The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

30.5 Bluemoon's task: BEG, BORROW, OR STEAL YOUR WAY AROUND THE WORLD

Since summer is a big travel season and money is tight these days I thought it would be fun to take a virtual trip.

Choose 2 of the following 3 options.
***Each book must be set on a different continent (Africa, Asia, Australia and Oceania, Europe, North America, South America or Antarctica). You will find countries listed by continent here http://www.worldatlas.com/cntycont.htm and you may not use a book set in your home country


A. BEG - Get a recommendation from a friend. It may be a Goodreads friend, a "real life" friend, or a librarian (the true friend of readers everywhere) You may ask your friend to pick from a shortlist you prepare or their Goodreads shelves.
Required: Identify your friend when you post

B. BORROW - For this option borrow a book from the library, a friend or relative, etc.
Required: Identify where you got your book

C. STEAL - Since the moderators are so busy keeping track of all our posts check out their bookshelves and steal a book from them. This book can be from any shelf (Read or TBR) of the mod.
Required: Include which mod's shelf you raided

Required: Please state your home country and identify the two continents when you post

Both fiction and non-fiction work

Reserved

This thread is open!

Would Around the World in Eighty Days
be considered Europe--- since the trip begins in London?

Thanks

Kathy G. wrote: "Would Around the World in Eighty Days
be considered Europe--- since the trip begins in London?

Thanks"



I was looking for books where a majority of the book is set in one country. So I am sorry that one won't work.

You could use it for 5.2 though. The link you provided has travel listed as one of the genres.

Thanks- I'll find another one

Hi Bluemoon. I was wondering if My Sergei: A Love Story by Ekaterina Gordeeva would work for Asia. I wasn't sure since the Soviet Union no longer exists. It list the Russian Federation under Asia. I just wanted to make sure.

If I read My Sergei: A Love Story- They were from the former Soviet Union. Which continent would I consider this book? On wiki she is of Russian nationality.

for option C - I recommend people look at DLMrose's shelves...becasue she is doing an around the world reading challenge and has a huge list of books ;)

Sheila wrote: "Hi Bluemoon. I was wondering if My Sergei: A Love Story by Ekaterina Gordeeva would work for Asia. I wasn't sure since the Soviet Union no longer exists. It list the Russian Federation under ..."



I will accept Russia for either Europe or Asia as it is part of both continents.

Thanks Bluemoon

Thank you

Kathy G. wrote: "Thank you"

Sheila wrote: "Thanks Bluemoon"



Your Welcome. Enjoy your trip.

If anyone is looking for a book set in Antarctica, there is a mystery called In Cold Pursuit: A Mystery From The Last Continent by Sarah Andrews. I read that this week and liked it.

I liked that one when I read it butterflycager

I will have to check that one out also. Thanks Butterflycager.

- london

- greece

Ariel wrote: " - london

- greece"


Both are fine for Europe but you must read books from 2 different contintents. So you will have to chose one of the above and then chose another continent to visit with another book.


ETA - Actually the Iliad takes place in Ancient Troy which is now the country of Turkey. As Turkey is on the Asian continent you could read that.

Just wondering if non-fiction works. I'd like to read Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn, which is written by an American (I live in Singapore) and most of the references seem to be American.

mstan wrote: "Just wondering if non-fiction works. I'd like to read Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn, which is written by an American (I live in ..."



Non-fiction works.

Bluemoon wrote: "mstan wrote: "Just wondering if non-fiction works. I'd like to read Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn, which is written by an Americ..."



After some discussion with Sandy I need to expand on my answer.

Non-fiction works as long as the book is set in a particular place. After looking at this book more closely I am not sure if it talks about the studies at the university or another location or if it just discusses the theories derrived from the studies. If it has a setting and is not just the theories then it does work.

Bluemoon wrote: "Bluemoon wrote: "mstan wrote: "Just wondering if non-fiction works. I'd like to read Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn, which is wri..."

Hi Bluemoon, thanks for your pm as well. I will check the book out and find out!

mstan wrote: "Bluemoon wrote: "Bluemoon wrote: "mstan wrote: "Just wondering if non-fiction works. I'd like to read Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Le..."



Your welcome. I just didn't want you to have any problems posting.

if anyone wants recommendations i'll happily give them ;) i'm half-way through my around the world trip right now and have hit 113 countries (with 15 more planned) ;)

I am planning The Cellist of Sarajevo (Europe) and Cutting for Stone (Africa).

Would this work? The location is kind of general - it's listed as Caribbean literature, but it's not in the US for sure and that's where I am:

Redemption in Indigo

Karen GHHS wrote: "Would this work? The location is kind of general - it's listed as Caribbean literature, but it's not in the US for sure and that's where I am:

Redemption in Indigo"



I am not sure where the book is set. All the websites say that she is from Barbados so she is a Caribbean author. But then is says that it is a retelling of a Seneglese folk tale and is reminicent of a village in West Africa. But I know that alot of the Caribbean used West African slaves. I would say if you can't pin down an exact location mention the above when you post and for your second choice pick someplace other than North America (Caribbean) and Africa.

So I am saying yes you can read it. Sorry it took so long I was checking out other websites to see if I could find an exact location.

Bluemoon wrote: "Karen GHHS wrote: "Would this work? The location is kind of general - it's listed as Caribbean literature, but it's not in the US for sure and that's where I am:

Redemption in Indigo"

Excellent and thank you. I appreciate your help!


I am not ..."

Would The Handmaid's Tale work for B? It is classified as "Science Fistion > Dystopia".

Bea wrote: "Would The Handmaid's Tale work for B? It is classified as "Science Fistion > Dystopia"."



On Goodreads the setting is the US. So if you don't live in the US then yes it works if you borrow it.

Bluemoon wrote: "On Goodreads the setting is the US. So if you don't live in the US then yes it works if you b..."

Oh, shoot! I forgot about that part of the task requiremnet.

Just double-checking on my choices as they are non-fiction. I'm in the US by the way, so I'm going with Asia and Europe as the continents.

A. A book recommended by my Goodreads friend (and real-life mom!) - Ghost Train to the Eastern Star by Paul Theroux. This is a memoir chronicling a long train journey throughout Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

B. A book I borrowed from the library - How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain de Botton. This is a biography of Marcel Proust (French writer) by a Swiss European. I think it can be said that this book "takes place" in Europe because it describes Proust's life which took place entirely in France.

Do these choices sound good?

I will read A Farewell to Arms, which is set in Iraly (Europe). I am in the USA. I will borrow it from the library - option B.

Bucket wrote: "Just double-checking on my choices as they are non-fiction. I'm in the US by the way, so I'm going with Asia and Europe as the continents.

A. A book recommended by my Goodreads friend (and real-li..."



Ghost Train certainly works. Proust will work as long as it focuses in some part on his life not all in theories in how he can improve your life.

Bea wrote: "I will read A Farewell to Arms, which is set in Iraly (Europe). I am in the USA. I will borrow it from the library - option B."



That works.

Bluemoon wrote: "Bucket wrote: "Just double-checking on my choices as they are non-fiction. I'm in the US by the way, so I'm going with Asia and Europe as the continents.

A. A book recommended by my Goodreads frie..."

Thanks Bluemoon. Having paged through How Proust Can Change Your Life, it looks like it's about 1/3 biography of Proust and 2/3 memoir of Alain de Botton who grew up in Switzerland and lives in London. Both bits take place in Europe so it looks like it's going to fit the task. Thanks for your help!

Bucket wrote: "Bluemoon wrote: "Bucket wrote: "Just double-checking on my choices as they are non-fiction. I'm in the US by the way, so I'm going with Asia and Europe as the continents.

A. A book recommended by ..."




Your welcome. Enjoy your trip!!

Hi my friend - great task!

For Beg: I read as Deanna's recommendation - Australia

For Borrow: I'm reading The Tiger's Wife set in what could only be the former Yugoslavia. It says so on GR book page, though the exact setting isn't ever said. I do recognize a couple of towns I was in when I visited Croatia and Serbia.

Will work?

Thanks :-P

Anne (Booklady) wrote: "Hi my friend - great task!

For Beg: I read as Deanna's recommendation - Australia

For Borrow: I'm reading The Tiger's Wife set in what could only be the former Yugo..."


Yes it works for Europe. Glad you like the task.

Who counts as a moderator for this task (for option C)? Just Cynthia, Dlmrose, Sandy, & Kristi (Passion for the Page) - or anyone with a 30 point task?

Mrs.soule wrote: "Who counts as a moderator for this task (for option C)? Just Cynthia, Dlmrose, Sandy, & Kristi (Passion for the Page) - or anyone with a 30 point task?"



Just Cynthia, Dlmrose, Sandy and Kristi.

Thank you! (and thank you moderators for shelving books by continent!) :-)

Love this challenge! I'm planning to read Identity (France, Europe) for A and The Kite Runner (Afghanistan, Asia) for B.

Will The Kite Runner be okay even if part of it takes place in California (and I live in the US)?

Kara wrote: "Love this challenge! I'm planning to read Identity (France, Europe) for A and The Kite Runner (Afghanistan, Asia) for B.

Will The Kite Runner be okay even if part of it takes place in California (..."



Sorry it took so long. We were changing internet service at home and it has been a very busy night at work.

I am probably one of the only 5 people who have not read this book yet so I don't know how much takes place where. I would say as long as a majority of the book takes place outside the US it is OK.

Perfect--thanks! I'm only halfway through, but so far, only about 1/4 has taken place in the US.

Will the book my sister-in-law just gave me work for "beg"? That is assuming enough of it takes place in Ireland - hard to tell from the description.

Sue T wrote: "Will the book my sister-in-law just gave me work for "beg"? That is assuming enough of it takes place in Ireland - hard to tell from the description."



If you asked her for a recommendation and she gave you the book then yes it will work. If she expects it back it works for borrowed. If it was a gift that you did not ask for then I am sorry no it won't work.

If you asked her for a recomm..."

Nope, she just handed to me out of the blue, don't know if she wants it back. I'll try and find another place for it.

A very late clarification, please. If I live in the United States, can I read a book set in Mexico? (Same continent, different country)