Around the World in 80 Books discussion

I will use this thread to keep track of what I read, watch, and listen to for the Invisible Cities Project.

This project focuses on translated literature, but also incorporates other ways of experiencing countries such as films, music and food.

Details about the project are available at https://beyondepilogue.wordpress.com/..., and the hosts will be selecting three countries per month.

January
Argentina : My Fathers' Ghost Is Climbing in the Rain; Dirty Secrets, Dirty War; Movie: The Official Story (Spanish: La historia oficial)
Japan : A True Novel ; Movie: Memories of You
Morocco : Sex and Lies: True Stories of Women's Intimate Lives in the Arab World

February
Egypt: : Woman at Point Zero
Colombia: Of Love and Other Demons
China: China in Ten Words

March
Iraq: The Baghdad Clock: Winner of the Edinburgh First Book Award
Mexico: Like Water for Chocolate
Libya: n.a.

April
Equatorial Guinea: La Bastarda
Peru: Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter
Vietnam: The Sorrow Of War: A Novel of North Vietnam

May
North Korea : The Cleanest Race: How North Koreans See Themselves and Why It Matters
Madagascar : n.a.
Romania : Women

June
Lebanon : Canceled Memories: A Novel
Mozambique : n.a.
Barbados : n.a.

July
Panama
Ethiopia
Israel: Some Day

August
South Korea: Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982
Nigeria


September
Palestine:
Chile: : My Invented Country: A Nostalgic Journey Through Chile

October
Guinea:
Sweden: Kallocain
Translated by David McDuff (M)

November
Sierra Leone:
Paraguay:

December

Oh fun Cheryl! I'm also joining this project next year. you're part of the discird group as well? what are you planning to read for january?

Sanne wrote: "Oh fun Cheryl! I'm also joining this project next year. you're part of the discird group as well? what are you planning to read for january?"

Hi Sanne! That's great that you are participating in the project too! I've just joined the Discord group.

Some possibilities for January are:

Argentina: My Fathers' Ghost Is Climbing in the Rain
Japan: something by Minae Mizumura
Morocco: I'm not sure yet

I'm also hoping to watch a film or two from these countries.

How about you? What are you planning to read?

Cheryl wrote: "Sanne wrote: "Oh fun Cheryl! I'm also joining this project next year. you're part of the discird group as well? what are you planning to read for january?"

Hi Sanne! That's great that you are part..."

Oooh I love Minae Mizumura! She's got a new novel coming out in March that I'm planning to read (An I-Novel).
I hadn't heard about that Argentinian novel before. Let me know what you think of it!

I'm planning on reading The Makioka Sisters for Japan and Trafalgar for Argentina. I'm also still unsure about my pick for Morrocco, but I'm thinking about A Life Full of Holes, Year of the Elephant: A Moroccan Woman's Journey Toward Independence or somthing by Abdellah Taïa. I'll see what I'm in the mood for later on

So fun to see that you are both joining in on the Invisible Cities project as I will participate in it as well! Haven't joined the discord group yet though.

Sanne wrote: "Cheryl wrote: "Sanne wrote: "Oh fun Cheryl! I'm also joining this project next year. you're part of the discird group as well? what are you planning to read for january?"

Hi Sanne! That's great th..."

You have some great choices on your list! I'm looking forward to following your journey!

Valerie wrote: "So fun to see that you are both joining in on the Invisible Cities project as I will participate in it as well! Haven't joined the discord group yet though."

I'm glad you're participating too Valerie! I'm looking forward to seeing what you pick up - you always read such interesting books!

Cheryl wrote: "Valerie wrote: "So fun to see that you are both joining in on the Invisible Cities project as I will participate in it as well! Haven't joined the discord group yet though."

I'm glad you're partic..."

Thanks, I am glad you are enjoying my readings. I can't wait to discover so many new international reads through Invisible Cities.

January

Argentina - Translated Fiction:
My Fathers' Ghost Is Climbing in the Rain by Patricio Pron
Translated from the Spanish by Mara Faye Lethem

January:

Argentina - Movie
The Official Story (Spanish: La historia oficial) (1985) - Directed by Luis Puenzo

January:

Japan - Movie
Memories of You (1988) - Directed by Jun Ichikawa

January:

Morocco - Translated Non-Fiction
Sex and Lies: True Stories of Women's Intimate Lives in the Arab World by Leïla Slimani
Translated from the French by Sophie Lewis

January:

Japan - Translated Fiction
A True Novel by Minae Mizumura
Translated from the Japanese by Juliet Winters Carpenter

January:

Argentina - non-fiction book about Argentina
Dirty Secrets, Dirty War by David Cox

February:

Colombia - Translated Fiction
Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel García Márquez
Translated from the Spanish by Edith Grossman

February:

China - Translated non-fiction
China in Ten Words by Yu Hua
Translated from the Chinese by Allan H. Barr

February:

Egypt - translated fiction
Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi
Translated from the Arabic by Sherif Hetata

March:

Iraq - translated fiction
The Baghdad Clock: Winner of the Edinburgh First Book Award by Shahad Al Rawi
Translated from the Arabic by Luke Leafgren

March:

Mexico - translated fiction
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
Translated from the Spanish by Thomas Christensen and Carol Christensen

April:

Peru - translated fiction
Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa
Translated from the Spanish by Helen R. Lane

April:

Equatorial Guinea - translated fiction
La Bastarda by Trifonia Melibea Obono
Translated from the Spanish by Lawrence Schimel

April:

Vietnam - translated fiction
The Sorrow Of War: A Novel of North Vietnam
The original language is Vietnamese. Translation details are not included in the edition I read but, according to Wikipedia, Phan Thanh Hao translated it into English, and Frank Palmos wrote an English version based on this "raw translation".

May

Romania - translated fiction
Women by Mihail Sebastian
Translated from the Romanian by Philip Ó Ceallaigh

May

North Korea - non-fiction book about North Korea
The Cleanest Race: How North Koreans See Themselves and Why It Matters by B.R. Myers

June

Lebanon - translated fiction
Canceled Memories: A Novel by Nazik Yared
Translated from the Arabic by Nadine Sinno

July

Israel - translated fiction
Some Day by Shemi Zarhin
Translated from the Hebrew by Yardenne Greenspan

August

South Korea - translated fiction
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo
Translated from the Korean by Jamie Chang

September

Chile - translated fiction
My Invented Country: A Nostalgic Journey Through Chile by Isabel Allende
Translated from the Spanish by Margaret Sayers Peden

October

Sweden - translated fiction
Kallocain by Karin Boye
Translated from the Swedish by David McDuff