UK Book Club discussion

What a great list of books! You're very well travelled Chris (in literary terms!)

Enjoy your travels Chris - great list as Em said

1 - The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini - AFGHANISTAN
2 - I May Be Some Time: Ice and the English Imagination - Francis Spufford - ANTARCTICA
3 - Secret of the Sands - Sara Sheridan - ARABIAN PENINSULA
4 - The Honorary Consul - Graham Greene - ARGENTINA
5 - The Slap - Christos Tsiolkas - AUSTRALIA
6 - Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert - BALI / INDONESIA
7 - The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith - BOTSWANA
8 - Dry Season - Dan Smith - BRAZIL
9 - The Other Side of the Bridge - Mary Lawson - CANADA
10 - Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel García Márquez - COLUMBIA
11 - The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway - CUBA
12 - Aphrodites War - Andrea Busfield - CYPRESS
13 - The Egyptian (Dominic Grey, #2) - Layton Green - EGYPT
14 - The End of the Affair - Graham Greene - ENGLAND
15 - The Garbage King - Elizabeth Laird - ETHIOPIA
16 - The Summer Book - Tove Jansson - FINLAND
17 - The Lollipop Shoes - Joanne Harris - FRANCE
18 - Alone in Berlin - Hans Fallada - GERMANY
19 - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Annie Barrows - GUERNSEY
20 - Tainted Blood - Arnaldur Indriðason - ICELAND
21 - Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie - INDIA
22 - Knights of the Black and White (Templar Trilogy, #1) - Jack Whyte - ISREAL
23 - The Mysteries of Udolpho - Ann Radcliffe - ITALY
24 - The Long Song - Andrea Levy - JAMACA
25 - Blossoms and Shadows - Lian Hearn - JAPAN
26 - The Hummingbird's Daughter: A Novel - Luis Alberto Urrea - MEXICO
27 - The Leopard - Jo Nesbà -¸ NORWAY
28 - The Girl in the Red Coat - Roma Ligocka - POLAND
29 - Wildwood Dancing - Juliet Marillier - ROMANIA
30 - The Master and Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov - RUSSIA
31 - Crucible of Secrets - Shona MacLean - SCOTLAND
32 - The Carpenter's Pencil - Manuel Rivas - SPAIN
33 - The White Woman on the Green Bicycle - Monique Roffey - TRINIDAD
34 - Sanctus - Simon Toyne - TURKEY
35 - Now It's Time to Say Goodbye - Dale Peck - USA
36 - The Summoner (Dominic Grey, #1) - Layton Green - ZIMBABWE
37 - Empire of the Sun - J.G. Ballard - CHINA
38 - Smilla's Sense of Snow - Peter Høeg - DENMARK
39 - A Change in Altitude - Anita Shreve - KENYA
40 - Hothouse Flower - Lucinda Riley - THAILAND
41 - Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson - PAKISTAN
42 - Sliding On The Snow Stone - Andy Szpuk - UKRAINE
43 - What the Day Owes the Night - Yasmina Khadraa - ALGERIA
44 - The Invisible Bridge - Julie Orringer - HUNGARY
45 - Sabra Zoo - Mischa Hiller - LEBANON
46 - The Meeting Point - Lucy Caldwell - BAHRAIN
47 - The Kingdom of This World - Alejo Carpentier - HAITI
48 - The Shadow Walker - Michael Walters - MONGOLIA
49 - The Garden of Evening Mists - Tan Twan Eng - MALAYSIA
50 - Apples Are from Kazakhstan - Christopher Robbins - KAZAKHSTAN
51 - Leviathan - Scott Westerfeld - AUSTRIA

My journey to Scotland, though not so far away (The Crucible of Secrets - Shona MacLean), was very satisfying. I strongly recommend all of the three Alexander Seaton books.
I return to my travels, and will next concentrate on The Other Side of the Bridge, set in Canada.

I have been "finishing up" a few books over the last couple of days, hence 2 added. I still have a part completed The Redbreast to finish off, but since I've already counted Norway amongst my travels, my 20th country will have to wait a while. I recall Deanne's and Lynn's lists look interesting so I might look to them for some inspiration.

I now have ideas (with a little help from my Goodreads friends) for; Cypress - Aphrodite's War, Turkey - Sanctus, Zimbabwe - The Summoner, and The Egyptian.

Chris wrote: "I now have ideas (with a little help from my Goodreads friends) for; Cypress - Aphrodite's War, Turkey - Santus, Zimbabwe - The Summoner, and The Egyptian."

if you read The Secret Mandarin by Sara Sheridan you get china and Zulu Hart by Saul David you get south africa

Thanks Steve, I read the Secret Manderin in 2010 so it doesn't count, but luckily I've got a Japan book in Blossoms and Shadows. But might give Zulu Hart a go when I've got through my current travels. I read Cutting for Stone too early to count too, so I can't include Ethiopia either!
Are you joining this challenge, it's pretty good fun!

Chris wrote: "Thanks Steve, I read the Secret Manderin in 2010 so it doesn't count, but luckily I've got a Japan book in Blossoms and Shadows. But might give Zulu Hart a go when I've got through my current trave..."

Last Tango in Aberystwyth for wales lol

Is that the film starring Dai Brando and Blodwyn Schneider where they can't believe it's not butter??

Got to the end of The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov, this covers Russia I guess. I could have picked Isreal but didn't think Jerusalem in the time of Pontius Pilate was as relevent to this challenge. It's ok if you like that sort of thing, but for me, it didn't hit the spot. Might have been the translation, but it could also just be me.

Finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, but forgot to add it. Collecting Aphrodite's War by Andrea Busfield from the library this week and hope to start it at the weekend.

Chris wrote: "Finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, but forgot to add it. Collecting Aphrodite's War by [author:Andrea Bu..."

Two of my favourite reads this year!

Ian wrote: "Is that the film starring Dai Brando and Blodwyn Schneider where they can't believe it's not butter??"

ha ha ha I've only just seen this comment, very funny

Lynne - The Book Squirrel wrote: "Chris wrote: "Finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, but forgot to add it. Collecting Aphrodite's War by [au..."

I think your list was where I picked these from - thanks for the inspiration

Chris wrote: "Lynne - The Book Squirrel wrote: "Chris wrote: "Finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, but forgot to add it. Collecting [boo..."

Glad to help and hope you like [book:Aphrodite's War|11374339] too!

Lynne - The Book Squirrel wrote: "Chris wrote: "Lynne - The Book Squirrel wrote: "Chris wrote: "Finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, but forgot to add it. C..."

got that book in one of my boxes

Chris wrote: "Lynne - The Book Squirrel wrote: "Chris wrote: "Finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, but forgot to add it. Collecting [boo..."

if you read invisible mountain by carolina de robertis you get uruguay and argentina 2 countries I have been to :)

Stephen wrote: "Chris wrote: "Lynne - The Book Squirrel wrote: "Chris wrote: "Finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, but forgot to add it. C..."

I have invisible mountain on my list to read, so I'll move it up a bit. I don't want to get too obsessed with this challenge, I've got loads of thrillers and historical fiction to read too. I don't want to miss out on anything.

Guernsey is getting a lot of visits...it's on my list as well

Just finished Aphrodite's War by Andrea Busfield. great characterisation and very emotional. This was Lynne's Cypress choice and I glad I followed her lead. A wonderful read.

andrea busfield also done a book about afghanstan too maybe you could read the new victoria hislop book the thread for greek islands lol

Just collected from the library The Honorary Consul by Graham Greene and Sanctus by Simon Toyne. That should widen my travels to include Argentina and Turkey. I'll "fess-up" to the Honorary Consul being a monthly pick for another group, but you wouldn't hold that against me, would you?
My reading for this challenge is quite slow right now because I'm also reading Les Miserable with another group (it's good but very slow, max 20-25 pages per session) AND Her Lover (Belle Du Seigneur). With 2200 plus pages between them, I might be a while!

Ooops - forgot two I'd read earlier this year; Wildwood Dancing and Eat, Pray, Love.

Awesome list...in fact im trying to do the same..so far have covered China, Nigeria, Afghanistan, England, USA, India of course, France, Italy, Turkey,...im in Germany now and then plan to read one based in bulgaria..slow and steady..your list is superb..im gonna surely try and get to read a few of them..thank you so much for sharing!!! toodles

Suparna wrote: "Awesome list...in fact im trying to do the same..so far have covered China, Nigeria, Afghanistan, England, USA, India of course, France, Italy, Turkey,...im in Germany now and then plan to read one..."

Thank you, most of them have been very interesting. Take a look at Lynne's and Deanne's too, you'll find lots of ideas there.

If you get stuck, on books from any countries you're after let me know, I've got a Bloomsbury world fiction guide.
Have you read The Beach? After living in Asia in pretty transient places it really gripped me - it's the plausibility that has the power to scare.
There are so many for China it'd be difficult to choose one.

Chris wrote: "Suparna wrote: "Awesome list...in fact im trying to do the same..so far have covered China, Nigeria, Afghanistan, England, USA, India of course, France, Italy, Turkey,...im in Germany now and then ..."

Thank you so much i shall take a look...i wonder if uve read the Indian author Vikram Seth, one of his books is my favourite - the Golden Gate, as the name suggest..its based in san francisco, its an awesome read..a book in verse..written superbly..in case u wanna read another Indian author..

Are you going to set up your own list Suparna and let us know what you are reading and whre you've been so far?

155 pages into Sanctus. I was put off this book by yet another "secret society" theme, but now I've started it, it's more compelling than I expected.

Chris wrote: "155 pages into Sanctus. I was put off this book by yet another "secret society" theme, but now I've started it, it's more compelling than I expected."

I loved this book, I won it from Waterstones to read and review before it came out and couldn't put it down. Glad you are enjoying it.

Ian wrote: "Are you going to set up your own list Suparna and let us know what you are reading and whre you've been so far?"

Hey Ian..id love to..but i think i havent read too many interesting books yet..as of now i am reading the Mahabharata which is the greatest Indian epic.and its fantastic..apparently its even bigger than Homers Odyssey...i am gonna keep checking this space for books other have read..and will surely update you when i put up mine...

Don't worry about "interesting" stuff Suparna, but do join in when you feel ready

Just finished Sanctus by Simon Toyne and really enjoyed it. I was put off reading it before now, expecting a badly written Dan Brown type book, but I was so wrong! Look forward to the next book

Finished two fabulous books today, The Summoner and The Honorary Consul, covering Zimbabwe and Argentina. I have a couple of other books to finish before I'm off to Egypt with another Layton Green book The Egyptian.

Chris wrote: "Finished two fabulous books today, The Summoner and The Honorary Consul, covering Zimbabwe and Argentina. I have a couple of other books to finish before I'm off to Egy..."

Thanks Chris.....just bought The Summoner.....well it was only 86p

Ian - it's one of the scariest books I've ever read. Anything Voodoo, Juju or black magic gives me the colly-wobbles!

Sounds intriguing

Just started The Egyptian by Layton Green. It's the second Dominic Grey story. Too soon to tell if it's as good as the first, but I intend to have an early friday night to find out.....!

Finished The Girl in the Red Coat byRoma Ligocka. Very harrowing, but couldn't put it down until I'd finished it.

Chris wrote: "Finished The Girl in the Red Coat byRoma Ligocka. Very harrowing, but couldn't put it down until I'd finished it."

Glad you enjoyed it Chris, I loved it too.

My reading for this challenge seemd to have slowed up a bit, I'm still only half way through The Egyptian, just as well it's not time bound! BUT I did buy a kindle version of Dry Season by Dan Smith, which i'm looking forward to.

I finally finished The Egyptian by Layton Green and what a book. Every bit as good as The Summoner and I'd be happy to read another in this series.

I'd hoped to get to 30 books by the end of the year, but that might not happen now. Too many others to finish up first

29 countries, not a bad end to the year! My current three books won't take me out of the country and I'm pretty sure I won't have time to add number four. How did everyone else do?

Finished Luis Alberto Urrea's The Hummingbird's Daughter covering Mexico. I can't say I enjoyed it - more like a hard slog!

Starting next. i feel like I have neglected this challenge a bit, which is a great shame since it's one of the best

I loved that book - enjoy

Hi guys

How does this sort of challenge work, do you read a book by an author from a particular country, or just a book set there (i.e. the author doesn't need to be from there)?

Any thoughts?

Our challenge is about the main setting of the book

Chris wrote: "Starting next. i feel like I have neglected this challenge a bit, which is a great shame since it's one of the best"

I put this on my TBR after seeing that many of you have read it...it looks good!