Reading with Style discussion

Travel the Pacific Rim : Read 10 books, from 10 different countries according to this list.

Click on the link above to read the challenge description. Post questions about the TtPR challenge here.

What a fun sub-challenge.

I was wondering how countries are treated that were part of another country during the author's life? I'm thinking about either Mikhail Bulgakov or Nikolai Gogol for Russian author. Both were born in the territory that is now the independant state Ukraine. When they were born this was part of Russia and they were both of Russian nationality.

So would they work for my Russia travel destination?

ETA: And another one: I've just found Jay Kristoff on my TBR-shelf. His goodreads profile states that he was born in Australia and his bio states that he lives in Melbourne. However, I couldn't find a positive statement that he was of Australian citizenship. Does he still count for the stop in Australia (the book I'm considering does NOT take place in Australia) or is his residency in Australia too vague a hint to conclude that he also has Australian citizenship?

How many points do you get for the first book? I can't see where it says ...

It's 15, isn't it? It's always 15, I should know by now :)

Yes, Bulgakov and Gogol work for Russia.

I can nothing to indicate Kristoff is NOT of Australian nationality, so we will assume he is.

LOL - yes 15 points, plus your bonuses.

Rosemary wrote: "How many points do you get for the first book? I can't see where it says ...

It's 15, isn't it? It's always 15, I should know by now :)"

Yes, it is.

Isabell wrote: "What a fun sub-challenge.

I was wondering how countries are treated that were part of another country during the author's life? I'm thinking about either Mikhail Bulgakov or [author:..."

I perhaps answered too quickly and therefore incompletely. Both of those authors work because of Russian nationality only, as you point out their birth country was The Ukraine. Therefore, to meet the 2-tier requirement of TPR, any book by Bulgakov or Gogol would have to also take place in Russia.

You can always come back and ask about a specific work.

Thanks for clarifiying that, Elizabeth.

I was thinking specifically of The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov. But it does look as though a part of it were set in Jerusalem.

For Gogol I was considering Dead Souls but couldn't get a specific setting for the book (I don't want to read too much of the plot summary, because knowing too much of the book beforehand usually takes the fun out of reading it).

I'll keep looking for other choices.

Isabell wrote: "For Gogol I was considering Dead Souls but couldn't get a specific setting for the book (I don't want to read too much of the plot summary, because knowing too much of the book beforehand usually takes the fun out of reading it)."

Dead Souls will qualify - takes place in the farming districts.

Can you approve these 5 authors for qualifications A and B?

My Seafarer itinerary begins with 5 Latin American countries. I have chosen my authors and want to be sure they qualify for both A) Author born in said country and B) Author's nationality is of said country.

1. Mexico - Laura Esquivel - born in Mexico City, Mexico and still lives there.

2. Guatemala - Miguel Ángel Asturias (Nobel Prize 1967) - born in Guatamala, he was stripped of citizenship by Carlos Castillo Armas in the 1950s, but that was restored in 1966 by President Julio César Méndez Montenegro, who appointed him ambassador to France. He died in 1974.

3. El Salvador - Manlio Argueta - born in and residing in El Salvador, where he is the Director of the National Public Library.

4. Columbia - Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez (Nobel Prize 1992) - born in Columbia, and though he's lived many places, I understand from his website that he now lives in Cartagena, Columbia. "Unfortunately, in 1999 García Márquez was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer, and to this day he suffers under a regimen of treatments, often taking him from Cartagena or Mexico City to clinics in Los Angeles, where his son, filmmaker Rodrigo García, lives."

5. Peru - Mario Vargas Llosa (Nobel Prize 2010) - born in Peru, he now has dual citizenship in Peru and Spain. Per his website: "En marzo de 1993 obtiene la nacionalidad española, sin renunciar a la nacionalidad peruana." Translated to English, that is, "In March 1993 obtained Spanish nationality without renouncing Peruvian nationality."

The books I'm considering include 2 set in Mexico and El Salvador and one set partially in Peru. One is set in an unspecified country for political reasons, telling of a dictatorship assumed to be in Guatemala. For Columbia, I may choose One Hundred Years of Solitude. Though set in the mythical town of Macondo, it appears that the book captures the flavor of Latin America.

1) Laura Esquivel - yes
2) Miguel Ángel Asturias - yes
3) Manlio Argueta - yes
4) Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez - yes
5) Mario Vargas Llosa - yes

Thanks, Liz M!

Will this book work for Cambodia? The author was born there but now lives in the US. It appears that most of the book is set in Cambodia but there may be some included after the family arrives in the US.
When Broken Glass Floats: Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge by Chanrithy Him

Similiar question for Viet Nam. The author was born in Viet Nam but now lives in the US. I am not sure how much if any of the book may take place outside Viet Nam
The Sacred Willow: Four Generations in the Life of a Vietnamese Family by Duong Van Mai Elliott

Acording to the notes from How to Play, would The Remains of the Day not qualify for England under:
B) Author's nationality is now English(he is now a UK citizen)
C) Book takes place in England

I. A book qualifies for a country if two of the following criteria are met:
A) Author born in said country
B) Author's nationality is of said country
C) Book takes place in said country

For example: An Artist of the Floating World qualifies for Japan (Ishiguro was born in Japan and the book takes place there), but his The Remains of the Day does not (Ishiguro is a UK citizen & the book takes place in England).

IF an author was born in France and his nationality is French, and the book takes place in India, does the book qualify for France under A) and B)?

I. A book qualifies for a country if two of the following criteria are met:
A) Author born in said country
B) Author's nationality is of said country
C) Book takes place in said country

Shannon wrote: "IF an author was born in France and his nationality is French, and the book takes place in India, does the book qualify for France under A) and B)?

I. A book qualifies for a country if two of the ..."

Yes.

Shannon wrote: "AAcording to the notes from How to Play, would The Remains of the Day not qualify for England under:...."

England is not one of the countries on the Pacific Rim.

Shannon wrote: "IF an author was born in France and his nationality is French, and the book takes place in India, does the book qualify for France under A) and B)?

I. A book qualifies for a country if two of the ..."

Yes, the book would qualify for France. However, again, France (nor India) is a country of the Pacific Rim and those books do not qualify.

itpdx wrote: "Will this book work for Cambodia? The author was born there but now lives in the US. It appears that most of the book is set in Cambodia but there may be some included after the family arrives in..."

I guess my question really is: does "book takes place in said country" mean "all" or "substantially" or "mostly"? In some other tasks there has been a percentage like 90% or 75%

itpdx wrote: "I guess my question really is: does "book takes place in said country" mean "all" or "substantially" or "mostly"? In some other tasks there has been a percentage like 90% or 75% ..."

Ah, thanks. I overlooked that. I am going to the book should be almost entirely set in the country -- 90%.

And we think the Cambodia book probably will work, but the Vietnam book might not.

Thanks. Now I can try to lay hands on the books and check.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Shannon wrote: "IF an author was born in France and his nationality is French, and the book takes place in India, does the book qualify for France under A) and B)?

I. A book qualifies for a countr..."

Thank you all, no I just used those countries as examples, sorry! But I'm clearer now, thank you very much :)

FYI: The link in post #1 takes me back to my home page rather than the list of countries.

Bea wrote: "FYI: The link in post #1 takes me back to my home page rather than the list of countries."

Thanks! It should be fixed now.

Would Ngaio Marsh (1895-1982) work for New Zealand? She was born and died there, but did spend some time in England. Most of her Roderick Alleyn mysteries are set in England, so she would have to qualify under criteria A and B.

Some of them are set in New Zealand D, if they say no to B. Died in the Wool is one, and there's another where Alleyn is travelling through NZ on a train with a troupe of actors, I can't remember what that one's called.

D wrote: "Would Ngaio Marsh (1895-1982) work for New Zealand? She was born and died there, but did spend some time in England. Most of her Roderick Alleyn mysteries are set in England, so sh..."

Yes, Ngaio Marsh works for New Zealand.

Rosemary wrote: "Some of them are set in New Zealand ..."

Thanks for the replies, Rosemary and Elizabeth. I have trouble finding available books in our small-town library, and we are allowed only one free interlibrary loan per month. A lot of these Pacific Rim countries are going to be challenging to locate books for. But I can get two of the Roderick Alleyn titles through Overdrive. So I'm chipping away at the list!

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "D wrote: "Would Ngaio Marsh (1895-1982) work for New Zealand? She was born and died there, but did spend some time in England. Most of her Roderick Alleyn mysteries are set in Engl..."

Colour Scheme is one by Marsh set in NZ. I immediately thought of it when reading the description of the task.

And remember, it's a 2 out of 3 requirement. Most authors will qualify under the A & B part, it's those pesky writers whose parents uprooted them shortly after birth that cause the big problems.

those darn parents, how dare they move. :)

I just want to be sure before I post my itinerary: we can loop back around right? So if I post my itinerary with Canada as the starting point and Russia as the end, once the challenge actually starts can I keep the same itinerary but start at, say, Australia and end at New Zealand, keeping the same countries as in my approved itinerary?

I hope that makes sense! Mostly I'm just trying to plan ahead with library books and stuff but it's hard to tell what will happen in the next couple weeks, so I'm hoping to start off with those as much as possible.

Sam wrote: "I just want to be sure before I post my itinerary: we can loop back around right? So if I post my itinerary with Canada as the starting point and Russia as the end, once the challenge actually star..."

You need to post your actual itinerary, but you are welcome to post a new and corrected itinerary at any time.

Okay sounds good :) Looping back around is okay though?

I'm not sure what you mean by "looping back around." You can start with any country and go in either direction, but you can't double back and still be a Seafarer.

Sorry, I'm not doing a great job of explaining what I mean, haha. What I meant was, if I start with a country near the middle or bottom of the list, to hit the next country and still be in order, I'm assuming I'd just go back to the top of the list and continue in that order? I hope that makes more sense. I'm pretty sure it's okay based on the rules but I figure I'll ask all my silly questions now so I don't have to bug you guys later! :)

I'm also wondering if The Harmony Silk Factory by Tash Aw would work for Malaysia. He was born in Taiwan, but everything I've found refers to him as a Malaysian author. I just can't find anything to say definitely for sure he's a citizen.

Sam wrote: "What I meant was, if I start with a country near the middle or bottom of the list, to hit the next country and still be in order, I'm assuming I'd just go back to the top of the list and continue in that order?..."

Yes, that's right. It's also why Canada is listed at the bottom AND the top of the list -- it's a circle.
For examples, see itineraries 2 & 4 posted here. You just can't bypass your starting point.

Sam wrote: "I'm also wondering if The Harmony Silk Factory by Tash Aw would work for Malaysia. He was born in Taiwan, but everything I've found refers to him as a Malaysian author. I just can't f..."

This is borderline, I'm pondering.

Sam wrote: "I'm also wondering if The Harmony Silk Factory by Tash Aw would work for Malaysia. He was born in Taiwan, but everything I've found refers to him as a Malaysian author. I just can't f..."

I'll accept this book for Malaysia.

Thanks Liz! :)

Could I get approval of Alan Bradley for Canada? His Flavia de Luce novels are set in England but he was born in Canada and considers himself Canadian.

He is a Canadian citizen and was born in Canada. He qualifies under A and B.

Jenifer wrote: "Could I get approval of Alan Bradley for Canada? His Flavia de Luce novels are set in England but he was born in Canada and considers himself Canadian."

and the new one comes out in Jan! my twins and I can't wait!

Would Daughters of the River Huong by Uyen Nicole Duong work for Vietnam?

Rebekah wrote: "Would Daughters of the River Huong by Uyen Nicole Duong work for Vietnam?"

I would be very careful of that one. She is a US Judge, and, while I cannot find specifically that she is a US citizen, but I did find her reference herself as Vietnamese-American, so I think she does not qualify under A&B. Some of the stories take place in Vietnam, so would have it qualify, but others take place in Paris and NYC, so would disqualify it. The book should take place at least 90% in the country if A&B do not qualify it.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Rebekah wrote: "Would Daughters of the River Huong by Uyen Nicole Duong work for Vietnam?"

I would be very careful of that one. She is a US Judge, and, while I cannot..."

She was born in Vietnam and her family fled just a few days before Siagon fell. So do you think it would make it for A & C?
http://www.thewriterspost.net/author_...

Rebekah wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Rebekah wrote: "Would Daughters of the River Huong by Uyen Nicole Duong work for Vietnam?"

I would be very careful of that one. She is a US..."

The problem is that I think not enough of the stories take place in Vietnam, so it doesn't work for C either.

I am looking at Faces in the Crowd by Valeria Luiselli for Mexico. All I know about the author is that she was born in Mexico, the book was written in Spanish and she was studying for a PhD at Columbia University. I can't tell whether she is a Mexican citizen and the book doesn't look like it is set 90% in Mexico.

ok, i'm at a loss. i'm trying to find something for some country between the Philippines and Australia and i'm stuck. :-(