Around the World discussion

Here is what I have come up with so far.

1) Afghanistan - The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
2) Argentina - Thursday Night Widows by Claudia Pi eiro
3) Australia - Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction by Luke Davies
4) Belgium - On Black Sisters Street by Chika Unigwe
5) Botswana - The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander
McCall Smith
6) Brazil - City of God: A Novel by Paulo Lins
7) Brunei - Some Girls: My Life in a Harem by Jillian
Lauren
8) Bulgaria - The Making of June by Annie Ward
9) Colombia - Rosario Tijeras by Jorge Franco
10) Czech Republic - Bringing Up Girls in Bohemia by Michal
Viewegh
11) Denmark - The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-
Olsen
12) Dominican Republic - In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia
Alvarez
13) Egypt - The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany
14) Finland - Snow Angels by James Thompson
15) France - Cherokee by Jean Echenoz
16) Germany -Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan
17) Ghana - Children of the Street by Kwei Quartey
18) Guyana - The Sly Company of People Who Care: A Novel by
Rahul Bhattacharya
19) Hong Kong - Chop Suey: A Darby Stansfield Thriller by Ty
Hutchinson
20) Iceland - Jar City by Arnaldur Indriðason
21) India - Last Man in Tower by Aravind Adiga
22) Iran - The Saffron Kitchen by Yasmin Crowther
23) Ireland - In the Woods by Tana French
24) Japan - In the Miso Soup by Ryū Murakami
25) Kazakhstan - The Zahir by Paulo Coelho
26) Korea, S. - Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Sook
Shin
27) Lebanon - The Hakawati by Rabih Alameddine
28) Mexico - Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
29) Mongolia - All This Belongs to Me: A Novel by Petra
Hulova
30) Montenegro - Blood of Montenegro byBajram Angelo Koljenovic
31) Morocco - Secret Son by Laila Lalami
32) Mozambique - The Fury in the Fire by Henning Mankell
33) New Zealand - Once Were Warriors by Alan Duff
34) Nigeria - The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives: A Novel by Lola Shoneyin
35) Pakistan - A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif
36) Palastinian National Authority - Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
37) Peru - The Green House by Mario Vargas Llosa
38) Portugal - A Small Death in Lisbon by Robert Wilson
39) Russia - Moonlight in Odessa by Janet Skeslien Charles
40) Samoa - Black Coconuts, Brown Magic by Joseph Theroux
41) Saudi Arabia - Unspeakable Journey by Rinda Hahn
Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea
42) Serbia - The Internationals by Sarah May
43) Sierra Leone - The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna
44) South Africa - Confessions of a Gambler by Rayda Jacobs
and Agaat by Marlene Van Niekerk
45) Sudan - Slave by Mende Nazer
46) Sweden - Box21 by Roslund & Hellstrom
47) Switzerland - Hotel Du Lac by Anita Brookner
48) Trinidad & Tobago - The Dragon Can't Dance by Earl Lovelace
49) Turkey - Snow by Orhan Pamuk
50) Uganda - Abyssinian Chronicles: A Novel by Moses Isegawa
51) United Kingdom - Sherry and Narcotics by Nina-Marie Gardner
52) Uzbekistan - The Opportunists: a Novel about Uzbekistan by Yohann de Silva

Please Look After Mom is actually set in South Korea. It's a very good book.

Rebecca wrote: "Please Look After Mom is actually set in South Korea. It's a very good book."

Thanks for the correction. I had it mixed up with my N. Korean book Jia. I look forward to reading it.

I've been looking at Once Were Warriors for a while - it was a really powerful movie, so I'll be interested in your review on this one.

My, I had fun looking through your list. there were many I knew nothing about. Welcome, Angela!

Tanya wrote: "I've been looking at Once Were Warriors for a while - it was a really powerful movie, so I'll be interested in your review on this one."

I thought the movie was very powerful as well. Hopefully the book is even better.

Chrissie wrote: "My, I had fun looking through your list. there were many I knew nothing about. Welcome, Angela!"

Thanks Chrissie.

I liked your list, Angela. You had many titles that were new to me and I'll enjoy looking into them. Welcome!

Suzanne wrote: "I liked your list, Angela. You had many titles that were new to me and I'll enjoy looking into them. Welcome!"

Judy wrote: "You did some work to come up with list, Angela. Like Chrissie, a lot of titles I haven't seen before. I look forward to sitting down when I get the chance and checking them out. BTW, Welcome!"



Thanks Suzanne and Judy. It is actually an ongoing list I started for another group to circumnavigate the world. It is work but fun. I am a big foreign film fan and a couple were from movies I have seen in the past. I still have about 169 countries to go and I will be looking at everyones list for suggestions.

Judy wrote: "You are one ambitious lady, Angela, 169 countries to go... That is a big goal but a fun one."

It will take some time, but it will be fun. Being a "Military Brat" I have always had a fascination with other cultures. I may have to update my list with different books since this doesn't start until 2012 and I have already started this in another group.

Judy wrote: "What countries have you been to?"

I was born and lived in Germany. While there, I visited Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, and England. I have also been to Mexico. I would love to live abroad again once my daughter finishes high school.

Great list, Angela! I have added your picks to the master list. If you update your list, if you'd leave a comment here, I can keep our master list updated (deletions don't matter, but we want to have a list of all the possibilities!).

By the way, you were the first to select books from Brunei, Bulgaria, and Uganda!

Jenny wrote: "Great list, Angela! I have added your picks to the master list. If you update your list, if you'd leave a comment here, I can keep our master list updated (deletions don't matter, but we want to ..."

Thanks Jenny. The master list is great idea, by the way. It has helped me with my list. I will keep you posted with any changes.

Angela wrote: "Judy wrote: "What countries have you been to?"

I was born and lived in Germany. While there, I visited Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, and England. I have also been to Mexico. I wo..."

Me too! Where?
My dad left the military though after his tour in Germany. He turned down a spot in Teheran. In 1977. Lol.

Ps. I love your list.

Marieke wrote: "Angela wrote: "Judy wrote: "What countries have you been to?"

I was born and lived in Germany. While there, I visited Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, and England. I have also been t..."

Lol, I don't blame your dad. Not the ideal spot. I was born in Wiesbaden, but we moved back to the US when I was a baby. We moved back in '82. We lived across the Rhine in Mainz on the second tour. Where did you live?

I was born in Heidelberg, but I was also born at the end of his tour. My family lived in Frankfurt, another place I'm blanking on, and Heidelberg.

My dad's reason for turning down the Teheran post was that he was allowed to get discharged and he wouldn't be allowed to ride his motorcycle in Iran. Ha.

ETA: I went back as an exchange student in 1993. I lived with a family in Aachen, but visited my uncle who had visited when I was born and ended up staying, marrying a German woman, and having a daughter (my only cousin on that side!). They live near Mannheim but my cousin is in university now (she's a lot younger than me).

Marieke wrote: "I was born in Heidelberg, but I was also born at the end of his tour. My family lived in Frankfurt, another place I'm blanking on, and Heidelberg.

My dad's reason for turning down the Teheran post..."

Hey, you can't come in between a man and his motorcycle.

I loved Heidelberg, especially at Christmas. I miss Germany.
I had a blast while living there. Hope to go back one of these days.

Me too! My host brother is visiting us in a couple of weeks. It's been forever since I was in Germany. I need to fix that....maybe at Christmas! :D

Barry and I are both reading The Green House sometime in September. I'll start a group read thread on it so that others can join in.

Welcome Angela. :)

Marieke wrote: "Me too! My host brother is visiting us in a couple of weeks. It's been forever since I was in Germany. I need to fix that....maybe at Christmas! :D"

That is great that you have kept in touch with your host family. I participated in the exchange program while I lived there, but I lost touch with my host family once I left. :-(

Janice wrote: "Barry and I are both reading The Green House sometime in September. I'll start a group read thread on it so that others can join in.

Welcome Angela. :)"

Thanks Janice. I hope it is as interesting as it sounds.

Angela wrote: "Marieke wrote: "Me too! My host brother is visiting us in a couple of weeks. It's been forever since I was in Germany. I need to fix that....maybe at Christmas! :D"

That is great that you have kep..."

yes, they practically adopted me it was so much fun. and then my real mom met my german Mutti and they became great friends even though they barely spoke each other's languages. they are so cute together. they look like sisters and are both barely 5-feet tall. they each have a small dictionary at the ready. haha. or if i'm around, i help out. my host mom came two septembers ago for a couple of weeks and stayed with my real mom (but also visited me). it was so wonderful to see her.

Marieke wrote: "Angela wrote: "Marieke wrote: "Me too! My host brother is visiting us in a couple of weeks. It's been forever since I was in Germany. I need to fix that....maybe at Christmas! :D"

That is great th..."

That is awesome. Plus you got to keep up your German. Unfortunately for me, I was the only one in my family that bothered to learn German. I kept it up until my second year of college. Now after going so many years without speaking it, I have lost a lot of it.

Judy wrote: "Janice wrote: "Barry and I are both reading The Green House sometime in September. I'll start a group read thread on it so that others can join in.

Welcome Angela. :)"

You and Barr..."

I am so glad I found this group. I am looking forward to reading and discussing all of the books. I told my friends and coworkers my goal of reading books from around the world, they look at me like I am the biggest nerd or say something stupid like how they don't like to read books with a lot of foreign names or places. I, of course, roll my eyes in disgust. This should be fun. YAY!!

Angela wrote: "I am so glad I found this group. I am looking forward to reading and discussing all of the books. I told my friends and coworkers my goal of reading books from around the world, they look at me like I am the biggest nerd or say something stupid like how they don't like to read books with a lot of foreign names or places. I, of course, roll my eyes in disgust. This should be fun. YAY!! "

lol the same is happening to me. I think this is a fascinating opportunity to broaden one's perspective of world [not sure how many books I'll be able to read out of those but still]

At this point, I think my co-workers and friends expect this kind of crazy project from me. It is all of you who help me know I'm not a freak!

I certainly don't fit either....... I am kind of use to this since I am have been reading such books for ages!

You are in good company Angela! I get a lot of eye rolling too about the books I like to read. Thank goodness for my goodread peeps :-) So glad you guys "get me" :-D

Wendy wrote: "You are in good company Angela! I get a lot of eye rolling too about the books I like to read. Thank goodness for my goodread peeps :-) So glad you guys "get me" :-D"

Chrissie wrote: "I certainly don't fit either....... I am kind of use to this since I am have been reading such books for ages!"

Jenny wrote: "At this point, I think my co-workers and friends expect this kind of crazy project from me. It is all of you who help me know I'm not a freak!"

So glad to see that I am in such good company:-) I have to admit I lost my way in the last couple of years reading not so literary works of art, but now I am back. Let the eye rolling begin.

Amen, Angela! Except for professional stuff (history and literary criticism [*yawn*] I was just reading mysteries. And not necessarily the better ones. That is one thing that has me excited about all of this: the motivation to read better books.

My friends don't even bother to ask me for book recommendations anymore. And I dread when people see a book in my hand and ask what I'm reading because once answered the conversation quickly goes dead.

Mikki wrote: "My friends don't even bother to ask me for book recommendations anymore. And I dread when people see a book in my hand and ask what I'm reading because once answered the conversation quickly goes ..."

Yeah or you get the deer in headlights look and have to explain where the location is on a map. I swear people don't know basic geography. I am like that with movies as well. I prefer foreign films to American movies. When I am excited about a movie I may have seen, the first question I get is So you had to read the subtitles. I just shake my head and walk away.

Mikki wrote: "My friends don't even bother to ask me for book recommendations anymore. And I dread when people see a book in my hand and ask what I'm reading because once answered the conversation quickly goes ..."

You're not alone Mikki. I get the same reaction to books I'm reading. Of course, I am probably not very good at masking the look of distaste on my face when someone tries to tell me about the "amazing" James Patterson or Dan Brown book they just read. And don't even get me started on Nicholas Sparks!

Angela wrote: "When I am excited about a movie I may have seen, the first question I get is So you had to read the subtitles."

OMG!

And if I ever get stuck, alone on an island and can only choose one book, it would be an atlas.....

Mikki wrote: "My friends don't even bother to ask me for book recommendations anymore. And I dread when people see a book in my hand and ask what I'm reading because once answered the conversation quickly goes ..."

Same thing happens with me. I get a funny look and then I feel like I have to explain something about the book make the conversation less awkward, but that usually doesn't help much; in fact, it doesn't help at all.

I don't want to disparage other authors in all of this. I have days where a romp through the vatican is exactly what I need. If you understand the books people love, you can suggest a book to them that you see as having greater merit. Think of it as scaffolding and building down to where they are. "You like Dan Brown? Oh, well have you ever tried Umberto Eco?" etc.

Good thought, Jenny. I know there are times that only simpler fare will do. Those are not the days I pick up "David Copperfield!"

Jenny wrote: "I don't want to disparage other authors in all of this. I have days where a romp through the vatican is exactly what I need. If you understand the books people love, you can suggest a book to the..."

I think that is the problem. It is peoples unwillingness to read a book that may not only be a well written story, but also a learning opportunity. Trust me when I say I have read my share of fluff, some of which I enjoyed, but I shouldn't be asked why are your reading that, while trying to be coerced into reading the Twilight series.

I like this conversation about discussing books with others. If people tell me their favorite mystery author is James Patterson, I usually say I used to read him but have found some authors I like much more now and then talk about historical mysteries, authors like Sara Paretsky, etc. I do have Dan Brown on my "read" list, a guilty pleasure. I don't think he's a good writer, but he knows how to move a plot along.

You guys are right. I've got more than my share of guilty pleasure reads (anyone else willing to admit to a love of Rosamund Pilcher?) -- and I actually read the Da Vinci Code when it first came out to see what all the fuss was about. Jenny and Sue make a good point, it can be an opportunity to broaden their horizons (they will thank us for it someday) :-) Sorry, I sound like an elitist jerk -- and have no moral ground to stand on considering I am well-versed on the latest happenings of pretty much ALL of the Real Housewives :-O

Oh Wendy, I haven't watched them all but I had to see the ones from Washington (and did you hear that the ones who crashed the White House....she left him. Those 2 were certifiable.) But back to more erudite matters, Ah what was I going to say?

Wendy wrote: "You guys are right. I've got more than my share of guilty pleasure reads (anyone else willing to admit to a love of Rosamund Pilcher?) -- and I actually read the Da Vinci Code when it first came o..."

Don't feel bad. I have caught a couple of Housewives Marathons:-)

Sue wrote: "I like this conversation about discussing books with others. If people tell me their favorite mystery author is James Patterson, I usually say I used to read him but have found some authors I like ..."

My guilty pleasures are Janet Evanovich and Kim Harrison. They are quick reads, but not thought provoking at all. However, they make me laugh. I find every couple years I will gravitate to a series, but I get bored and move on. I have yet to finish one.

I'm enjoying this discussion too. Lots of folks think I'm totally nuts, except when I'm in a "fluff" phase (which at moments like now, I see as time I could have used to read something more delicious, but sometimes I just need an Anne Perry or John Sanford). Anyway, I have also accidentally discovered some kindred spirits. The guy who does billing for our therapy practice turns out to love Borges, and lent me one of his books. And since I'm always reading something at work in case of cancellations, patients always see what I am reading. One guy seems to have VERY similar tastes, especially in Latin American stuff. Sadly, he recently terminated (or at least is on a long break). I will sorely miss his input into my reading life. But with you guys here, I'm sure I will now be just fine!!!

Jenny wrote: "I don't want to disparage other authors in all of this. I have days where a romp through the vatican is exactly what I need. If you understand the books people love, you can suggest a book to the..."

It's true because the scaffolding works both ways. At GR, we are constantly being opened up to new reading possibilities merely by looking at one another's lists or recommendations. Just by peeking at a complete stranger's shelves...yes, I do that! :)

Mikki wrote: "Jenny wrote: "I don't want to disparage other authors in all of this. I have days where a romp through the vatican is exactly what I need. If you understand the books people love, you can suggest..."

Oh I love looking at other peoples shelves. I have found a lot of books that way. I also see books that I have read in the past that I forgot I read. I am becoming forgetful in my old age.

Judy wrote: "Yeah right, Angela, you look so-o old. hehe"

Oh, that picture is old. I am to lazy to change it. I feel old and have reading amnesia. I have been know to purchase a book more than once because I forgot I read it.

Angela wrote:
I feel old and have reading amnesia. I have been know to purchase a book more than once because I forgot I read it.
..."

Angela,
you're not alone. I have reading amnesia and also purchase books 1) that I have haven't yet read, and 2) that I have already read.

Judy wrote: "Anne wrote: "Angela wrote:
I feel old and have reading amnesia. I have been know to purchase a book more than once because I forgot I read it.
..."

Angela,
you're not alone. I have reading amne..."

We should form a club.

Judy wrote: "We should form a club.

What if we all forget to show up? haha"

No one would be the wiser or be hurt by the poor showing.