Around the World in 80 Books discussion

i'm almost done with The Dark Bride

next on the pile is Stone of Kings: In Search of the Lost Jade of the Maya (Guaetamala) and Playing the Moldovans at Tennis (Moldova)

I finished reading by Jodi Picoult last night and today I've begun reading by Tabitha Suzuma.

Ellie - I hope you like Forbidden, I read it earlier this year...I still need to write my review on it

I've finished by Tabitha Suzuma and now I'm reading by Janet Evanovich.

@Dee: Thanks! I did enjoy it. It really makes you think doesn't it?

it does...I went into it thinking no way was I going to like it and by the end of it, I wanted everything to work out for them

I started to read The Gathering by Anne Enright today.

I've just finished Hot Six by Janet Evanovich, now I'm reading Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

Just finished hearing 'Calling the grave' by Simon Beckett. Now I'm reading Isabelle Allende's 'My invented country: a nostalgic journey through Chile'.

Danielle wrote: "Just finished hearing 'Calling the grave' by Simon Beckett. Now I'm reading Isabelle Allende's 'My invented country: a nostalgic journey through Chile'."

I read My Invented Country: A Nostalgic Journey Through Chile a few months ago. I love the way Isabel Allende writes. Parts of the book made be want to pack my bags and head to Chile, other parts made me want to stay away.

I'm currently reading The Storyteller of Marrakesh. I'm enjoying the narrative, but finding the characters and dialogue unrealistic - it doesn't capture the read Morocco.

Donna wrote: "I'm currently reading The Storyteller of Marrakesh. I'm enjoying the narrative, but finding the characters and dialogue unrealistic - it doesn't capture the read Morocco."

What have been your favorite books set in Morocco?

My absolute favourite is 'The Sheltering Sky' by Paul Bowles. I also love Esther Freud's 'Hideous Kinky'.

Donna wrote: "My absolute favourite is 'The Sheltering Sky' by Paul Bowles. I also love Esther Freud's 'Hideous Kinky'."

I haven't read either yet, but the are both on my list of books to read.

I had to leave halfway My Name is Red because it was really boring and I was getting nervous reading this book!

@Diane: I didn't put it in my list of places where I have been seen that I haven't finished it. It was set in Turkey but I haven't added this country to my list. Have I done right?

Now I am reading War and Peace so I am again in Russia. I think I will never finish this challenge, I am always in the same countries :)

I've finished reading Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell last night and I absolutely loved it! Today I've started A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard.

Dely & Ellie, you are both reading some very long books!

I can't believe I haven't read Gone with the Wind Yet, especially since I live near where it is set. At 1000+ pages, it's a bit intimidating, though.

I'm currently reading , , and .

I'm about to embark on another Moroccan adventure - this time Dreams Of Trespass: Tales Of A Harem Girlhood by Fatima Mernissi. It's been on my to-read shelf for a long time, so I'm excited to begin. Also, the story centres around Fes, which is where my hubby is from, my 'home' city in Morocco - I love reading about places you know well! :)

I am currently in Haiti with Island Beneath the Sea and in Romania with The Dead Travel Fast.

Donna wrote: "I'm about to embark on another Moroccan adventure - this time Dreams Of Trespass: Tales Of A Harem Girlhood by Fatima Mernissi. It's been on my to-read shelf for a long time, so I'm excited to beg..."

Oooh, let me know what you think of this one!

Bluemoon wrote: "I am currently in Haiti with Island Beneath the Sea and in Romania with The Dead Travel Fast."

Loved Island Beneath the Sea! I thought I had The Dead Travel Fast, but I actually have The Dead Travel Fast: Stalking Vampires from Nosferatu to Count Chocula. Both sound interesting.

I'm reading the latest book, Deadlocked, in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris.

i'm reading I Am Forbidden: A Novel - which is set in Transylanvania/Romania - pretty good so far - about the Satmar jews - i've never read anything about them before

Dee wrote: "i'm reading I Am Forbidden: A Novel - which is set in Transylanvania/Romania - pretty good so far - about the Satmar jews - i've never read anything about them before"

That looks really good.

I finished Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris this afternoon and now I'm reading White Oleander by Janet Fitch.

its pretty good so far - i also just requested Every Day, Every Hour: A Novel (Croatia) - it was mentioned in this month's debut author profile

Diane wrote: "Dee wrote: "i'm reading I Am Forbidden: A Novel - which is set in Transylanvania/Romania - pretty good so far - about the Satmar jews - i've never read anything about them before"

That looks reall..."

Dee wrote: "its pretty good so far - i also just requested Every Day, Every Hour: A Novel (Croatia) - it was mentioned in this month's debut author profile

Diane wrote: "Dee wrote: "i'm reading I Am Forbidden..."

You're such a cutting edge reader, Dee. I need to pay more attention to new releases.

i found it purely by accident today when I was procrastinating at work...it was one of those days...lol!

i do like GR's latitude one - where they pick a different country each month and then a book from it - I found a book for Bangladesh that i am going to read

Dee wrote: "i do like GR's latitude one - where they pick a different country each month and then a book from it - I found a book for Bangladesh that i am going to read"

I haven't checked it out in a few months, they've probably covered quite a few countries by now. I wish they made cool features like that more obvious on Goodreads. There are so many cool things that get buried with all the modifications.

ditto...although it is in the monthly newsletter...maybe we could start a thread for the latitude one and post it each month - with other suggestions for books in that country...

Dee wrote: "ditto...although it is in the monthly newsletter...maybe we could start a thread for the latitude one and post it each month - with other suggestions for books in that country..."

That's a great idea, Dee! Would you like to be in charge of this?

I am now reading The Polished Hoe (Barbados), The Oath (Chechnya), and Hunger (Norway). The first I'm having a hard time getting into, but the other two are really good.

sure can - i can throw it up in June when the new month is released

Reading for Mongolia.

i liked that one Ian - I need to read/listen to the second one - but they changed the narrator - which drives me nuts

Dee wrote: "sure can - i can throw it up in June when the new month is released"

Thanks, Dee!

I'm enjoying it Dee - historical fiction not usually my cup of tea and not sure I'll read beyond this first one in the series, but it's a nice and easy unchallenging bedtime read.

I've just started reading Anna Karenina. I didn't realize it's over 800 pages!

I keep intending to read War and Peace, but the Russians do tend to go on a bit.

Aini wrote: "I've just started reading Anna Karenina. I didn't realize it's over 800 pages!"

Long, but well worth it.

Ian wrote: "I keep intending to read War and Peace, but the Russians do tend to go on a bit."

That, or Ulysses, will be my next huge book.

yeah - i'm not that motivated...it took me nearly a month to read a russian author for Kyrgstan - that was enough for me for a while ;)

Dee wrote: "yeah - i'm not that motivated...it took me nearly a month to read a russian author for Kyrgstan - that was enough for me for a while ;)"

I have that book (The Place of the Skull) and I keep procrastinating about reading it. I have yet to read anything from Kyrgyzstan. I do enjoy Russian literature quite a bit, though.

i liked it, but it was deep...maybe 1 russian author a year will be a good goal ;)

Dee wrote: "i liked it, but it was deep...maybe 1 russian author a year will be a good goal ;)"

That's a reasonable goal.

Dee wrote: "i liked it, but it was deep...maybe 1 russian author a year will be a good goal ;)"

LOL
I love Russian literature, I would only read Russians!

I am reading Empires of the Indus by Alice Albania. Now this is a non-fictional narrative about the history and politics of the areas around the River Indus, mostly modern day Pakistan, India and Afghanistan! love the narrative. And it is very gripping as far as non-fiction goes. I do have some problems with her analysis, though. But i am going to wait till I finish it to give a definitive verdict on that!

dely wrote: "Dee wrote: "i liked it, but it was deep...maybe 1 russian author a year will be a good goal ;)"

LOL
I love Russian literature, I would only read Russians!"

It would be easy to do, since there are so many wonderful Russian authors. My four favorites (so far) are Ivan Turgenev, Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and Mikhail Lermontov.

Diane wrote: "It would be easy to do, since there are so many wonderful Russian authors. My four favorites (so far) are Ivan Turgenev, Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and Mikhail Lermontov. "

Yes, I have still so many to read! It is always the same problem: too many books, little time.
Try also Nikolai Gogol and Ivan Bunin.