Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Who's up for a little armchair-travelling? There's a wide variety of cultures along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Sovereign Countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Algeria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Morocco, Montenegro, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey

Autonomous Territories: Gibraltar, Ceuta and Melilla, Mount Athos, Akrotiri and Dhekelia, The Gaza Strip

ATY Listopia https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

What are you reading for this prompt and where is it set?

I am going to finally read The Odyssey which takes place in various ancient countries and islands in the Mediterranean.

I'm reading Barcelona Dreaming for a book actually set by the Mediterranean and also The Convert which is set in France, Sicily and the Middle East.

If I don't read The Paris Apartment before then, then that's my plan. My second option is One Italian Summer.

I plan to read another book (set in Italy) by Elena Ferrante, either The Story of the Lost Child or The Lying Life of Adults.

I think I'll read The Heatwave by Kate Riordan, which is set in the south of France directly on the Mediterranean.

I planned to read My Brilliant Friend this year, for the author from continental Europe. However, earlier today on a total whim, I picked up The Mysterious Flame Of Queen Loana. So now I'll count that for continental author and defer My Brilliant Friend for next year's challenge (and we'll see if it gets read then - I keep pushing it off for a few years now).

I want to find a book set in Spain so a hunting I will go! 😊

Joanna wrote: "I planned to read My Brilliant Friend this year, for the author from continental Europe. However, earlier today on a total whim, I picked up [book:The Mysterious Flame Of Queen Loan..."

i love that series and have one more to finish!

I'll be reading The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. It's set in Barcelona, I wanted something in a Mediterranean city, not a location away from the sea in country that bordered the Mediterranean.

I've never read any Agatha Christie books, so I think I'm going to read Death on the Nile (found on the Listopia list). I'm trying to read more outside my typical genres of romance and horror.

I'm planning to read Garden by the Sea by Mercè Rodoreda, translated from Catalan.

Jill wrote: "I want to find a book set in Spain so a hunting I will go! 😊"

Jill, I have three on my list I can recommend:
Garden by the Sea
When I Sing, Mountains Dance
Four by Four

all are translated

Gail W wrote: "Jill wrote: "I want to find a book set in Spain so a hunting I will go! 😊"

Jill, I have three on my list I can recommend:
Garden by the Sea
[book: When I Sing, Mountains Dance|576..."

These first two sounds great to me. Thanks gail

Gail W wrote: "Jill wrote: "I want to find a book set in Spain so a hunting I will go! 😊"

Jill, I have three on my list I can recommend:
Garden by the Sea
[book: When I Sing, Mountains Dance|576..."

Thank you!

The book I'd like to read, The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca, is set in Casablanca, Morocco. While Morocco is technically a Mediterranean country, Casablanca is on the Atlantic side of the Strait of Gibraltar, so isn't a Mediterranean city. I think since the prompt just refers to the country, and since I see several people choosing to read books set in Paris, which is in a Mediterranean country, but nowhere near the actual sea, that my book set in Casablanca should be ok. Shall I just count this as KIS option?

I like to use geography prompts to get outside my box and read from countries I haven't read much before. Two options I'm looking at are The Ardent Swarm, set in Tunisia, and An Unnecessary Woman, set in Lebanon. They are also both written by people from those countries, and the former was also translated to English.

Tracy wrote: "The book I'd like to read, The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca, is set in Casablanca, Morocco. While Morocco is technically a Mediterranean country, Casablanca is on the Atlantic..."

Morocco borders the Mediterranean Sea, so your choice fits the prompt with no KIS necessary. I really enjoyed that book, by the way.

Dixie wrote: "Tracy wrote: "The book I'd like to read, The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca, is set in Casablanca, Morocco. While Morocco is technically a Mediterranean country, Casablanca is o..."

Thanks Dixie — glad to hear that I have made a choice that is enjoyable. That of course is always my intent, but sometimes I find my guess is off. Really looking forward to this even more now!

Ive discovered I own a few that have been on my radar so dont need to go digging:
(Malllorca, Spain)
(Malta)
(Italy)

Chrissy wrote: "I like to use geography prompts to get outside my box and read from countries I haven't read much before. Two options I'm looking at are The Ardent Swarm, set in Tunisia, and [book:..."

Both of those are on my tbr too!

I'm planning to read The Song of Achilles. This will be my second book by the author. I have heard so many good reviews of this book and am looking forward to reading it.

I'm gonna use this chance to read more Turkish authors from my library or in audiobook form!

A few possibles:

- I'm Not Scared by Niccolò Ammaniti (Italy)
- Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter by Simone de Beauvoir (France)
- The Braid by Laetitia Colombani (Italy)
- My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (Italy)
- The Map of Salt and Stars by Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar (Syria)
- An Unsafe Haven by Nada Awar Jarrar (Lebanon)
- The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri (Syria)
- 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak (Turkey)

I'm going to read Ein letzter Sommer in Méjean ("One Last Summer in Méjean"), which is set in a French fishing village on the Mediterranean coast. I've been ogling that book for over year now.

I read Quietly in Their Sleep by Donna Leon
This is from the Brunetti series, which is set in Venice.

I just finished A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway, set mainly in France. I don't know why it took me so long to read this fascinating memoir of Hemingway's early days in France in the raucous 1920's, but better late than never. His descriptions of café life and the trials and tribulations of becoming a writer (prior to publishing his first novel) were riveting. He was married, poor, but happy, as he discovers his true calling. Come for all of that, but stay for the name dropping and juicy tidbits about the artists of the Lost Generation.

For this prompt, I read:
Forbidden Notebook by Alba de Céspedes - 3.5* - My Review (Italy)

I'm going to read Death on the Nile. I'm also trying to finish an Agatha Christie challenge and love to double- (or triple, or quadruple..) dip on my books

I read For Whom the Bell Tolls for this prompt. Set in Spain during the Spanish Civil War (which I knew almost nothing about, prior to reading this).

Of course, I picked it because of the song by Metallica.

I just finished The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe which is set in France and Italy. Key settings include a manor house on the Languedoc coast, Venice, and high in the Apennines where the Mediterranean is occasionally visible as a pale blue line on the horizon.

This book, which launched Gothic romantic fiction as a popular genre in the late 18th Century, is a ride: at times spooky, hand-wringingly sentimental, and very, very long.

My full review is here.

I read The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell (takes place partially in France)

by Françoise Sagan.

I read The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. Takes place in France and Spain (not the most original countries I know but I needed a slot for this book)

I read The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery for this one. This book gets so much god press and is on all kinds of "must read" lists, but I found it "meh" at best. Oh well.

Turkey

✔ - 07Mar24
The Oracle of Stamboul – Michael David Lukas – 4****
This work of historical fiction takes us to 19th-century Stamboul, seat of the Ottoman Empire (now, Istanbul, Turkey). Eleanora Cohen, a child prodigy, becomes a trusted advisor to the Sultan. She’s intelligent and an astute observer, but she is only a child. Still, she will have to rely on her own gifts to make her way. On the whole, I found this novel atmospheric and enchanting.
LINK to my full review

I didn't do the best job of planning for this prompt so was stuck with a selection of books I wasn't all that excited for. After started and deciding not to continue with 4 books I ended up reading French Milk. I have enjoyed other graphic novels by Lucy Knisley but this one was a bit hindered by her age and lack of awareness of her privilege. I still enjoyed her art work and there were moments I appreciated about her eating and traveling in Paris. I also had to appreciate this was the dawn of the smart phone so those were not present. I sometimes miss those days.

I would recommend:
The Red Notebook
The Vacationers
The Paris Apartment

I Read:
Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters

BIO: A book that takes place in two or more countries (Italy and Egypt)
REJECT: A book related to the theme of a Las Vegas hotel (Luxor)

Finished: 04/18/2024
Rating: 3.5 stars

I read The Guncle Abroad. 5 stars

I read The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri for this topic as it is set on Cyprus. Read June 3rd; 3*

I read Adventures in Morocco from the Souks to the Sahara , an interesting book , describing the author's visits to various places in Morocco. The author first became interested in Morocco by running the Marathon des Sables, in which participants run 250km across the Sahara over 6 days. My first thought was Why? She (Alice Morrison settled in Morocco, and speaks Arabic fluently, which gives the book more insight than some travelogues.

I also read The Convert, set mainly in the south of France, although the MC journeys to Egypt. A fascinating story, which I enjoyed although (view spoiler)[ I would have liked a happier ending (hide spoiler)]

I read The Late Monsieur Gallet by Georges Simenon. This book is set in France.

I read The Instrumentalist set in Italy, Venice to be precise. It is a really good read

Marie (UK) wrote: "I read The Instrumentalist set in Italy, Venice to be precise. It is a really good read"

It looks good Marie. I just created my 2025 tbr shelf and this is the first book on it! I hope the art, music, dance, acting prompt gets in on this week’s ballot.

I can highly suggest Still Life by Sarah Winman for this prompt. Absolutely lovely book. Partially set in England, but mostly in Florence, Italy.

Tracy wrote: "I can highly suggest Still Life by Sarah Winman for this prompt. Absolutely lovely book. Partially set in England, but mostly in Florence, Italy.

I second that recommendation. A life affirming book.

The book I chose for his prompt

sweet and short: 5.0
This book was once on my DNF list, The shock and surprise that i encountered when reading this book was insane. I kept wondering what this lady had to tell this mix girl. Evelyn should have just took that to her grave. To have Monique question everything in the end was insane work. 5 stars bc I didn't see the twist coming. Another book finished in one day.

I am reading Cartes Postale from Greece by Victoria Hislop. Set in Greece.