UK Book Club discussion

This is my own thread and to give me a start I backdated to the start of the year (2011).......and now nearly 7 years later, in mid September 2017 I've got to 183 countries. I was going to stop at 180 but stopping just doesn't seem to be an option. Here's the list of my 183:

Afghanistan - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Albania - The Fall of the Stone City by Ismail Kadare
Algeria - The Stranger by Albert Camus
Angola - Another Day of Life by Ryszard Kapuscinski
Antarctica - The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier
Antigua - Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid
Arctic - Ice Station Zebra by Alaistair McClean
Argentina - The Secret in Their Eyes by Eduardo Sacheri
Armenia - The Crossing Place by Philip Marsden
Australia - After the Fire, a Still Small Voice by Evie Wyld
Austria - The Piano Teacher by Elfriede Jelinek
Azerbaijan - The Colonel's Mistake by Dan Mayland
Bahamas - The Far Side of the Sun by Kate Furnivall
Bangladesh - A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam
Barbados - The Star Side of Bird Hill by Naomi Jackson
Belarus - Khatyn by Ales Adamovich
Belgium - On Black Sisters Street by Chika Unigwe
Belize - Beka Lamb by Zee Edgell
Benin - The Viceroy of Ouidah by Bruce Chatwin
Bhutan - Married to Bhutan by Linda Leeming
Bolivia - American Visa by Juan de Recacoechea
Bosnia - Partisans by Alistair MacLean
Botswana - White Dog Fell from the Sky by Eleanor Morse
Brazil - Dry Season by Dan Smith
Bulgaria - East of the West by Miroslav Penkov
Burkina Faso - Thomas Sankara: An African Revolutionary
Cambodia - Never Fall Down - by Patricia McCormick
Cameroon - A Woman of Africa by Nick Roddy
Canada - Still Life by Louise Penny
Cape Verde - Spin Move by David Lender
Chad - Under Chad's Spell by Michael Varga
Chile - Sharpe's Devil by Bernard Cornwell
China - Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong
Colombia - Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Croatia - April Fool's Day by Josip Novakovich
Cuba - The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Cyprus North - A Watermelon, a Fish and a Bible - by Christy Lefteri
Cyprus South - Small Wars by Sadie Jones
Czech Republic - Prague Fatale by Philip Kerr
Democratic Republic of Congo - Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Denmark - Mercy by Jussi Adler-Olsen
Dominica - Taming a Hurricane by Paula A John
Dominican Republic - In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
East Timor - Indelible Scars by Pete Harvey
Ecuador - That Bear Ate My Pants by Tony James Slater
Egypt - The Yacoubian Building by Alaa al Aswany
El Salvador - Blood of Paradise by David Corbett
England - Sister by Rosamund Lupton
Eritrea - Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohamed
Estonia - Purge by Sofi Oksanen
Ethiopia - Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Falkland Islands - A Soldiers Song: True Stories From The Falklands by Ken Lukowiak
The Faroe Isles - The Old Man And His Sons by Heoin Bru
Fiji - The Shoeshine Killer by Marianne Wheelaghan
Finland - Snow Angels by James Thompson
France - Trespass by Rose Tremain
Gabon - Tropic Moon by Georges Simenon
Georgia - The Girl King by Meg Clothier
Germany - The One from the Other by Philip Kerr
Ghana - Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi
Greece - Spies of the Balkans by Alan Furst
Greenland - The Day is Dark by Yrsa Sigurdssdottir
Guatemala - Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs
Guyana - The Secret Life of Winnie Cox by Sharon Maas
Guernsey/Channel Isles - Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O'Porter
Haiti - The Dew Breaker by Edgwidge Danticat
Holland - The Reunion by Simone van der Vlugt 
Honduras - The Mosquito Coast by Paul Theroux
Hong Kong - White Ghost Girls by Alice Greenway
Hungary - Budapest Noir by Vilmos Kondor
Iceland - Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason
India - Guardian of the Dawn by Richard Zimler
Indonesia - Dark Horizons. by Dan Smith
Iran - Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer
Iraq - When the Grey Beetles Took Over Baghdad by Mona Yahia
Ireland - The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry
Isle of Man - Safe House by Chris Ewan
Israel - The People on the Street: A Writer's View of Israel by Linda Grant
Italy - The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli.
Ivory Coast - The Big Killing by Robert Wilson
Jamaica - The Long Song by Andrea Levy
Japan - Norwegian Wood by Haruki Marukami
Jordan - Snow in Amman by Ibtihal Mahmood
Kazakhstan - In Search of Kazakhstan by Christoper Robbins
Kenya - Running with the Kenyans by Adharanand Finn
Kiribati - Food of Ghosts by Marianne Wheelaghan
Kuwait - Small Kingdoms by Anastasia Hobbet
Kyrgyzstan - Uncertain Light by Marion Molteno - replaced a short story - The Little Soldier by Chingiz Aitmatov
Laos - The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill
Latvia - Lenin's Harem by William Burton McCormick
Lebanon - Sabra Zoo by Mischa Hiller
Lesotho - In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut
Liberia - Driving the Birds by Russell Trauber
Libya - In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar
Lithuania - Above Us Only Sky by Michele Young-Stone
Luxembourg - The Expats by Chris Pavone
Madagascar - Entwined by Colette Gale
Malaysia - The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng
Malawi - The Lower River by Paul Theroux
Maldives, The Republic of - On the Island by Tracy Garvis Greaves
Mali - To the Moon & Timbuktu by Nina Sovich
Malta - The Information Officer by Mark Mills
Mauritius - (Diego Garcia - British Indian Ocean Territory) - A Lesser Dependency by Peter Benson - set mostly in Mauritius
Mauritania - Under an African Sky by Peter Hudson
Mexico - All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
Micronesia - Under the Sun by Justin Kerr-Smiley
Moldova - Bessarabian Nights by Stela Brinzeanu
Mongolia - Wolf of the Plains by Conn Iggulden
Morocco - Secret Son by Laila Lalami
Mozambique - A Treacherous Paradise by Henning Mankell
Myanmar/Burma - The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh
Namibia - The Kaiser's Holocaust by David Olusoga
Nepal - Thin Air by Michelle Paver
New Zealand - The Colour by Rose Tremain
Nicaragua - Tooth Man by Eric Timar
Niger - Harmattan by Gavin Weston
Nigeria - Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Northern Ireland - Present Danger by Stella Rimington
North Korea - Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick
Northern Mariana Islands - Bloody Saipan by Gary Schreckengost
Norway - The Redbreast by Jo Nesbø
Pakistan - Partitions by Amit Mamujar
Palestine - Out of It by Selma Dabbagh
Papua New Guinea - Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones
Paraguay - The Pleasure of Eliza Lynch by Anne Enright
Peru - The Book of Human Skin by Michelle Lovric
Philippines - When the Elephants Dance by Tess Uriza Holthe
Poland - The Warsaw Anagrams: A Novel by Richard Zimler
Portugal - A Small Death in Lisbon by Robert Wilson
Puerto Rico - The Meaning of Consuelo by Judith Ortiz Cofer
Republic of the Congo - Brazzaville Beach by William Boyd
Romania - The Appointment by Herta Muller
Russia - The Siege by Helen Dunmore.
Rwanda - Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron
Samoa - Mr.Fortune's Maggot by Sylvia Townsend Warner
Saudi Arabia - In the Land of the Invisible Women by Qanta Ahmed
Scotland - The Hanging Shed by Gordon Ferris.
Senegal - Africa Junction by Ginny Baily
Serbia - Fathers and Forefathers by Slobodan Selenic
Seychelles - Voices by Glynn Burridge
Sierra Leone - Ancestor Stones by Aminatta Forna
Singapore - Inheritance by Balli Kaur Jaswal
Slovakia - Dark Dreams by Michael Genelin
Slovenia - In the Light of Morning by Tim Pears
Solomon Islands - Helmet For My Pillow by Robert Leckie
Somalia - The Orchard of Lost Souls by Nadifa Mohamed
South Africa - Devil's Peak by Deon Meyer
South Korea - Please Look After Mother by Kyung Sook Shin
South Sudan, Republic of - What is the What by Dave Eggars
Spain - For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway.
Sri Lanka - Chinaman by Shehan Karunatilaka
Sudan - Lyrics Alley by Leila Aboulela
Suriname - Willoughbyland by Matthew Parker
Swaziland - The Rattle of Seeds by Geoffrey Douglas
Sweden - The Return of the Dancing Master by Henning Mankell
Switzerland - A Heart Bent Out of Shape by Emylia Hall
Syria - In Praise of Hatred by Khaled Khalifa
Tajikistan - The Disobedient Wife by Annika Milisic Stanley
Tanzania - The Lion Hunter by Daniel Pembrey
Thailand - Killed at the Whim of a Hat by Colin Cotterill
Tibet - Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet by Xinran
Togo - Instruments of Darkness by Robert Wilson
Trinidad - Archipelago by Monique Roffey
Tunisia - The Tremor of Forgery by Patricia Highsmith
Turkey - Sanctus by Simon Toyne
Turkmenistan - The Leveling by Dan Mayland
Uganda - Thirty Girls by Susan Minot
Ukraine - Sliding on the Snow Stone by Andy Spzuk
Uruguay - The Invisible Mountain by Carolina de Robertis
UAE - Dubai - Killing the Dream by Matt Ross
USA - City Of Fear by Alafair Burke.
Uzbekistan - Pleased to be Otherwise by Gina Ochsner
Vanuatu - The Coconut Wars by Richard Shears
The Vatican - Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
Venezuela - The Sickness by Alberto Barrera Tyszka
Vietnam - Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes.
Virgin Isles (US) - The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman
Wales - Submarine by Joe Dunthorne
Western Sahara - See How Much I Love You by Luis Leante
Yemen - The Abrupt Physics of Dying by Paul E Hardisty
Zambia - The Eye of the Leopard by Henning Mankell
Zanzibar - Zanzibar Uhuru by Anne Chappel
Zimbabwe - The Summoner by Layton Green

Thirteen so far in 2011.........

1.The Redbreast - Jo Nesbo - Norway
2. City of Fear - Alafair Burke - USA
3. Sister - Rosamund Lupton - England
4. Trespass - Rose Tremain - France
5. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad - Congo
6. The Prince - Macchiavelli - Italy
7. Matterhorn - Karl Malantes - Vietnam
8. Sanctus - Simon Toyne - Turkey
9. Warsaw Anagrams - Richard Zimler - Poland
10. Dry Season - Dan Smith - Brazil
11. Cutting For Stone - Abraham Verghese - Ethiopia
12. Death of a Red Heroine - Qiu Xiaolong - China
13. Tainted Blood - Arnaldur Indridason - Iceland

14. The Hanging Shed - Gordon Ferris - Scotland......seen as everyone else is counting the UK as 4 countries

Ian wrote: "14. The Hanging Shed - Gordon Ferris - Scotland......seen as everyone else is counting the UK as 4 countries"

Well they are separate for sports!

I'm currently wandering around Spain but have now made plans for future vists to Sweden, Sumatra, Guernsey, Mexico, Phillipines, Japan, the Antarctic, Germany, Afghanistan, the Falklands and Jamaica - I'll need to renew my passport and perhaps get some visas.

I'm going to Peterborough next week to renew mine! Shall I get you an application form?

Japan has to be Shogun

Kev wrote: "Japan has to be Shogun"

Nice try, but no coconut for you Kev

Just finished:

15. Spain - For Whom the Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemingway

And re future plans, seen as I'm visiting Sweden, thought I'd bob onto the ferry and go see Denmark as well

Packed for Russia - just need a good Finnish one to save on flights

Ian Thought the BOB thing had ran its course?

Now listen here Bob - attractive though you are in your tight fitting doublet - stay on topic!!

16. Sweden - The Return of the Dancing Master by Henning Mankell

Off to the Phillipines

Oooh - which one for the Philippines?

Packabook wrote: "Oooh - which one for the Philippines?"

Robert Leckie

17. The Solomon Islands - Helmet for my Pillow by Robert Leckie

And there was me all packed for the Phillipines only not to go there at all and instead visit the USA, Australia, New Guinea, New Britain and the Republic of Palau.....but I spent the largest part of my trip on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Quite a trip!!

Note to self......better travel research needed

Recuperating back in Scotland, so no 18 will have to wait.

No 18 underway - slow start to the trip but now enjoying Russia

18. Russia - The Siege by Helen Dunmore

I loved that one Ian - and the follow up, The Betrayal, was good too. For me, they are her best novels. I also enjoyed Ice Road by Gillian Slovo.

I was a bit bored tbh Sue. Haven't done my review yet, but I felt there was just far too much about the relationship between the father and the actress (which didn't really add much for me)and not enough about the siege itself.

19. Afghanistan - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini which was great. Now off to Finland for a bit more Scandi crime

I am sure you will enjoy 'some more Scandi crime' more than I enjoyed my Finland choice! Will have just missed you in Afghanistan where I'm off next!

Ian wrote: "19. Afghanistan - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini which was great. Now off to Finland for a bit more Scandi crime"

That was a wonderful book - heart breaking in places, such well drawn characters, I loved it.

20. Finland - Snow Angels by James Thompson

21. Cuba - The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. I really enjoyed this short story about the battle between Santiago, an aged fisherman, and a massive marlin

Didn't manage to finish The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, so not counting that one. Seriously not my cup of tea!!

22. Estonia - Puhdistus or "Purge" by Sofi Oksanen. Brilliant trip back into the recent history of Estonia. Fascinating,disturbing and powerful. Can't recommend it enough. Now visiting Denmark.

23. Denmark - Mercy by Jussi Adler-Olsen. That's the last of my Scandinavian countries. This was a solid crime thriller that is well worth a read.

Abandoned Dracula which I thought would take care of Romania, but as the action mostly takes place in Whitby, I wouldn't have counted it anyway.

I'm not enjoying Frankenstein so far!

Thought you were trying Dracula like me

24. Portugal A Small Death in Lisbon by Robert Wilson. Highly recommend this really good crime thriller made up of 2 separate stories that span 50 years and eventually intertwine.

That sounds like it's exactly the sort of book I enjoy, will put it on my tbr....I haven't done Portugal yet.

Ian wrote: "24. Portugal A Small Death in Lisbon by Robert Wilson. Highly recommend this really good crime thriller made up of 2 separate stories that span 50 years and eventuall..."

Looks good & the library have a couple of copies so I've added it to my to-read list. I don't think I'd come up with a book for Portugal yet.

I bought both as they were free and thinking I needed W for my A-Z started with that, dull dull dull. Noticed you left Drac.

Sam wrote: "Ian wrote: "24. Portugal A Small Death in Lisbon by Robert Wilson. Highly recommend this really good crime thriller made up of 2 separate stories that span 50 years a...
I recommended a Robert Goddard for Madeira Ian said that not counting as separate country

Bob

25. Australia - After the Fire, a Still Small Voice by Evie Wyld. Interesting novel about three generations of family relationships and how they are affected when men go off to war and come back damaged emotionally.

That looks good - not been to Oz yet. Heard about one that involved Italian prisoners of war that appealed but A. only have collectors copies and I don't want to read it that much!

It was nominated on some list or other for best first novel earlier this year. I gave it 3 stars but could easily have been 4.

I'm already in Australia - reading The Slap but I like the sound of the Evie Wyld book you've just read - this is why it will take me so long to "visit" 80 different countries!

I loved The Slap but read it before starting the challenge. Taking me ages too - ended up reading two books about Berlin when I'd already been to Germany!

Isn't The Slap on the telly at the mo?

Certainly is Ian! Am saving them for a rainy day!! Getting good reviews though.

I've missed the TV series, I'm sure they'll be another opportunity to see it though. The book is great - I love it but some characters are utterly and thoroughly (want to punch them) dislikeable!

Em - only the 1st two parts have been shown so you could probably catch up on iplayer. Totally agree with you about the characters.

Em wrote: "I've missed the TV series, I'm sure they'll be another opportunity to see it though. The book is great - I love it but some characters are utterly and thoroughly (want to punch them) dislikeable!"

Know the feeling Em......but it usually involves Alex Ferguson in my case.

and Simon Cowell in mine!

Funny, I was actually going to put him as well, but I haven't seen any of his shows for a few years so have mellowed with regard to smacking him one

There's just so many "punchable" faces in the world - we're spoilt for choice!