then and now and between Iraq, Germany and the U.S. In the thick of war, the characters are intrinsically linked as they strive to survive... and then the revelation peeled back layer by layer as the book progresses. The cost of war and the devastating impact on the human spirit coupled with the rhythmic movement of words make for strong impact and lasting impressions - a highly recommended read



View all my reviews

The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A first for me in North Korea. It took me a while to figure out the different voices, but once I did, the pieces began to slowly fall into place. The complex weave of time frames of Jun Do's life and how he lives them or was forced to live them is intriguing and challenging. There is a chilling depiction of how people's lives are monitored and the rigor of communist rule and impact on the average citizen that is decidedly unnerving. Intrigue, psychological skill, sacrifice and a strange romance all come together in this unusual North Korean saga (it is 400 plus pages!) that sometimes requires a willing suspension of disbelief. A recommended read.



View all my reviews

Finished Tell the Wolves I'm HomeTell the Wolves I'm Home

Really enjoyed it. My review here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Judy wrote: "Lilisa, I don't know if you know that when we click to read your reviews, we aren't allowed to see them unless we are your friend. You will need to reset your settings so everyone on GR can see you..."

Thanks Judy -- and for telling me exactly where to go to fix it! I think it's done. Let me know if it worked.

Ok, so I haven'l figured how to undo what I did for the reviews for Behind the Beautiful Forevers, The Yellow Birds and The Orphan Master's Son earlier, so short of deleting them all, just go to the My Rating link that you see for each of them to access the reviews. I have no idea what I did but someday I'll figure all this out!

Judy wrote: "I think you fixed it. I was able to access your links. :-)"

Thanks Judy!

Cleopatra's Daughter
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

The Housekeeper and the Professor

My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Updated 8/22/13

Read so far for Around The World 2013:
India - Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
Iraq/Germany/U.S. - The Yellow Birds
North Korea - The Orphan Master's Son
U.K. - Bring Up the Bodies
U.S. - Tell the Wolves I'm Home
Egypt/Ancient Rome (Italy) - Cleopatra's Daughter
Japan - The Housekeeper and the Professor
Sudan - What Is the What
China - Mao's Last Dancer
The Netherlands - Het Diner (English version though!)
Myammar (Burma) - The Art of Hearing Heartbeats
Italy - Beautiful Ruins
Asia - How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia
China/U.S.: Bend, Not Break: A Life in Two Worlds
Poland -.Anya
U.S. - The Aviator's Wife
Nigeria/U.K./U.S. - Americanah
U.S. - Rules of Civility
Cambodia - Temple of a Thousand Faces
Nigeria - Half of a Yellow Sun
Italy/Turkey - Inferno
Chechnya: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
Turkey - Birds Without Wings
France - Sacré Bleu: A Comedy d'Art
Laos - The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures
India - The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken
U.K. - Young Titan: The Making of Winston Churchill
Afghanistan - And the Mountains Echoed
India - Glimpses of Bengal

On the Plan to Read List for Around The World 2013:
Thailand - Cross Currents
ON HOLD!Hong Kong - Typhoon
Cambodia - Never Fall Down
Greece - The House on Paradise Street
Greece - The Song of Achilles
Russia - The House by the Dvina: A Russian Childhood
Somalia/Saudi Arabia/Kenya/Netherlands - Infidel
Granada - The Return
Malaysia - The Gift of Rain
Palestine - Fast Times in Palestine: A Love Affair with a Homeless Homeland
Dominican Republic - In the Time of the Butterflies
Palestine/Israel - Mornings in Jenin
Hungary - Embers
Czech Republic - The Lost Wife
Korea (when Korea is one country) - The Calligrapher's Daughter
Mauritius - The Last Brother
Fiji-Dodging Machetes: How I Survived Forbidden Love, Bad Behavior, and the Peace Corps in Fiji
Tibet - Princess in Land of Snows: The Life of Jamyang Sakya in Tibet
France - A Very Long Engagement
India - Shantaram (need to finish)
Egypt - Palace Walk
Vietnam - Dragon House
U.S. - The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined
Looking for recommendations for South and Central American countries, Spain, Portugal, Scandinavian and central/eastern

Judy wrote: "Your India choice has a catchy title. Can't wait to see what you think about it, Lilisa."

:-) it will be light, funny and a quick read. His books are not for everyone but I enjoyed the one I read. Having lived in India I get his humor and can absolutely relate to the setting, conversation and foibles of Indian society!

What Is the What

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I just saw you were looking for Scandanavian/European recommendations. I read Purge for Estonia but the author is Estonian/Finnish and loved it. Also highly recommend Smilla's Sense of Snow for Denmark.

I also read The Appointment for Romania and really enjoyed it, as well as The Unbearable Lightness of Being for the Czech Republic. Hopefully some of these help.

i love garcia marquez for south american. milan kundera for eastern europe. geez oh pete, it's too late and i can't think. i'll do better tomorrow for you.

Thanks a ton Rusalka and Lurk12! I will check out your recommendations Enjoyed Unbearable Lightness. Garcia Marquez, unfortunately is not one of my favorites - sad I know, but I haven't read one of his that grabs me.

And as I woke up this morning and continued to this about What Is the What I am moving up my rating from 4 to 5 stars - it left a lasting impression on me...

Mao's Last Dancer
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Would recommend this one - although disturbing, but effective writing technique, plot and character development - makes you question how the world is and how we define our moral compass.
The Dinner
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I did not think much of Beautiful Ruins but glad others do. My review here:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Judy wrote: "Lilisa, question. I'd like to follow your reviews, but I get a message that you are not allowing people to follow your reviews. Just curious about that?"

Hmm, haven't a clue Judy - thanks for the heads up. Let me check. If you know if there's something in a setting I should be turning on or something, let me know. Otherwise I'll muddle around.

Ok Judy, it's fixed. I love Goodreads!

Judy wrote: "Lilisa, if you check the box "allow non-friends to follow my reviews" under the "settings" tab of your profile, it should do the trick."

Thanks Judy!

The books I've read so far in 2013 for this group have strayed a bit from my original list so here's what I've actually read. I've got a few more to go for the rest of the year. It looks like I favor India, the U.S., Turkey, Nigeria and the U.K. since I've been to those countries more than once.

India - Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
Iraq/Germany/U.S. - The Yellow Birds
North Korea - The Orphan Master's Son
U.K. - Bring Up the Bodies
U.S. - Tell the Wolves I'm Home
Egypt/Ancient Rome (Italy) - Cleopatra's Daughter
Japan - The Housekeeper and the Professor
Sudan - What Is the What
China - Mao's Last Dancer
The Netherlands - Het Diner (English version though!)
Myammar (Burma) - The Art of Hearing Heartbeats
Italy - Beautiful Ruins
Asia - How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia
China/U.S.: Bend, Not Break: A Life in Two Worlds
Poland -.Anya
U.S. - The Aviator's Wife
Nigeria/U.K./U.S. - Americanah
U.S. - Rules of Civility
Cambodia - Temple of a Thousand Faces
Nigeria - Half of a Yellow Sun
Italy/Turkey - Inferno
Chechnya: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
Turkey - Birds Without Wings
France - Sacré Bleu: A Comedy d'Art
Laos - The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures
India - The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken
Afghanistan - And the Mountains Echoed
India - Glimpses of Bengal
U.K. - Young Titan: The Making of Winston Churchill
Chile - Maya's Notebook
Russia - The House by the Dvina: A Russian Childhood
Iran - The Book of Fate
Greece - The House on Paradise Street
Spain - The Infatuations
Germany - The Book Thief
Canada - How the Light Gets In
Portugal - The Night in Lisbon

Here's what I've read so far in 2013. I have one more book to go for my 40-book Around the World challenge this year. I've lingered in a few countries so will be traveling the world for quite some time more - yah!

India - Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
Iraq/Germany/U.S. - The Yellow Birds
North Korea - The Orphan Master's Son
U.K. - Bring Up the Bodies
U.S. - Tell the Wolves I'm Home
Egypt/Ancient Rome (Italy) - Cleopatra's Daughter
Japan - The Housekeeper and the Professor
Sudan - What Is the What
China - Mao's Last Dancer
The Netherlands - Het Diner (English version though!)
Myammar (Burma) - The Art of Hearing Heartbeats
Italy - Beautiful Ruins
Asia - How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia
China/U.S.: Bend, Not Break: A Life in Two Worlds
Poland -.Anya
U.S. - The Aviator's Wife
Nigeria/U.K./U.S. - Americanah
U.S. - Rules of Civility
Cambodia - Temple of a Thousand Faces
Nigeria - Half of a Yellow Sun
Italy/Turkey - Inferno
Chechnya: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
Turkey - Birds Without Wings
France - Sacré Bleu: A Comedy d'Art
Laos - The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures
India - The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken
Afghanistan - And the Mountains Echoed
India - Glimpses of Bengal
U.K. - Young Titan: The Making of Winston Churchill
Chile - Maya's Notebook
Russia - The House by the Dvina: A Russian Childhood
Iran - The Book of Fate
Greece - The House on Paradise Street
Spain - The Infatuations
Germany - The Book Thief
Canada - How the Light Gets In
Portugal - The Night in Lisbon
U.K. - The Cuckoo's Calling
Various countries in the Middle East - Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East
U.S.. Orphan Train
Pakistan - I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

Lilisa wrote: "

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Stark realism, very well done and pretty clear that Boo had access to the int..."

I've seen this title before, but your review is what tipped the scales... it's on my TBR list now!

Rusalka wrote: "I just saw you were looking for Scandanavian/European recommendations. I read Purge for Estonia but the author is Estonian/Finnish and loved it. Also highly recommend [book:Smilla's ..."

Purge (I counted it for Finland)is an incredible book. Devastating. Way, way outside my usual comfort zone, but an important book, compellingly written and cleverly crafted.

Eliana wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Stark realism, very well done and pretty clear that Boo had ac..."

I'd be interested in hearing what you think of it Eliana. I actually think I should have given it 4 stars - I'm a stingy rater but I've become successively more generous since earlier this year when I read it.

Eliana wrote: "Purge (I counted it for Finland)is an incredible book. Devastating. Way, way outside my usual comfort zone, but an important book, compellingly written and cleverly crafted. "

So glad you enjoyed it. Well, enjoyed may be the wrong word. So glad you experienced it!

Judy wrote: "Lilisa, I LOVE the list of books you have read so far! Many I have read and others are on my list to read. I can't wait to see what you read next year. I totally suspect that I will end up reading ..."

Thanks Judy :-) haven't made my list yet - I have a zillion on my TBR list and great ones keep popping up but will have to figure it out soon - at least some and then I will add to it as the year unfolds. Sigh - so many great books, so little time!

Ok - officially closing out 2013's Around the World challenge. My goal was reading 40 books here and I've read 44 - so feeling pretty good. Added the last three to my previous list. Thanks for the company all and especially to our moderators! Here's looking to 2014's challenge starting in a few days!

India - Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
Iraq/Germany/U.S. - The Yellow Birds
North Korea - The Orphan Master's Son
U.K. - Bring Up the Bodies
U.S. - Tell the Wolves I'm Home
Egypt/Ancient Rome (Italy) - Cleopatra's Daughter
Japan - The Housekeeper and the Professor
Sudan - What Is the What
China - Mao's Last Dancer
The Netherlands - Het Diner (English version though!)
Myammar (Burma) - The Art of Hearing Heartbeats
Italy - Beautiful Ruins
Asia - How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia
China/U.S.: Bend, Not Break: A Life in Two Worlds
Poland -.Anya
U.S. - The Aviator's Wife
Nigeria/U.K./U.S. - Americanah
U.S. - Rules of Civility
Cambodia - Temple of a Thousand Faces
Nigeria - Half of a Yellow Sun
Italy/Turkey - Inferno
Chechnya: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
Turkey - Birds Without Wings
France - Sacré Bleu: A Comedy d'Art
Laos - The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures
India - The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken
Afghanistan - And the Mountains Echoed
India - Glimpses of Bengal
U.K. - Young Titan: The Making of Winston Churchill
Chile - Maya's Notebook
Russia - The House by the Dvina: A Russian Childhood
Iran - The Book of Fate
Greece - The House on Paradise Street
Spain - The Infatuations
Germany - The Book Thief
Canada - How the Light Gets In
Portugal - The Night in Lisbon
U.K. - The Cuckoo's Calling
Various countries in the Middle East - Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East
U.S.. Orphan Train
Pakistan - I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
Zimbabwe - When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir of Africa
U.S./India - Biting through the Skin: An Indian Kitchen in America's Heartland
China/U.S. - The Valley of Amazement

Judy wrote: "It was so nice having you along, Lilisa, and am so glad you will be joining us next year! How many books are you looking to read next year?"

Probably between 30-40. I'd like to see if I can read books from countries I haven't explored yet, but there are just so many great books from countries I've already traveled to that I keep getting distracted.