Around the World discussion

Daisy wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Was in Hungary with The Invisible Bridge - loved it. My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Oh I remember loving that."

Daisy - It was great. I see you finished Burial Rites. I enjoyed it as well - 4 stars like you. It was a very interesting read. Didn't Agnes have a certain dignity?

Lilisa wrote: "Daisy wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Was in Hungary with The Invisible Bridge - loved it. My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Oh I remember loving that."

Daisy..."

Nicely said. Dignity. Yes.

Was in Australia, although I never would have known it, with The Rosie Project. Enjoyed it - endearing and entertaining. My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I got about halfway through this book and got distracted by other books. I will try it again one day. It's a worthwhile look at Georgia and an area of the former Soviet Union I know very little about. I recommend Stories I Stole.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Judy wrote: "Daisy, Stories I Stole looks like a great hodge podge of Georgian culture."

Even better is Wild East: Stories from the Last Frontier which is where I discovered Wendell Steavenson

Visited Jamaica with From Rum to Roots. It gave me a good flavor of Jamaica - enjoyed it. My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Was in Germany and France with All the Light We Cannot See. Unfortunately, it didn't do much for me. Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Was in Yemen with Henna House. A good read. My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I was in Ireland, probably, with Eimear McBride and her debut novel "A Girl Is A Half-Formed Thing". The review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Friederike wrote: "I was in Ireland, probably, with Eimear McBride and her debut novel "A Girl Is A Half-Formed Thing". The review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Good review Friederike.
Your impressions of the book are similar to mine, but you have expressed it much better than I could.

I have been to Albania (and US) with Elvira Dones' book Sworn Virgin. My review is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Have also visited Ireland (I presume) with Eimear McBride's novel A Girl Is A Half-Formed Thing. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Hello everyone. Am new to this group so here are a bunch of reviews that I am counting towards this challenge. I'll be posting them one at a time from now on though!

India: Behind the Beautiful Forevers - 5 stars
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Ivory Coast: Aya - 3 stars https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Niger: Harmattan - 4 stars
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Rwanda: Baking Cakes in Kigali - 2 stars
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sudan: Season of Migration to the North - 5 stars https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Uganda: All Our Names - 5 stars
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I still need to review The Painted Veil (China - will be 5 stars). Looking forward to being part of this group.

Nabse B

Welcome to the group Nabse! Nice reviews - I've added many of the books set in the African countries to my to read list.

Friederike wrote: "I have been to Albania (and US) with Elvira Dones' book Sworn Virgin. My review is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Have also visited Ireland (I presume) with Eimear McBride's..."

Sworn Virgin sounds interesting - thanks Friederike.

I finished The Book of Ebenezer Le Page set on Guernsey and reviewed it:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit...

I think there may be a few books which I have read, but not linked the reviews, so I will check.

I've just finished my visit to Eritrea with My Fathers' Daughter. Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (it's good!)

I danced on my tiptoes through Slovenia with Ballerina, Ballerina by Marko Sosič. I got an ARC from NetGalley, which I was happy about since there aren't many books set in that country, but I'm not sure it's the best book I've ever read.

It was a prize winner in Slovenia around 10 years ago, and the book is set to come out in the USA next week.

Hattie wrote: "I know nothing about Slovenia. Is the ballerina an adult or YA?"

My review explains all that but basically Ballerina is a 15 year old when the novel starts, but doesn't have regular adult cognitive development. The novel follows her until death.

I don't know if you can really count the country you're living in but I'm a bit behind on my challenge, so I am going to include the UK....

I've just finished Anfield of Dreams but Neil Dunkin. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... 4 stars. Even if you're a football fan, still worth a read just for the social history.

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I danced on my tiptoes through Slovenia with Ballerina, Ballerina by Marko Sosič. I got an ARC from NetGalley, which I was happy about since there aren't many book..."

Ballerina seems interesting.

As for my readings, I am now between Japan and Canada with A Tale for the Time Being

Also, in audio, I am checking Ireland with History of the Rain

Nabse wrote: "I don't know if you can really count the country you're living in but I'm a bit behind on my challenge, so I am going to include the UK....

I've just finished Anfield of Dreams but Neil Dunkin. M..."

Count away Nabse - it's pretty flexible here with no judging :-) it's whatever country you want to choose.

Got to travel to South Korea with Another Man's City by Choi In-Ho, part of the Library of Korean Literature, works from modern Korean writers being gradually translated into English. I hate the word Kafkaesque but that describes it. My review is here.

Was in Russia with Russian Winter. My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

I've just finished The Tall Man (link to my review below) which I found quite confronting as a southern Australian. Our interaction with indigenous Australians just isn't on the same planet as the (northern) context shown in this book. By page 12 I wanted to apologise.

It's an amazing and eye-opening book that details appalling Australian history and equally appalling aspects that exist in some of Australia. The death in police custody of Cameron Doomadgee (arrested for swearing!) is a tragedy and this deals with the ramifications, implications and following legal action in quite a bit of detail. It's an important book for Australians and an insight for others into our less-than-respectable history.

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

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Got to travel to South Korea with Another Man's City by Choi In-Ho, part of the Library of Korean Literature, works from modern Korean writers being gradually translated into Englis..."

I didn't know that there was a project to translate works into English, that is really interesting. Thanks for sharing your read and the info!

Kate wrote: "I've just finished The Tall Man (link to my review below) which I found quite confronting as a southern Australian. Our interaction with indigenous Australians just isn't on the same planet as the ..."

Thanks for mentioning Tall Man: The Death of Doomadgee Kate. I hadn't come across it at all. I remember that case all through the news. I will have to case it down.

Finished Married to Bhutan - well worth learning about life in Bhutan. My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Kate wrote: "I've just finished The Tall Man (link to my review below) which I found quite confronting as a southern Australian. Our interaction with indigenous Australians just isn't on the same planet as the ..."

Great review Kate - thanks. I googled to find out more about the incident - sad...

Yes, appalling. But it has bought about some changes to the treatment of people in custody and things like full video surveillance of stations. Which has to be a step forward.

I finally got my review written of Damon Galgut's In a Strange Room. The review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Excellent review Friedericke.

Little Lake for Armenia. It didn't grab me, but it's a replacement for an earlier Armenia book. It's short and available on Kindle.

Val wrote: "Excellent review Friedericke."

Thank you, Val. It is one of those books that will stay with me.

Friederike wrote: "I finally got my review written of Damon Galgut's In a Strange Room. The review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

I too enjoyed your review very much.

For my part, I was back in Ireland with History of the Rain. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

And to England with Maurice. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Meanwhile I was in Norway, reading The Blue Room by Hanne Orstavik. My review should be here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Was in ancient Syria and in New York City with The Golem and the Jinni. My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I've just finished Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter (Zimbabwe) - review here:

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

I finished Mãn by Kim Thúy for Vietnan. I loved it.

My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Thanks Nabse and Rosana - nice reviews - both books are right up my alley. Added them my bulging TBR list.

I've just recently finished A Constellation of Vital Phenomena in Chechnya. I haven't written a full review yet, only put a placeholder but I have to share with this group that it was possibly one of the best books I've read this year. I admit I knew next to nothing about Chechnya's history and its conflicts, but now I plan to learn more.

Barbarac wrote: "I've just recently finished A Constellation of Vital Phenomena in Chechnya. I haven't written a full review yet, only put a placeholder but I have to share with this group that it ..."

My in person book club is reading that this month!

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Barbarac wrote: "I've just recently finished A Constellation of Vital Phenomena in Chechnya. I haven't written a full review yet, only put a placeholder but I have to share with th..."

I've bought this and am really looking forward to reading it. The first line is amazing. Just got a couple of others to finish first....

Judy wrote: "Glad you liked it so much, Barbara. I read it last year and thoroughly enjoyed it."

Nabse wrote: "I've bought this and am really looking forward to reading it. The first line is amazing. Just got a couple of others to finish first.... "

I just wanted to say that I read it last year and was blown away by it however I had to take a considerable break in the middle and read other things because it was pretty heavy. Beautiful, sometimes funny, but difficult material. Fair warning!

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Judy wrote: "Glad you liked it so much, Barbara. I read it last year and thoroughly enjoyed

I agree Jenny. It's a very tough subject. I was also amazed that this was the author's first novel. Can't wait to read more by him.

So, has anyone read anything ever by this Nobel Prize winner? Never heard of him before.

No haven't read anything by Patrick Modiano and I've read quite a few books set during that time.

I am in the minority on A Constellation of Vital Phenomena - - I was looking forward to reading it but was quite disappointed when I read it last year. It lacked connectedness for me and the characters didn't come alive for me.

Lilisa wrote: "No haven't read anything by Patrick Modiano and I've read quite a few books set during that time."

I hadn't heard of him, which always happens on the Nobel for me.

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "No haven't read anything by Patrick Modiano and I've read quite a few books set during that time."

I hadn't heard of him, which always happens on the Nobel for me."

Me too and then if I have, I don't care for their books

I think I would have prefered Ngugi Wa Thiong'o to get it, or Haruki Murakami, or Assia Djebar, أسيا جبار, or Ismail Kadare, or Philip Roth.