Reading with Style discussion

20.10 Not-So-Secret Santa Elizabeth (Alaska)'s Task Read a book whose setting (75%) is in Southeast Asia, which comprises these countries: Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Phillipines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.

Please post any questions, comments or reading suggestions in this thread.

okay I found and . Would either of those work?

As long as the characters don't leave the area for more than 25%, they look like they will work, Jayme. (And the reviews read as if you won't have any problem.)

Ok cool

Thanks, Elizabeth! This was nice of you. I wanted Scandinavian in the polls, but this gives me a good spot for:

Beauty Is a Wound and The Sympathizer (which I've been trying to get to forever!)

A surprise; for some reason I thought we were only going to do one of those poll options, so now I'm going to take a look. I think I originally voted for this one, but perhaps not.

Karin wrote: "A surprise; for some reason I thought we were only going to do one of those poll options, so now I'm going to take a look. I think I originally voted for this one, but perhaps not."

This was not one of the poll options. The other poll option was South Asia, which included India, etc. This is a different group of nations.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Karin wrote: "A surprise; for some reason I thought we were only going to do one of those poll options, so now I'm going to take a look. I think I originally voted for this one, but perhaps not."

..."
Okay, that makes sense now, because I was wondering why the author I wanted to read for that didn't fit because I thought it had included China.

Karin wrote: "A surprise; for some reason I thought we were only going to do one of those poll options, so now I'm going to take a look. I think I originally voted for this one, but perhaps not."

Sorry - I think I misled people with my post because I never looked that closely at which countries since I knew I wanted Scandinavia;)

Would Sandakan work, do you think?

It's about Sandakan Death Marches (from Sandakan to Ranau - Malaysian towns) the POWs were forced to do during WWII.

I've spent hours researching for native authors for these countries (excl. Indonesia) but nothing is easily accessible to me :(

Tien wrote: "Would Sandakan work, do you think?

It's about Sandakan Death Marches (from Sandakan to Ranau - Malaysian towns) the POWs were forced to do during WWII.

I've spent hours researchin..."

Yes, that is in the region. The authors do not need to be from this region, just that the work is set there.

I am hoping to read Orwell's Burmese Days and I have another possible in The Harmony Silk Factory.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "The authors do not need to be from this region, just that the work is set there."

I know but I wanted to read something completely 'local' that I've not read before and at the same time, LiT points, but it got a bit too hard :p

And I happen own Sandakan so this will do :)

I've read The Harmony Silk Factory... read most of it whilst suffering contractions so it will always be tainted by this memory.

Tien wrote: "I've read The Harmony Silk Factory... read most of it whilst suffering contractions so it will always be tainted by this memory. "

I don't remember having time to read then.

That was my way to distract myself quietly (nightime at home with a 4yo sleeping). I didn't sleep...

How about Anna and the King of Siam?I would have rather read a book by the actual Anna, but cannot get a copy as it's so old, so could read this somewhat fictionalized account.

Karin wrote: "How about Anna and the King of Siam?I would have rather read a book by the actual Anna, but cannot get a copy as it's so old, so could read this somewhat fictionalized account."

Yes, fits the region. BPL has it as non-fiction, so you'll get not a novel points as well.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Karin wrote: "How about Anna and the King of Siam?I would have rather read a book by the actual Anna, but cannot get a copy as it's so old, so could read this somewhat fictionalized ..."

Excellent. It's on hold (probably with a freeze since I already have a pile here.) I saw the movie when I was a kid, so have forgotten almost everything. (I think it was a musical, The King and I).

Karin wrote: "I think it was a musical, The King and I"

Oh yes, with Yul Brynner as the King of Siam. I forget who played Anna.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Karin wrote: "I think it was a musical, The King and I"

Oh yes, with Yul Brynner as the King of Siam. I forget who played Anna."

Asked the movie expert, Deborah Kerr.

Ha! I found one! A really amazing sounding one too: Last Night I Dreamed of Peace: The Diary of Dang Thuy Tram
(LiT and Not-a-Novel pts!)

Persistence pays :p

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Tien wrote: "Would Sandakan work, do you think?

It's about Sandakan Death Marches (from Sandakan to Ranau - Malaysian towns) the POWs were forced to do during WWII....

I am hoping to read Orwell's Burmese Days and I have another possible in The Harmony Silk Factory.


I read Burmese Days right before going on my trip there and visited the home that Orwell is believed to have lived in when he wrote it. (You'd think they would actually know..but they don't) But also visited the British Club which is mentioned often in the novel...and it is now a government building above and a school below.

Ed wrote: "I read Burmese Days right before going on my trip there and visited the home that Orwell is believed to have lived in when he wrote it. (You'd think they would actually know..but they don't) But also visited the British Club which is mentioned often in the novel...and it is now a government building above and a school below. "

I remembered that you had read this recently, which is why I thought of it to fulfill this task.

(And to the rest of you, this task came about in my mind before I knew we were going to have a World Lit poll, and because of a an idea for Winter that didn't seem to be working as hoped. One of us liked this region particularly - and particularly at this time - so I wanted to make sure it got included.)

Tien wrote: "Ha! I found one! A really amazing sounding one too: Last Night I Dreamed of Peace: The Diary of Dang Thuy Tram
(LiT and Not-a-Novel pts!)

Persistence pays :p"

I read that one. Very poignant

Some suggestions

Pramoedya Ananta Toer
Miguel Syjuco
Tan Twan Eng
Kyung-Sook Shin

I would also recommend this book although a bit of it takes place in India. The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh

Rebekah wrote: "I would also recommend this book although a bit of it takes place in India. The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh"

I can't remember for certain, but I think too much of that takes place in India to take a chance on it for this task.

Ok but if you get a chance to read it, I enjoyed it.

Would books concerning Vietnam war work like The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
Also looking at The Singapore Grip by J.G. Farrell
Raffles and the Golden Opportunity by Victoria Glendinning and
The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
Bangkok Haunts by John Burdettm

Rebekah wrote: "Would books concerning Vietnam war work like The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
Also looking at The Singapore Grip by J.G. Farrell
[bo..."

Books that are 75% set in the region qualify for this task.

Here are some lists
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Of course always check about the country and amount of story that occurs there