Around the World discussion

Right and I was explaining my thinking as I pulled the master list together. Since everyone does it slightly differently, there were some things I could consolidate and others that were less able to be combined. More than anything, the list is for ideas and your own list determines your own plan. I'm sure all of us will tweak and change as we go!

Jenny, I think you are very talented to have been able to produce the master list given all our "varied definition"! :0)

OUTSTANDING!! This is my first time doing anything like this and I bow my head in wonder to the effort you put into this list and I without shame will look to it for helpo along the way!! Totally great!! Thank you for all your effort and time!

Stephanie wrote: "OUTSTANDING!! This is my first time doing anything like this and I bow my head in wonder to the effort you put into this list and I without shame will look to it for helpo along the way!! Totally g..."

It is something to behold, isn't it?

It really really is!! I would have had no idea as to where to start! I joined to challenge myself and then realized that part of the challenge would have been to try and figure out the making of the list alone! Oh my!

Stephanie wrote: "It really really is!! I would have had no idea as to where to start! I joined to challenge myself and then realized that part of the challenge would have been to try and figure out the making of th..."

And then there are recommendations listed by country.

What I do is click first on interesting titles for countries I'm interested in reading about... I ended up with a list of almost 100. The hardest part is narrowing down! But it doesn't matter if your list is long, because who knows what you'll be in the mood for once 2012 gets here. (welcome, Stephanie!)

I noticed a couple of people are reading Blindness. I just want everyone with an IPad, IPod, or IPhone to know that it is on sale for $2.99 at the IBookstore.

Thank you Jenny.

Looking forward to making the list and I also have a great librarian who loves a quest, she will be a great help if I get stuck.

Loved the book Blindness- José Saramago I read it a couple years ago.

Great list. I was in the middle of reading "The Sheltering Sky" when I joined the group. So I have just finished a recommended book addressing Morocco.

*phew* I just joined and I just tried to skip from one thread to another, trying to understand as much as I can in little time. I am sure this list is going to help a lot when I start putting up my list. This would sure expand my limitations.

Paras, welcome! I am respnding to your "phew"!

Don't be stressed. This group is bascially very, very simple. Make a list of 52 different countries with books either set in the respective country or where the author's nationality is of that country. You can even stretch things to fit your wishes. Even how you define countries is very flexible. YOU set the rules for your list. So do as you want.

Some have chosen books for the respective countries by choosing books from their own TBR shelf, or what they have sitting at home. This master list which Jenny made is very helpful and people have recommended books for different countries on separate threads. You do not have to make a complete list. You can start and fill in more as you go. My list has simply alternatives b/c I know I cannot decide now exactly what I will feel like reading then! You can make substitutions, deletions and addition. Just have fun making your list. And you know this list is just a goal, no one is going to clobber you if you do not read all of them........ Basically this is a nice place to meet people with similar book interests.

And ask if you need help for a given country. Someone is sure to have a suggestion!

Thanks a lot, Chrissie. :)

Paras, I didn't want you upset. It's nothing.

Welcome Paras :) I think my list is one of the smallests here and everyone was nice and encourged me :)

*****

I finally managed to open the lists (it seems I had technical problems before ) , that is a huge effort! thank you :D

Good stuff for cheating. :)

Phew! Thank you Jenny!!! I was busy making something similar and it was taking a lot of time. Thank goodness I came across yours before getting mad. Thanks to you I will have my list ready in no time. *Hugs*

Hi guys. Just joining. For what it is worth, I will be constructing my list with the following in mind: trying to maximize the number of reads that are from one of the three 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition lists, and trying to get at least 6 books different countries in each of N. America/Caribbean, S. and C. America, Europe, Asia/Middle East, Africa, and (the tough one) Oceania. Anyone trying to tackle the Bookcrossing 666 challenge can therefore work of the list as I am, and also 1001 Book addicts can pursue both goals. I will note 1001 designation and also region as I list books. I already did the 666 challenge this year, so I have used up a lot of really cool books already, but if anyone wants to see my list for that, it is at
http://tinyurl.com/beth6662011

People who thought I was nuts doing that will completely lose it when I tell them about this challenge!!!

Oh, and I designate books based on setting OR author nationality, so it is a little more flexible than some people probably want it...

Hey! Just wanted to point a glitch, Kashmir is not another country but a part of India.

Beth wrote: "Hi guys. Just joining. For what it is worth, I will be constructing my list with the following in mind: trying to maximize the number of reads that are from one of the three [book:1001 Books You Mu..."
Welcome Beth! You are among listmaking friends here. Sounds like you are being ambitious. :)

And you can be as flexible as you want.

We cheat a bit in this group so that we can read more books from a certain region. For instance, Tibet is part of China, but some people, including me, have detached Tibet from China so that I can read Far Pavillions and another choice from China. Same goes for Israel. We have both Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

From The World Factbook on cia.gov:
"Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; India and Pakistan have maintained their 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region..."

It is a territory occupied by three nations....

Phew! Alright Anne and Jenny!

Pragya wrote: "Phew! Alright Anne and Jenny!"

Jenny really threw the book at you, huh? The World Factbook, that is. Hahahahaha

Muahahaha. I had found it in Wikipedia previously but that didn't seem like a solid enough reference. Considering that the United States government is not always the first to embrace nation changes (*cough* Palestine *cough*), I figured if they weren't calling it India we shouldn't either.

But really, the reason I want to keep it separate is closer to Anne's reason... I found a book set there that I really want to read in addition to my India/China/Pakistan choices. *blush*

Anne wrote: "Pragya wrote: "Phew! Alright Anne and Jenny!"

Jenny really threw the book at you, huh? The World Factbook, that is. Hahahahaha"

Yes, she did. Poor me! Got off the wrong foot!

Jenny wrote: "Muahahaha. I had found it in Wikipedia previously but that didn't seem like a solid enough reference. Considering that the United States government is not always the first to embrace nation chang..."

I agree with you. But having fought for Kashmir for so long now, it is a sensitive issue.

Pragya wrote: "I agree with you. But having fought for Kashmir for so long now, it is a sensitive issue. "
Tell me more?

Pragya wrote: "Anne wrote: "Pragya wrote: "Phew! Alright Anne and Jenny!"

Jenny really threw the book at you, huh? The World Factbook, that is. Hahahahaha"

Yes, she did. Poor me! Got off the wrong foot!"
You're completely on the right foot.

Well, Kashmir and Pakistan were part of a country named Hindustan. Then some Muslims started fight over another nation and so formed Pakistan and India. Then Pakistan started fighting over taking away Kashmir from India and so the fights, the wars, the terrorism..it's endless. Pakistan still has a part of Kashmir but in order to stop the endless violence, India has decided to let things be as they are, in return for the fact that Pakistan will not encroach more but well, you never know when the war will really end. India doesn't want to let go of Kashmir because it is the crown of India and has always been a part of India. Pakistan wants it because it has a major Muslim population and in order to encroach upon more area. As a result, the people in Kashmir tend to suffer the most, being neither here nor there. Now the muslims in kashmir want another country by themselves called 'Greater Kashmir'. It's a mess really. Thankfully, after years of turbulence this has been the safest year in Kashmir and hence the most tourist-crazy. If you want to see Kashmire, so called Heaven on Earth, now is the right time. So much for my blabbering, but you asked me ;)

I love how geopolitics and literature are so interwoven. Reading is such a political act!!!!

Don't worry Pragya. There's little possibility of being on the wrong foot here. This is a very accepting group. That's why we open borders of countries too. We want everything to be read.

I would say there is a huge difference between "official information" and information from people who live the conflict. Thanks for sharing, and I hope I didn't offend. Maybe we can all celebrate the calmest year in a while by reading something set in that region.

Jenny wrote: "I would say there is a huge difference between "official information" and information from people who live the conflict. Thanks for sharing, and I hope I didn't offend. Maybe we can all celebrate t..."

Great idea, Jenny.

Pragya, how wonderful it is to hear your views on the Indian Kashmire conflict. You have a deeper insight living closer to the problem. Learning through books is great, but not as good as being there on the spot! I very much appreciated Indian Summer: The Secret History of the End of an Empire. How was this book viewed in India? Do you know of it? This is why I gave the book five stars: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/.... This book might be of interest to others. A very interesting part of the book was how the borders were drawn. After reading this book you understand the problems that have resulted.

Jenny, I found this book interesting, but I am no expert.

Pragya wrote: "Well, Kashmir and Pakistan were part of a country named Hindustan. Then some Muslims started fight over another nation and so formed Pakistan and India. Then Pakistan started fighting over taking a..."

Umm.. Can I amend that Pakistan, India, Kashmir, Bangladesh and much part of Afghanistan was part of Hindustan. The main conflict rouse with the colonialism of the land [mostly by British but some areas were occupied by others]. Whether it was muslims or hindus or chistians, everyone at first was fighting for their land. But then muslims and hindu seprated their ways because hindus were given priorities over muslims [or as they say in muslim sources]it is said that policy of British is divide and conquer and thus this division and separation { i have read it many times but I would still like to read more to say that its a historical fact, for now, for me, its one of the perspective]

Well, there you go with the division. Afghanistan got separated earlier than all and the other land [south Asia] fought for longer period of time where people just wanted their land back and many of Muslims wanted a separate state for themselves.

For Kashmir, its unfortunate, Pakistani sources say that they were promised Kashmir and then they were cheated and given it to India even when their are more Muslims there while Indian sources say that they were given the land and so its theirs.

I just wrote it to put right a few things and provide a bit more details from what I have read from different sources and I tried to be as neutral as possible. I hope Pragya that you wont see it as a Pakistani-Indian fight because really, I don't have that in mind and never would. History and reading is love :)

I would like kashmir to be a separate entity altogether for reading as nepal/tibet. :)

I also hope I didnt offend anyone by jumping and giving more details :D

Jenny wrote: "I would say there is a huge difference between "official information" and information from people who live the conflict. Thanks for sharing, and I hope I didn't offend. Maybe we can all celebrate t..."

Nice idea Jenny, I would love a recommendation. Wait I still haven't gone through the master list completely. Thats great work, compiling all this :)

Paras, thanks for voicing your pov too.

Jenny wrote: "I would say there is a huge difference between "official information" and information from people who live the conflict. Thanks for sharing, and I hope I didn't offend. Maybe we can all celebrate t..."

No, you didn't offend at all. Sure, would love to celebrate!

Chrissie wrote: "Pragya, how wonderful it is to hear your views on the Indian Kashmire conflict. You have a deeper insight living closer to the problem. Learning through books is great, but not as good as being the..."

I haven't read the book. But will give it a reading now. Didn't heard of it before. But this reminds me of a well known book. Tamas

Paras wrote: "Pragya wrote: "Well, Kashmir and Pakistan were part of a country named Hindustan. Then some Muslims started fight over another nation and so formed Pakistan and India. Then Pakistan started fightin..."

Thank you for putting right some facts. No, I am not looking at it as a Pakistan-India conflict. I just wish for the war to end so that both countries live in peace.

Pragya, thank you for the tip. I have added that to my shelves. Indian Summer is so well written. It does not read like boring non-fiction.

Jenny,
I have The Far Pavilions on my list under Tibet. Not sure where I got that Idea - think it's a stretch. I am taking it off my list under Tibet and putting it back in under India.

I just thought of a book for Iran. Prisoner of Tehran: A Memoir. A wonderful book! I finished this in one night. The author lives in Toronto and spoke to our women's group while I was living in Canada. It became a book club selection soon after. Don't know if anyone is adding to the list, or if I can add myself but I think this should be added for Iran.

Anne wrote: "Jenny,
I have The Far Pavilions on my list under Tibet. Not sure where I got that Idea - think it's a stretch. I am taking it off my list under Tibet and putting it back in under India."
You got it.

Hello, fellow challengers! Please, visit my challenge's group at http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/5....
I'd love to have the support you're getting here!

Jenny, I've Added The Septembers of Shiraz for Iran and removed To the Lighthouse for Scotland.

Jenny wrote: "Thank you, Jenny."

Jenny, not sure what you need from me to work with the master list, but my list is done (with links now).

Beth wrote: "Jenny, not sure what you need from me to work with the master list, but my list is done (with links now)."

Great Beth! I'm at a conference still today but will probably take a look tomorrow.