Around the World discussion

Hi Everyone - I recently joined your group and want to include my list of books for 2014.

I completed 22 books from around the world in 2013 - so my goal for the new year is to complete 30 more.

Here is my 2014 list:
33/30

*Afghanistan – The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe 3/29/14***
*Antarctica – Berserk: My Voyage to the Antarctic in a Twenty-Seven-Foot Sailboat1/20/14*****
Argentina - Perla
*Australia – Gifts of the Peramangk 9/25/14****
*Bora Bora - The Bungalow 1/17/14*****
*Botswana - Larger Than Life 8/24/14*****
*Chile - Full Circle: A South American Journey by Luis Sepúlveda 8/23/14**
*China – The Secret Piano: From Mao's Labor Camps to Bach's Goldberg Variations 1/28/14****
*Columbia – Chronicle of a Death Foretold 1/17/14***
*Finland - The Summer Book 10/25/14***
*Greece - The Sea King's Daughter 3/16/14**
*Hungary - Elza's Kitchen: A Novel 3/8/14**
*Iceland – Burial Rites 3/17/14*****
*Ireland - A Week in Winter 1/7/14***
*Isle of Man - Seduction 8/9/14*****
*Ivory Coast - Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa 8/5/14**
*Jamaica - Pirates! 1/3/14 ****
*Laos – The Coroner's Lunch 5/14/14***
*Malta - The Midwife of Venice 1/2/14 ***
*Malaysia - The Ghost Bride 10/23/14***
*Morocco - Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish 5/29/14***
*Myanmar(Burma)- The Art of Hearing Heartbeats 7/25/14***
*New Zealand - The Colour 8/7/14****
*North Korea - The Beloved Daughter 10/11/14***
*Norway - West of the Moon 7/13/14****
*Oman - Sandstorm 10/04/14****
*Palestine - The Almond Tree 5/6/14**
*Peru - The Bridge of San Luis Rey 9/11/14***
*Singapore - Aunty Lee's Delights: 7/15/14***
*South Africa – The Elephant Whisperer 2/4/14****
*Tibet - Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet 10/25/14*****
*Ukraine - The Sky Unwashed 8/24/14****
*Vanuatu - Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu 3/9/14***

Great list Jan! I also stole several books from you, thanks ;) And I realized that I had a couple on my TBR already, but just didn't realize they were set in other countries.

Welcome! I really liked The Summer Book, a shorter/lighter book.

Completed:


1. Malta: The Midwife of Venice.
2. Jamaica: Pirates!. My review can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Completed:

3. Ireland - A Week in Winter 1/7/14***

Completed:

4. Bora Bora:The Bungalow 1/17/14*****
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

5. Columbia: Chronicle of a Death Foretold 1/17/14***
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Completed #6

Antarctica: Berserk: My Voyage to the Antarctic in a Twenty-Seven-Foot Sailboat

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

Completed #7

China: The Secret Piano: From Mao's Labor Camps to Bach's Goldberg Variations

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

Completed #8

South Africa: The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Completed #9, 10 & 11

Greece - The Sea King's Daughter 3/16/14**
I thought this was ok - I enjoyed the setting of the Greek Island of Thera and the information regarding the Greek gods and myths but on the whole I thought it was dated and a little cheesy.

Hungary - Elza's Kitchen: A Novel 3/8/14**
This was a disappointment - I was expecting more. I found Elza irritating and there was something about it that didn't sit right with me though I can't put my finger on it exactly.

Iceland – Burial Rites 3/17/14*****
This was a powerful and moving book.
(view spoiler)[I listened to the audio of this and found it completely captivating. It was very atmospheric and dark. The narrator took a very slow pace so it drew it out longer than I would have liked but it did seem appropriate for the subject matter. And I was glad that I didn't have to figure out while reading how to pronounce all the words!!

The subject matter is so very sad and at times I found it difficult to hear Agnes' story and see how the family responded to her. Even though you knew how it was going to end, it still breaks your heart when Agnes has to face her execution. But at least she had that moment with Margret at the end - that really warmed my heart. I felt so sorry for Toti and how he really felt inadequate to help Agnes through this difficult time.

All in all, I am glad that I experienced this book though I would not have chosen it on my own. I'm giving it 5 stars even though it was a very hard read for me. But I believe the author accomplished exactly what she wanted and created a powerful and moving story. The narrator also did a fabulous job, though at times I wanted to speed her up a bit and since I was listening to it on CD's I didn't have the option to change the reading speed. (hide spoiler)]

Glad one of your books hit the mark Jan. Burial Rites was interesting, different and well written. Powerful is dead right.

Completed #12 & 13

Afghanistan: The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe 3/29/14***

I enjoyed this but thought it could have been a little better if it dug deeper into the characters. It was an interesting account of what it was like when the Taliban took over Khair Khana. Kamila was a courageous young woman who did what was necessary to take care of her family despite the dangers that she had to face as a result. I think it spent a little too much time discussing the dressmaking and not enough time exploring the emotions felt during the struggle to survive.

Vanuatu - Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu 3/9/14***

It was interesting but didn't really wow me. Always enjoy Simon Vance's narration. Gave it 3*

Completed #14

Palestine: The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti 5/6/14**

My personal review - I have chosen not to post this on the book link:

This is a hard book for me to review because I really wanted to be wowed by it like all the hundreds of other 5* reviewers. And deciding to only give it a 2* rating makes me feel a little like I am “taking sides” in the subject matter which in reality could not be further from the truth. I was really looking forward to reading a different perspective on the Arab/Israeli struggle in Palestine but when I was done with the book I felt more like I had finished a description of way too many horrific events that seemed very one-sided and lacked the depth needed to move it past feeling like propaganda.

The first third of the book had promise yet I felt like the characters should have been developed more. As we moved further and further into the story they became more stereotypical to me and their emotions were not really conveyed well. I found that I didn’t connect or really care for them. That seems hard-hearted with such extreme events being portrayed but the truth is I really wanted to feel something with them but that connection never happened. I did like the thread of significance of the almond tree in this family’s life but I think that it too could have been developed a little bit more.

I know this was a labor of love for the author but unfortunately, it just fell flat for me and I was just left disappointed.

Jan - no need to feel bad about not enjoying The Almond Tree more. That's the beauty of different perspectives. It didn't speak to you like it might have for others. I experienced something similar with Bring Up the Bodies - everyone loved it and I absolutely did not - I did worse - I gave it 1 star! Maybe it's one you enjoyed? :-)! BTW, Hopefully, you only spent $1.99 on it and didn't pay full price for it!

Thanks Lilisa - I haven't read Bring Up the Bodies but I've been in this situation before. I really didn't like The Painted Girls and everyone else loved it.

And I only spent 99 cents on it! I'm glad I read it, I just thought it could have been so much more.

Jan wrote: "Thanks Lilisa - I haven't read Bring Up the Bodies but I've been in this situation before. I really didn't like The Painted Girls and everyone else loved it.

And..."

99 cents - boy, that was a great deal for two stars! :-) Haven't read The Painted Girls - the synopsis didn't sound too interesting.

Completed #15: The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill 5/14/14***

This was an enjoyable light and quirky mystery about a 72 year old doctor who has been assigned to be the town's coroner. I loved the character's sarcasm and banter with his co-workers - a woman nurse who wants to apprentice as coroner and an assistant he inherited with the job who has downs syndrome and a heart of gold. the three of them work together to unravel two mysteries that surround a couple of bodies that have been brought in be autopsied. I also found it an interesting look into communism and the People's Democratic Republic of Laos during 1976 and the conflict that was was going on between Laos and Vietnam at the time.

Completed #16: Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish by Dorothy Gilman. 5/29/14***

Another light mystery with an interesting look into the country of Morocco.

Completed #17 & #18

Norway: West of the Moon by Margi Preus * 7/13/15****

This was a delightful yet poignant story of a young girl in 19th century Norway that is sold to an old goatman for hard labor and how she outwits him and escapes to America. It was a fascinating blend of Norwegian folklore and history.

Singapore: Aunty Lee's Delights: by Ovidia Yu 7/15/14***

This was another light mystery and I enjoyed all the references to the regional food that made up Aunty Lee's Delights.

Completed #19 & #20

Myanmar(Burma)- The Art of Hearing Heartbeats 7/25/14***

I had mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Tin Win and Mimi grow but had a hard time reconciling it with the rest of the story.

Cuba - Our Man in Havana 7/27/14**

Hmmmm - this book was a conundrum for me. It wasn't a mystery, it wasn't really funny and I'm not sure what the purpose of it was supposed to be. I did enjoy the listening experience - the narrator did a nice job but I guess it just didn't get it.

Finished #21 & #22

New Zealand - The Colour 8/7/14****

This was a very insightful look at what gold fever can do to a man. I liked that it was very character driven and enjoyed seeing Harriet - the main female character - develop and decide what she truly wanted in life. It was rather somber at times but I felt that added to the realistic portrayal of the time and situation. The narrator of the audio did an outstanding job. It was a 4* read for me. I would highly recommend it.


Ivory Coast - Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa 8/5/14**

This was a big disappointment. It read like a B movie and was often far-fetched and hard to believe. I'm giving it 2* because it did give me a glimpse into the country and the way of life. But I'm glad it was free.

Jan - Good to know about Facing the Son - it will now go on my "possibly" list if I'm desperate for an Ivory Coast read. Glad you enjoyed The Colour.

#23 Isle of Man - Seduction by M.J. Rose 8/9/14*****

Captivating look into Victor Hugo's life of exile on the Isle of Jersey coupled with a present day search for Hugo's journal and a look at the Druid ritual sites on the island. Intelligent writing and fascinating book. Loved it!

#24 Chile - Full Circle: A South American Journey by Luis Sepúlveda 8/23/14**

This was a series of disjointed vignettes of the authors experiences through out the Patagonia area of South America. It lacked continuity and I often felt a little lost. The bits of history that were shared were interesting and I wanted to know more about his imprisonment in Chile of of the social unrest of the time.

#25 Botswana - Larger Than Life 8/24/14*****

What an excellent novella about a young researcher who rescues a baby elephant in Botswana and how she tries to keep him alive all the while learning a very important message about love. It is a great companion to The Elephant Whisperer which I read earlier this year and loved.

#26 Ukraine - The Sky Unwashed 8/24/14****

A very fascinating story of the Chernobyl Nuclear accident and how it effected the small nearby town. It was rich in culture and history and I felt immersed in the life of the Petrenko family and the strong character of Marusia. Her courage was inspiring to read about. Great read!

#27 Peru - The Bridge of San Luis Rey 9/11/14***

This was an interesting book that tried to explain what brought a handful of people to their shared fate of falling to their deaths when a bridge collapsed in a small village in Peru. I was disturbed by the fact that Brother Juniper felt it must have been retribution for something in their lives and he decided to investigate his theory by scientifically examining each of their pasts. Of course, that conclusion was not substantiated and what we found was a group people who lived and loved and had done nothing to deserve their fate.

I struggled a bit with e writing style but I am in the minority it seems in reading the reviews. I was never fully immersed into the story because I had to really concentrate on my reading which took away from the experience.

You're racking them up Jan! What a great range of books you've been selecting.

#28 Australia - Gifts of the Peramangk 9/25/14****

What a wonderful find - I just happened to run across this on Amazon and I am so glad that I took a chance on it. It's a heartwarming, though sometimes disturbing story of two generations of Aboriginal women who struggle to survive through difficult circumstances and how each found their strength through learning to play the violin. There were parts of the story that were very difficult to read but by the end I was completely touched and in love with the story. being a musician I related to how music can truly soothe your soul.

I would have rated it 4.5 stars if I could - leaving half a star off because I felt the story could have used a good editor. But I highly recommend it!

Jan wrote: "#28 Australia - Gifts of the Peramangk 9/25/14****

What a wonderful find - I just happened to run across this on Amazon and I am so glad that I took a chance on it. It's a heartwa..."

Great to hear, Jan. I have this one on my Australia list TBR.

Finished My Challenge for This Year!


#29 Oman: Sandstorm by James Rollins 10/04/14****

First is a series - fun "Indiana Jones" like adventure. It really did give you a good picture of the country and its ways. Entertaining and educational read.

#30 North Korea: The Beloved Daughter by Alana Terry 10/11/14****

A very interesting account of the horrific treatment of Christians in North Korea. The story is told by a mother writing to her daughter explaining why she is no longer with her. It was an eye-opening book that made me thankful for the freedoms that we have in the US. There were times I felt a little bit like I was being preached to. But I would recommend it to others.

Congratulations!

Woohoo!

Way to go Jan!

Congratulations!