Around the World discussion

I just finished a trip to pre-World War II colonial Kenya--through the eyes of Beryl Markham, aviator, horse-trainer, and adventurer. Gorgeous, gorgeous, lyrical prose. Review linked below:

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

I haven't read anything new, but I made spinach-feta börek from Turkey, thought I'd share. :)

Others may like Speaks the Nightbird, but not me. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Then I tried The Bloodletter's Daughter and after a chapter or two I dumped that too. Let's put it this way, the style of writing was not to my taste. I have seen and loved the French film version of A Very Long Engagement. I was just learning French when I saw this. I feel reading the book will clarify what I didn't understand. I have already begun it, and I am satisfied that this will be a keeper.

Judy wrote: "Third times a charm, Chrissie? Glad you found one that works for you. :-)"

I sure hope this one stays good. Reading bad books is upsetting.

Jenny wrote: "I haven't read anything new, but I made spinach-feta börek from Turkey, thought I'd share. :)"

Mmmmm...I will have to make that one of these days. That looks tasty!

I just finished Never Fall Down, which is a YA novel based on the early life of Arn Chorn-Pond, who was a child during the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Really horrifying. It was a 5-star read for me though. Here's my review.

Lilisa wrote: "Traveled to Iraq with The Yellow Birds, then moved east to sweltering Mumbai to experience Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity. The former filled with poetic ..."

Hi lilisa

Did you like yellow birds? I want to read it, but I am a little nervous that it is graphic and heart wrenching. Btw, did you get you questions answered about how to link etc.

Lurk42 wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Traveled to Iraq with The Yellow Birds, then moved east to sweltering Mumbai to experience Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity. The former fill..."

Lurk42 - is that your real name :-)? -- yes, I did enjoy The Yellow Birds. My review in the link here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... - It is a bit graphic given the story and setting but wasn't gory - at least not for me, but for others it may be. You'll have to let me know if you do decide to check it out. And, yes, thanks for asking, I think I'm figuring out how to post and link! I love this concept of traveling around the world - I was doing it on my own - and it's great to travel together with a whole lot of other folks! Besides, it's great to check out books others are reading as well and I've added a few to my To Read list.

Thanks Judy! Been into books since I was a kid and can't say it's any different as an adult - some things never change!

Jenny - I've read The Museum of Innocence and another one of Pamuk's books. Didn't enjoy them much. To me they are reminiscent of some Oscar-winning movie where you go "huh, really!" Anyone read Portrait of a Turkish Family? I read it last year and it's one I'd highly recommend.

Lilisa wrote: "Anyone read Portrait of a Turkish Family?"

Me, I absolutely adored it. I read it a couple of years ago and it was my favorite book for that year. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

finished my first two: Cutting for Stone and The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World. gotta select my next set of books to read today!

Chrissie wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Anyone read Portrait of a Turkish Family?"

Me, I absolutely adored it. I read it a couple of years ago and it was my favorite book for that year. My review: http://www.goodreads.com..."

I read it while on my trip to Turkey last year so I could get a sense of the Turkish culture. It was fun to walk across the Galata Bridge and take the ferry into Sariyer just so I could see the town, have lunch there, it was very cool.

Lilisa, I agree completely, that going to a place that you have met in a book is f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c!

Lurk, I liked Sharkskin. I f you want another for Egypt do check out Sipping from the Nile. They depict very different family situations, but I gave both four stars. Each is captivating in its own way. If you are interested, check out why I liked Nile: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I had a hard time understanding the confusing mystery in A Very Long Engagement, even after seeing the movie! I adored the French movie. Perhaps something has gone wrong in the translation and/or the narration of the audiobook. Read it in French if possible. My review explains more: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... This did not count for France since I have already read a book set there.

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I will now start Benjamin Franklin: An American Life. Guess where it is set. I will be reading it for the USA, of course!

Lilisa wrote: "Jenny - I've read The Museum of Innocence and another one of Pamuk's books. Didn't enjoy them much. To me they are reminiscent of some Oscar-winning movie where you go "huh, really!" Anyone read Portrait of a Turkish Family? I read it last year and it's one I'd highly recommend. ..."
I don't know that one but I'll add to my list. I have a galley for a book set in Istanbul immediately following ww2, The Dervish, but I haven't been very impressed by the writing.

Chrissie wrote: "I had a hard time understanding the confusing mystery in A Very Long Engagement, even after seeing the movie! I adored the French movie. Perhaps something has gone wrong in the translation and/or t..."

i loved that movie too. it's on my to-read list. did you like the other movies of the same director?

Lurk42 wrote: "i loved that movie too. it's on my to-read list. did you like the other movies of the same director?"

I don't know.... I am not organized enough to remember his name.

Chrissie wrote: "Lurk42 wrote: "i loved that movie too. it's on my to-read list. did you like the other movies of the same director?"

I don't know.... I am not organized enough to remember his name."

off the top of my head--he did amelie and delicatessean.

Lurk, I have not seen Delicatessan, but of course I ADORED Amelie!!!

Just completed Wolf Totem, another book for China. My review is here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....

I'm enjoying my multiple trips to China---this was quite different.

I thought I'd remind people to add the book(s) they've read to the group's bookshelfs.... just in case people are forgetting.

Janice wrote: "I thought I'd remind people to add the book(s) they've read to the group's bookshelfs.... just in case people are forgetting."
Thanks for the reminder Janice!

I didn't realise we could do that! Only 2013 books? Or should we add ones we ready in 2012 for this challenge too? In case people are looking for ideas?

I'd add everything! Half of what I look up is already there.

Actually when I get around to it, I think I'll add more for last year, my extras for various countries.

My thoughts too. But thought I should ask in case I was mucking around with a system. that'll keep me occupied for a bit.

Way back when we first started, we talked about each of us adding our books to the bookshelves so that people could use them as a resource. I thought that new people joining us this year may not know they are welcome to add their books.

If you have books from last year that aren't already on the shelves, feel free to add them too.

Ah I see. I think I went MIA for that part.

I traveled through Guinea Bissau and Burkina Faso with Mark Weston's The Ringtone and the Drum. My review is here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Sue wrote: "Just completed Wolf Totem, another book for China. My review is here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....

I'm enjoying my multiple trips to China---this was quite different."

Sue, I am glad to be reminded of this book. I bought it quite a while ago and it got lost among the piles. Will check out your review.

Friederike wrote: "Sue wrote: "Just completed Wolf Totem, another book for China. My review is here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....

I'm enjoying my multiple trips to China---this was quite different..."

It really is very different from other books I've read about China as it's centered on the nomadic life of Inner Mongolia. Very hard life.

Sue wrote: "Friederike wrote: "Sue wrote: "Just completed Wolf Totem, another book for China. My review is here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....

I'm enjoying my multiple trips to China---this ..."

Ah, I have a soft spot for descriptions of namadic life, wherever it is...:-)

I hope you enjoy it Friederike!

I've finished Of Love and Other Demons. My review is here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... . I enjoyed this and will read more Marquez in the future.

Just left Madagascar with Over the Lip of the World: Among the Storytellers of Madagascar. Honestly, I feel like I just started to get a sense of the place as I finished. It sounds beautiful and unique and hard to picture. My review is here... I only gave 3 stars but 3 is a solid "this book is fine" rating. I wanted to give it one more star because one poem resonated with me deeply, but that is more of a timing issue.

Left 14-year old June Elbus in Tell the Wolves I'm Home. Really enjoyed it - 4 stars! My review is here. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

So I started with Antarctica,At the Mountains of Madness, perhaps not a good choice when it's so cold outside. I would like to read more sci-fi, and this was my first book by H.P. Lovecraft. It was just alright, but I can see his books were the basis for very popular horror movie plots. My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Sue wrote: "I hope you enjoy it Friederike!" I'm currently reading a bio of Genghis Khan and it has a lot of detail about Mongolian nomadic life. You might like it Sue and Friederike. GR link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93...

Mansfield Park was fun for my recent literary visit to England. Even though it's not her best, Jane Austen is always good! My review is here:
http://coldread.wordpress.com/2013/01...

Suzanne wrote: "Mansfield Park was fun for my recent literary visit to England. Even though it's not her best, Jane Austen is always good! My review is here:
http://coldread.wordpress.com/2013/01......"

This one was my least favorite Austen, I think, but still worth reading.

Beth wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "Mansfield Park was fun for my recent literary visit to England. Even though it's not her best, Jane Austen is always good! My review is here:
http://coldread.wordpress.com/2013/01......"

This one was my least favorite Austen, I think, but still worth reading.
"

I think I'd agree, Mansfield Park or Emma, which I just hate, I can't help myself.

Yrinsyde wrote: "Sue wrote: "I hope you enjoy it Friederike!" I'm currently reading a bio of Genghis Khan and it has a lot of detail about Mongolian nomadic life. You might like it Sue and Friederike. GR link: http..."

Thanks.I'll check it out. Khan is mentioned frequently in Wolf Totem, where the comment is frequently made to how man and wolf were so linked in nomadic times. I never before thought this was a topic of particular interest to me but my world continues to expand.

Jenny wrote: "Beth wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "Mansfield Park was fun for my recent literary visit to England. Even though it's not her best, Jane Austen is always good!

This one was my least favorite Austen, I think, but still worth reading.
"

I think I'd agree, Mansfield Park or Emma, which I just hate, I can't help myself. "

Naww... it's my favourite.

I very highly recommend Benjamin Franklin: An American Life. There is much more to be known about this man than you think! It is not just for those interested in the founding fathers of America!
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...



I am going to stay in the US and read The Circus Fire: A True Story of an American Tragedy, because I want to read something by Stewart O'Nan! Then I will return to the founding fathers topic and read John Adams by the great author David McCullough. When you read a really good book, your reading lists don't decrease; they grow exponentially.

Chrissie wrote: "I very highly recommend Benjamin Franklin: An American Life. There is much more to be known about this man than you think! It is not just for those interested in the founding fathers of America!
M..."

Honestly, I'm afraid to even start getting into history and biography because I am afraid I'm going to drown in books. I do have Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation on audio which I bought in a weak moment... I'm really curious about the Franklin book, since I live in Philly where he is something of a lesser deity.

Chrissie wrote: "I very highly recommend Benjamin Franklin: An American Life. There is much more to be known about this man than you think! It is not just for those interested in the founding fathers of America!
M..."

Honestly, I'm afraid to even start getting into history and biography because I am afraid I'm going to drown in books. I do have Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation on audio which I bought in a weak moment... I'm really curious about the Franklin book, since I live in Philly where he is something of a lesser deity.

Beth, I only didn't add that title since I have a hard time getting my hands on it.

Just leaving Afghanistan after A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Loved it: http://bethslistlove.wordpress.com/20...

My review of Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald is here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...