Around the World discussion

How can it be November already? Is anyone making plans or thinking about themes for 2022 yet? Please share here to inspire all!

Personally, I’ve been thinking about this for a while. Every time I look at my 2021 list I shake my head at my own ambition 😆Best laid plans and all that. So in 2022 I’m going to scale right back and keep it fairly simple, while at the same time giving myself scope to visit a few new countries.

Have you heard of the longest walk in the world? From Cape Town to Magadan (Russia), it’s supposedly a 14,000 mile walk that’s technically possible although nobody I’ve read about has ever claimed to have done it. The route passes through 16 countries; South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt, Israel/Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Georgia, Russia. So I will aim to choose one title from each of these countries for 2022.

Plus whatever else takes my fancy, of course!

IN A LAND FAR FAR AWAY 2022

Africa
✔️Butterfly Fish 11 Sep
✔️Milk of Birds 1 Oct

Ethiopia Africa
✔️ Birds of Prey 17 Sep

Botswana Africa
✔️Full Cupboard of Life 3 Jan

Tunisia Africa
✔️ Ardent Swarm 13 Jun

Australia
✔️Hush Hush 10 Sep
✔️Yield 20 Jan
✔️ Town Like Alice 25 Mar
✔️Theft: A Love Story 13 Feb
✔️Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia 3 Mar
✔️Force of Nature 13 May
✔️Too Much Lip 22 Feb
✔️Sands Of Windee 9 Jun
✔️Wings above the Diamantina 21 Aug
✔️In the Deep 12 Sep
✔️Tomorrow, When the War Began 14 Sep
✔️Rabbit-Proof Fence 12 Nov
✔️Winds of Evil Nov 18
✔️[[book:The Things She's Seen|42356928] 9 Dec

Belgium
✔️ Square of Revenge 25 Aug

Bogotá, Columbia
✔️The Sound of Things Falling 25 Mar
✔️Fruit of the Drunken Tree 21 Aug

Canada
✔️Jonny Appleseed 26 Feb
✔️Empire of Wild 22 Mar
✔️A Pint of Murder 5 Sep
✔️Black Water 8 Feb
✔️Letters to Amelia Newfoundland 5 Sep

China
✔️Daughter of the Moon Goddess 24 Jul
✔️Home Remedies 16 Apr
✔️ Descendant of the Crane 6 May

Cyprus
✔️ Island of Missing Trees 7 Jul

Denmark
✔️ Elephant Keepers' Children 19 Sep
✔️Smilla's Sense of Snow 26 Sep
✔️ Shadow Murders 12 Oct

Egypt
✔️ Snake, the Crocodile and the Dog 1 Feb
✔️Mamur Zapt and the Return of the Carpet 10 Apr
✔️ Hippopotamus Pool 17 Jul


England
✔️Belgravia 15 Apr

Finland
✔️Raid And The Blackest Sheep 28 Feb
✔️Core of the Sun 20 Sep

France
✔️Murder in the Marais 3 Jun
✔️Living and the Dead (Vertigo) 12 Aug
✔️Strange Journey of Alice Pendelbury 19 Sep
✔️Fantômas 15 Aug
✔️The Good Thief's Guide to Paris Nov 24
✔️Kreutzer Sonata, Bordeaux 26 Mar
✔️Les Liaisons Dangereuses 6 May
✔️Peaches for Father Francis 16 May
✔️Secret Ways of Perfume 21 May
✔️Hunchback of Notre-Dame 15 Sep

Germany
✔️ Road Beyond Ruin 17 Jan
✔️Good Thief's Guide to Berlin 21 Feb
✔️Half Blood Blues 13 May
✔️Smiley's People 20 Sep

Greece
✔️Zorba the Greek 13 Mar
✔️Corelli's Mandolin 21 Mar

Holland
✔️Because of the Cats 26 Aug

Hong Kong
✔️Reflecting the Sky 12 Sep

Iceland
✔️Cold as Hell 6 Aug
✔️Jar City Reykjavik Iceland 22 Oct

India
✔️ Palace of Illusions 1 Feb
✔️Secret Keeper of Jaipur 5 Jun
✔️ East, West 29 Jul
✔️Strange Disappearance of a Bollywood Star 3 Oct
✔️Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra 6 Oct
✔️ Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown 9 oct

Bali (Indonesia)
✔️ Bali Conspiracy Most Foul 20 Sep

Iran
✔️ Stationery Shop 13 Oct

Ireland
✔️Ghost in the Throat 3 May
✔️Mystery Man 6 Jul
✔️ Death in Summer 17 Aug
✔️Liar's Girl Nov 9
✔️The Pig Comes to Dinner 5 Nov

Israel
✔️Last Temptation of Christ 506 pages 13 Aug

Italy
✔️Monkey's Wrench 18 Mar
✔️Playing for Pizza 4 Jun
✔️Enchantress of Florence 29 Jun
✔️Excursion to Tindari 8 Oct
✔️Rounding the Mark 12 Nov
✔️A Thread of Grace 22 Nov

Japan
✔️Shogun 31 Jul
✔️My Annihilation 18 Mar
✔️Cloud of Sparrows 29 May
✔️Bridge of Scarlet Leaves 16 Jun
✔️Silent Parade) 12 Jul
✔️If Cats Disappeared from the World 21 Jul
✔️ Sailor Who Fell from Grace With the Sea 22 Jul
✔️Life Ceremony 27 Jul
✔️Guest Cat 18 Aug
✔️Buddha in the Attic 31 Aug

Korea
✔️Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea 26 Apr

Mali, northwest Africa

Mexico
✔️Hacienda 4 Jun

Morocco
✔️Sheltering Sky 13 Sep
✔️Hideous Kinky 28 Dec

Netherlands
✔️Love in Amsterdam 2 Jan

New Zealand

Norway
✔️Phantom 15 Apr
✔️ealousy Man and Other Stories 2 Jun
✔️Kingdom 15 Jun
✔️Bell in the Lake 30 Aug
✔️Out Stealing Horses 25 Sep

Russia
✔️Gorky Park 9 Aug
✔️Pale Fire 22 Aug
✔️ Kitchen Boy: Novel of the Last Tsar 7 Dec

Forth Rail Bridge Scotland
✔️Spring 4 Mar
✔️Missing Years 8 Sep
✔️ Prime of Miss Jean Brodie 5 Oct

Sigapore
✔️ Frangipani Tree Mystery 28 May

The Big Hole
✔️Swimming with Horses 8 Jul
✔️When the Lion Feeds 8 Oct
South Africa

Spain
✔️ Summer of Dead Toys 16 Jul
✔️King's Gold 30 Sep

Sri Lanka
✔️Anil's Ghost 26 Jul

Sweden
✔️ Wolf and the Watchman 9 Mar
✔️Italian Shoes 7 Jun
✔️Man Who Smiled 26 Aug
✔️ 10 Oct

Switzerland
✔️ Palm for Mrs. Pollifax 10 Apr
✔️Hotel Du Lac 184 pages 20 Sep

Tibet
✔️Seven Years in Tibet 18 Nov

Ukraine
✔️Wolves Eat Dogs 28 Jul

Vienna
✔️Painted Kiss: A Novel 26 Jul

Vietnam
✔️On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous 28 Apr

Wales
✔️ The Earth Hums in B Flat 26 Nov
┊　　┊　　☆
┊　　★
☆

2022 - here we come! Thanks for setting up this thread Andrea and good luck on your 2022 “walk” - sounds like fun.

Almeta - You. Are. Amazing! 😭

Lilisa wrote: "2022 - here we come! Thanks for setting up this thread Andrea and good luck on your 2022 “walk” - sounds like fun.

Almeta - You. Are. Amazing! 😭"

If I don't plan something I wander aimlessly! Now will I follow the plan?

Almeta wrote: "
IN A LAND FAR FAR AWAY 2022

Butterfly Fish
Africa

The Tourist Trail
Antarctica

Dark MatterMichelle Paver born in
Malawi Arctic

[book:Ice|63218..."

Almeta - I adore the Mamur Zapt series. I haven't read Return of the Carpet, but look forward to reading your thoughts if you get to it before I do next year.

Carol wrote: "Almeta wrote: "
IN A LAND FAR FAR AWAY 2022

......Almeta - I adore the Mamur Zapt series. I haven't read Return of the Carpet, but look forward to reading your thoughts if you get to it before I do next year
..."

It is encouraging to hear that you like the series. It's a long one!

I look forward to it.

Oh man, 2022! Really!?

I'm still planning on aiming for 20 ish books a year, which allows me to mix half and half roughly with UK/US/Aussie books. Particularly for other genres as some of my ATW reads end up heavy in a couple of genres (historical fiction, family sagas, memoirs seem to be the genres of choice for translators/publishers).

Otherwise, let's see where the spirit takes me!

I've gotten to the point where I'm over the idea of reading around the world just one time and I'm letting myself enjoy more of the journey. I've crossed off quite a few unread countries from Europe this year (I'll update in that thread later) but for some reason Russia is really calling to me for 2022.

So I made it the theme of my year, from my own reading to readalongs. I divided the year into quarters, novels, non-fiction, short stories, and genre. You can read more here:
http://readingenvy.blogspot.com/2021/...

There will be periodic readalongs, forum discussion, and synchronous Zoom discussions as part of the Reading Envy Readers group if you also want to do any Russian reading. Andrea, if you timed your Russian read right you could easily participate. (Also I'm going to read The Border: A Journey Around Russia Through North Korea, China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway and the Northeast Passage which might travel some of the same journey!)

Link to my group, but don't worry, I always return here as well:
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Andrea, if you timed your Russian read right you could easily participate. (Also I'm going to read The Border which might travel some of the same journey!)..."

Definitely interested! I've added that title, which, as you say might provide an interesting wrap-up or sidetrip to my main journey. I wasn't intending to work on my list just yet, but... there you go... it's almost locked in haha. At the moment I have 3 novels jostling for the Russia slot in my itinerary. I really wanted one set in Magadan, but after researching what was on offer, I've widened it to Siberia.

I'm also very pro-Russia (at least in a literary sense) right now, as 2 of my top picks for 2021 were set there. A lot of my TV and podcast time this year has been devoted to Russian history, as well.

Andrea wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Andrea, if you timed your Russian read right you could easily participate. (Also I'm going to read The Border which might travel some of the same journey!)..."

Definit..."

Magadan - that's not familiar to me, I have a lot to learn!

I'd love to hear any favs, or maybe that's in that other thread that I'm avoiding for now. ;)

I plan to get back to my African Reads Journey. Currently reading Benin. Was distracted from my trip by starting Camilla - a huge tome of a book! Took me 5 months to read!

So I know I said that thing about Russia, still a plan, but I also realized how close I am to finishing my reading something from every country.

Here is my list in case you have recommendations:
http://readingenvy.blogspot.com/2022/...

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "So I know I said that thing about Russia, still a plan, but I also realized how close I am to finishing my reading something from every country.

Here is my list in case you have recommendations:
h..."

Here’s some food for thought, Jenny.

- Hong Kong: The Borrowed
- Macau: The Red Pole of Macau
- Tibet: Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town, Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet, Princess in Land of Snows: The Life of Jamyang Sakya in Tibet
- Turkmenistan: Walking to Samarkand: The Great Silk Road from Persia to Central Asia (travel through Turkmenistan - not entirely set there)
- Burkina Faso: American Spy
- Côte d’Ivoire: In the Company of Men

Lilisa wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "So I know I said that thing about Russia, still a plan, but I also realized how close I am to finishing my reading something from every country.

Here is my list in cas..."

Thanks Lillsa! I've taken from this form Read Africa challenge. :)

Yrinsyde wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "So I know I said that thing about Russia, still a plan, but I also realized how close I am to finishing my reading something from every country.

Here is..."

You’re welcome!

Couple from me, hope they help.

* Turkmenistan - The Tale of Aypi on my to read list for this country.
* Burundi - Baho! haven't read yet, but own.
* Seychelles - I read Journey to Death which fits the bill but dear god was bad. But you know, in case you get stuck.
* Togo - I read An African in Greenland years ago and it was really racist and just... off. I read Dirty Feet this year which was a lot better, but probably 2/3s ish in Paris and 1/3 in Togo. He is an acclaimed new writer from Togo though Edem Awumey
* Belgium - Under the Wide and Starry Sky I have on my physical shelf to slip in here. Not read yet.
* Micronesia, Federated States - My Urohs read last year and enjoyed as much as I can poetry. The People in the Trees read this a couple of years ago... I have opinions. Was recommended it by the EA at work as her favourite book. I mentioned opinions to her after reading it and her response was "I never said I liked it because it made me feel good." She's now a writer. I haven't quite forgiven her. Seems to be the thing with Hanya Yanagihara books though.
* Solomon Islands - I have a soft spot for the Sister Conchita books starting with Devil-Devil. The author has OBVIOUSLY never been to Australia. Which makes me worry about his authenticity regarding the Solomons. But I do like the Sister.

Rusalka wrote: "Couple from me, hope they help.

* Turkmenistan - The Tale of Aypi on my to read list for this country.
* Burundi - Baho! haven't read yet, but own.
* Seychelles - I..."

Thank you!

I did read People in the Trees and counted it for Palau which on the list I was using, was listed separately. Of course it is not own voices.

I have a book for Belgium and I think I read an ethnography in the Solomon Islands once but I should find that.

I've fallen in love with the idea of a world cruise. I read about one that says it takes you to remote isles, lush jungles, and dazzling cities. Using their itinerary, I'm building a wonderful list of places I'd like to read about -- preferably fiction. Here's the list. I'd love to see everyone's recommendations:
Trinidad
Tobago
Devils Island, French Guiana
The Amazon River
Brazil
Grenada
Curacao
The Panama Canal
Costa Rica
Mexico
Hawaii
Guam
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
Japan
Kanmon Strait
China
Vietnam
Singapore
Sri Lanka
India
United Arab Emirates
Oman
Jordan
The Suez Canal
Israel
Turkey
The Dardanelles
Turkey
Greece
Italy
Spain
Azores

Wow! That's 32 places. I'm so excited!! Now, I just need to find a great book that takes place in Trinidad...

Anmarie wrote: "I've fallen in love with the idea of a world cruise. I read about one that says it takes you to remote isles, lush jungles, and dazzling cities. Using their itinerary, I'm building a wonderful list..."

Love this!

Here is my Trinidad shelf if it can be useful:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Anmarie wrote: "I've fallen in love with the idea of a world cruise. I read about one that says it takes you to remote isles, lush jungles, and dazzling cities. Using their itinerary, I'm building a wonderful list..."

Fantastic itinerary- my heart is racing, just thinking about it. For Trinidad my #1 recommendation would be Love After Love by Ingrid Persaud. It was one of my 2020 reading highlights - so much so that I read it twice within a short period (text, then audio).

Anmarie wrote: "I've fallen in love with the idea of a world cruise. I read about one that says it takes you to remote isles, lush jungles, and dazzling cities. Using their itinerary, I'm building a wonderful list..."

Sounds like you’re going to have a lovely reading cruise! Looking forward to your picks.

For Trinidad, I absolutely second Andrea’s suggestion Love After Love - it was a 5-star read for me. Till the Well Runs Dry is another good one. If you are into audiobooks, I’d recommend doing the audio - I did the audio for these two books and it was lovely hearing the Trinidadian voices.

Jenny’s got a good list there - I liked Golden Child and The White Woman on the Green Bicycle.

Not set entirely in Trinidad, but in keeping with your cruise theme, The Spice Necklace: A Food-Lover's Caribbean Adventure and Archipelago dock in Trinidad/Tobago, amongst a host of other islands.

Enjoy cruising!

Wonderful suggestions! I've started on The White Woman on the Green Bicycle to bedgin my cruise. Love it!

Lovely that your cruise is off to a great start - on a bicycle no less 🤣 - enjoy!

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "So I know I said that thing about Russia, still a plan, but I also realized how close I am to finishing my reading something from every country.

Here is my list in case you have recommendations:
h..."

I don’t usually read graphic novels but Aya: Life in Yop City by Marguerite Abouet set in Côte d’Ivoire was great.

I also read Stories of the Sahara by Sanmao for Western Sahara. The author is not local but a Taiwanese woman who lived there for a few years, she’s quite a character.

Land Far Far Away

Done for 2022