Around the World discussion

After the giant slab of baked Finnish pancake I finished Midnight Robber. I was sure at the halfway point this was going to be a 5 star for me, but unfortunately, again, the ending slipped for me.

But if you want a scifi absolutely dripping with Caribbean culture and with amazing world building, I recommend it. I'll be checking out more of her stuff.
Review: http://rusalkii.blogspot.com.au/2013/...

Rusalka wrote: "Jenny. My mouth thanks you, but I do not think my thighs nor belly do. We have a huge Pannukakku taking up half the fridge...."

Ha, I'm an enabler then! You can see why I baked it and promptly brought it into work!

Also, I read Sister Mine by Nalo Hopkinson earlier this year and really enjoyed it, although it wasn't around the world as the sisters were living in Canada, if I remember right.

Jenny wrote: "Rusalka wrote: "Jenny. My mouth thanks you, but I do not think my thighs nor belly do. We have a huge Pannukakku taking up half the fridge...."

Ha, I'm an enabler then! You can see why I baked it ..."

*grumble* damn you and your smarts.

I will definitely try her again, and I saw you liked Sister Mine so it's been added to the (neverending) list :D

I've just been in the Pacific with A Furnace Afloat: The Wreck of the Hornet and the Harrowing 4,300-mile Voyage of Its Survivors which I enjoyed very much. This is the story of The Hornet, a clipper which was destroyed by fire after just having crossed the equator on her way to San Francisco after having rounded Cape Horn.

Vizara, quite a trip and I agree, a good book!

Have been in Iraq today with The Yellow Birds which I finished in one sitting. Amazing book about the war, very descpritive proze, at times poetic.

I finishedA Constellation of Vital Phenomena, which so many like....except me, it seems. I explain why in my review:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I have begun Americanah, because I have liked other books by the author. Set in Nigeria primarily.

I was in Cuba with Graham Greene in his Our Man in Havana. The first half of the book is a funny and clever farce... but then he changes gears-- and well, in the end I didn't like it as much as I thought I would at first. Full review linked below:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Chrissie wrote: "I started Zeitoun, having been told it was non-fiction. Is it?

Look at this: http://www.edrants.com/dave-eggers-na......"

This looks like another case like Greg Mortenson whose relationship to the truth in Three Cups of Tea turned out to be not so very reliable. See http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles.... Hugely disappointing. I loved Zeitoun.

I was in Cambodia (Khmer Empire) with Temple of a Thousand Faces - disappointed. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I was in Russia for revolution, reading Pussy Riot!: A Punk Prayer for Freedom. I think it is an important read, and I gave it 5 stars. See how I called out the NSA in my review. This book makes me feel even more feisty than normal!

I just posted my review of Rivka's Warwhich takes place in Russia during World War I and Palestine which was still under Ottoman rule. You can find my review at http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

This was a fascinating read. I learned a great deal about both Russia and Palestine during this period.

Tricky isn't it, when popular authors come out with new books?! Will they be as good as the ones we have loved.

I finished Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
This is set in both Nigeria and in the US. Britain too.
Who hasn't read Half of a Yellow Sun? Just about everybody. For me that was a five star book.

And who hasn't read either The Kite Runner or A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini?! They are both must reads. Now I have begun his newest: And the Mountains Echoed.

I haven't read Half of a Yellow Sun yet. But I own it, so it's a start!

Jenny, the narration of Hosseini's has improved. I have edited my above remark. There are three separate narrators.

Lilisa wrote: "I was in Cambodia (Khmer Empire) with Temple of a Thousand Faces - disappointed. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."

I didn't care much for Beneath a Marble Sky earlier this year.

Shomeret wrote: "I just posted my review of Rivka's Warwhich takes place in Russia during World War I and Palestine which was still under Ottoman rule. You can find my review at http://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

After reading your review here and on your blog I will wait for the Kindle edition.

I was in North Korea as envisioned by Adam Johnson in The Orphan Master's Son--this years Pulitzer Prize winner. Horrifying, surreal, gripping. Full review linked below:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I have completed And the Mountains Echoed
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Now I need a non-fiction book. The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. If I like it, I will be happy b/c it is the first of a trilogy. Will it be as good as Mornings on Horseback?

Neither are for the challenge.

Chrissie - glad you more than half-way liked Americanah and And the Mountains Echoed! Haven't read the latter yet, but definitely on my list. I enjoyed The Kite Runner much better than A Thousand Splendid Suns. And I'm half way through Half of a Yellow Sun - it's been on my list forever and is my pick for my other book group for this month.

Lisa - I enjoyed The Orphan Master's Son as well - that is more than half way, I.e. 3 stars :-)

Vizara - yeah, Beneath a Marble Sky resonated with me but understand it isn't for everyone.

I just left Cambodia with [bookcover:In the Shadow of the Banyan|1305793a good read that will haunt you.

Here is my review:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Lilisa, I liked A Thousand Splendid Suns best, The Kite Runner got four stars from me and And the Mountains Echoed only three. It only got those three stars because I have to admit that by the end I was moved. I actually think Americanah was a better book than Hosseini's newest. I gave both three stars. However comparing books is very difficult; there are so many criteria.

I have finished Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I did not count this for the challenge because it is predominantly set in China. I have already read a book for China.

Now I will start One Fourteenth Of An Elephant. Learning more about the Burma-Thailand Railway is fascinating, and of course gripping. It being a biography draws me. Set in Burma and Thailand, but predominantly Thailand, I think. Maybe I will count it for the challenge.

I can finally cross off another book on my very slow world tour! I finished Dancer for Russia. Here is my review.

In May I was in Haiti with Graham Greene andThe Comedians. I also visited Iceland with Arnuldur Indridason andArctic Chill. My nonfiction visit to the USA was with Sara WheelerO My America!: Six Women and Their Second Acts in a New World

I just posted my review of The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo: A Novelby F.G. Haghenbeck

I liked many things about this book, but it also had a serious flaw.

See my review at http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I have completed The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. If you have any interests at all in books on Theodore Roosevelt, read this one. History and people can in fact be amusing to read. Some of the stuff this whirlwind of a guy did!!!!!
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

And now I will read TransAtlantic by my favorite author Colum McCann!

Then I will go and buy the next of the trilogy about Theodore: Theodore Rex

Chrissie wrote: "I have completed The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. If you have any interests at all in books on Theodore Roosevelt, read this one. History and people can in fact be amusing to read. Some of the stuff..."

Chrissie, I'm reading The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey. I'm fascinated by this man, I can't believe it took me so long to read about him.

Barbarac wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I have completed The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. If you have any interests at all in books on Theodore Roosevelt, read this one. History and people can in fact be amusing to read. ..."

Oh then you simply have to read the trilogy by Edmund Morris. The first is The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. This guy is unbelievable. I think this book is interesting not because he is becomes a president, but just because of his own peculiar/strange/energetic/bombastic self. He is a whirlwind and very egotistical, but amazingly clever and intelligent. I will very soon be reading the next in the trilogy: Theodore Rex. I just have to buy it.

Chrissie wrote: "Barbarac wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I have completed The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. If you have any interests at all in books on Theodore Roosevelt, read this one. History and people can in fact be ..."

I'm adding them to my TBR list. Since River of Doubt only covers part of his, life, I'm really going to want to go back in time and start at the beginning after this.

Barbarac, I just bought the second book. You are going to be so surprised at how good these are! Mornings on Horseback, I read ages ago and liked that too, but I absolutely loved The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. I really had a hard time finding any fault with it.

I completed One Fourteenth Of An Elephant
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
A difficult read, but if you want to know about the Burma-Thailand Railway read this. The author was there. He survived. (Set in Thailand)

Now I will begin The Hidden Will of the Dragon, because the first part was fun. I want to finish the story. It is about the infamous Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory. I am not sure at all how much of this story is true.... but there is an author's note at the end that will explain. My review of Dandelions in the Garden explains why I want to follow up with the second: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Set in Hungary.

I've just been to Malaysia with The Garden of Evening Mists. The descriptions are lovely. A lot, maybe too much, information to process in the book.

Gill wrote: "I've just been to Malaysia with The Garden of Evening Mists. The descriptions are lovely. A lot, maybe too much, information to process in the book."

Gill, I definitely had trouble with that book!

Chrissie wrote: "Gill wrote: "I've just been to Malaysia with The Garden of Evening Mists. The descriptions are lovely. A lot, maybe too much, information to process in the book."

Gill, I definitely had trouble wi..."
That's interesting. I really wanted to love the book and there were times eg the descriptions of the garden and the views, when I did. Did you finish reading it?

Left Nigeria behind in Half of a Yellow Sun. Not for those wanting to kick back, relax and enjoy a light read. It's an intense, gripping novel with complex levels, relationships and conflicts set against the backdrop of Nigeria's civil war. A great read. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Finally did a review for The Aviator's Wife that I read last month. My review:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Gill wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Gill wrote: "I've just been to Malaysia with The Garden of Evening Mists. The descriptions are lovely. A lot, maybe too much, information to process in the book."

Gill, I definite..."

No, I dumped it. There were too many things that were completely unbelievable, although I do agree the descriptions can be lovely. I am a very picky reader. I very rarely actually dump a book.

I just finished The Garden of Evening Mists last night too. I also loved it. but i am wondering, as I have seen you say you thought it was unbelievable a few times Chrissie (yours is actually the first review that comes up on my feed on the book) was there something particularly unbelievable to you?

I'm completely fine you not enjoying it (how boring a world it would be if we all liked the same things), just been thinking about that comment a bit.

Rusalka, the gardeners.....very unbelievable. I describe in more detail in my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I agree the writer does write beautifully sometimes, but I need a credible story, and it was way too melodramatic for me. I do not believe it was solely poor narration of the audio format that wrecked the book. I did not like the book itself.

I gave Tan Twan Eng's book The Gift of Rain three stars, so that was a good read. Not this latest, at least not for me.

Chrissie wrote: "Rusalka, the gardeners.....very unbelievable. I describe in more detail in my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I agree the writer does write beautifully sometimes, but I need..."

Oh I'm not having a go. I was just wondering. Thanks for narrowing it down. I thought I read through your whole review... but I obviously hadn't. Read first, ask questions later ;)

Rusalka wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Rusalka, the gardeners.....very unbelievable. I describe in more detail in my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I agree the writer does write beautifully some..."

Rusalka, others liked it.

I was with Dutch philosopher Spinoza, reading his Ethics. I read it because it was listed on Good Reading: A Guide for Serious Readers's "100 Significant Books." Not exactly fun, fun, fun--but a very significant, influential book. Full review linked below:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Judy wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Finally did a review for The Aviator's Wife that I read last month. My review:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."

I just finished it last week and really enjoyed it, Li..."

Oh good Judy!

Judy wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Finally did a review for The Aviator's Wife that I read last month. My review:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."

I just finished it last week and really enjoyed it, Li..."

Oh good Judy!

Just left 1979 Libya in Matar's In the Country of Men. It was well-written, vivid and gave a great picture of what it was like to live in that place and time. Otoh, I hated the young protagonist... Full review linked below:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Just left Florence, Venice and Istanbul in Dan Brown's Inferno. Enjoyed the light summer read! My review here:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Finished the second of the trilogy by Edmund Morris on Theodore Roosevelt: Theodore Rex.
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I will now continue on to the third volume: Colonel Roosevelt

Would I do that if I were not impressed? The above are audiobooks.

I gave up on The Hidden Will of the Dragon and moved on to Innocent Traitor. Both paper books.

Just been in Turkey with The Oracle of Stamboul. It was a light book, but I found it a very pleasant read.

I was just in the company of the seminal Swiss thinker Jean Jacques Rousseau with The Social Contract. It's actually believe it or not a fast, easy, and very quotable read, and one of the most influential works ever written, and in that sense I recommend it highly. I did rate it low though, because on Goodreads one star is supposed to mean you didn't like it, and I despised the message. Full review below:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...