Around the World discussion

Wow, just joined this group (and actually just found and joined GoodReads...). This list (lists!) are masterful! I keep looking at the review/description of each book and want to read virtually all of them! How can one pick?!
Great job!

Hi Robin,
welcome. Some of us chose more than one book per country so that we have a choice next year. Maybe that will work for you if you can't pick just one. I have up to 6 books per country! Have fun making your list. Feel free to ask questions.

Anne wrote: "Hi Robin,
welcome. Some of us chose more than one book per country so that we have a choice next year. Maybe that will work for you if you can't pick just one. I have up to 6 books per country!..."

Thanks for the welcome, Anne! I have made a list on paper simply by looking through the Master Lists, then I found the individuals' lists and am re-arranging. ::sigh:: I am also still trying to figure out how GoodReads works for simple postings, etc.

Can't wait to start! Just choosing a list is an adventure so far!

Robin wrote: " I am also still trying to figure out how GoodReads works for simple postings, etc. "

Do you mean making the list with the links?

Anne wrote: "Robin wrote: " I am also still trying to figure out how GoodReads works for simple postings, etc. "

Do you mean making the list with the links?"

Yeah, but I think I figured that one out now....!
I am ging to make my preliminary list this weekend now. I am sure it will be ever-evolvng and change a million times throughout the year!

Robin, if you will be constantly changing your list you will be doing just what many of us are doing and plan to continue doing through next year.

Great idea, Jenny, thanks :) I've saved the lists to my google documents account to go through later to choose the books I want to read.

One book not on the list is Ireland by Frank Delaney, an excellent book about the history of Ireland, presented in the format of a novel. I read it a year ago and can recommend it.

Jenny,
I created a folder for Ireland (the country) if you would like to recommend the book Ireland. The folder doesn't show up until there is something in it. Just go to the top of the group page. In small print towards the right you will see "topics", click on new and you will find the folder.

hi all!

i'm new to the group and just posted my reading list (as "Kris's List") -- can't wait to see how we do and what we read in 2012!

kris :-)

Just stumbled across the group. This sounds like a kickass plan for a 2012 reading list.

I'm in!

Great. Love the enthusiasm. Look forward to seeing your list, Derrick. Have a good time making it. You know about the master list and the recommendations?

Jenny-
I just posted my partially completed list. It looks like many of the books I picked are already on the list and you will just have to tack my name onto it, but there were some new ones that did not seem to appear on the Master list yet which I posted for you here.
Canada: River Thieves by Michael Crummey
China: Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang
France: The Three Muskateers by Alexandre Dumas
London: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Netherlands: The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
Poland: With Fire and Sword by Henryk Sienkiewicz
Portugal: The History of the Siege of Lisbon by Jose Saramago
United States: The Alienist by Caleb Carr

THANKS SO MUCH for keeping up the master list- it is an awesome reference!

Stephanie, can't wait to hear what you think of The History of the Siege of Lisbon. I have read lots of Saramago, but haven't gotten to that one yet!

Wow! How come I missed a group like this before? This is so exciting! :D By the way, a question - how exactly do you classify a book to be of a certain 'country', or considering how disputed territories are also mentioned, of a certain 'region'? If I mark say 'The City of Djinns', it's about Delhi but is written by a Scottish author, where will it go? And if I mark Salman Rushdie, will it go under 'Kashmir' or 'India'?

Navdeep - hello and welcome! Each of us is making our own rules. Some go by setting, some go by place author is born. We had a long debate about Kashmir but ultimately listed it separately.

Because people's definitions might differ, we do have the same books listed under multiple countries some times. We figure that isn't as important as reading in community, and getting our eyes on more world lit! Enjoy making your list!

Thanks, Jenny. I guess I'll just prepare my list and settle the question of countries as I go along.

Okay, a very stupid question. How on earth do I put up my list in the 'Personal Lists' section of the group? :-/

Got it. Sorry for spamming like a total noob. Please don't pelt me with eggs.

Navdeep wrote: "Got it. Sorry for spamming like a total noob. Please don't pelt me with eggs."
We all had questions when we started. *puts her eggs away*

Jenny wrote: We all had questions when we started. *puts her eggs away*"

*also puts her defensive plastic sheets away*

Navdeep..welcome. Love your sense of humor and look forward to your list. We are all working by our own rules here, which is kind of a novelty in this world.

Sue wrote: "Navdeep..welcome. Love your sense of humor and look forward to your list. We are all working by our own rules here, which is kind of a novelty in this world."

Thankee, Sue. And I find the absence of definitive rules refreshing here.

Finally, I'm done linking my list. FINALLY! Phew! I wish I could have read during the time it took for me to attach the damn list! I hate putting up lists and mine is a loooong one. I assume it's going to last me a couple of years. Because I went mad and added a whOOping 206 books to my list, done with two, I am onto the third. I plan to read at least 70 of them by next year.

Thank you Jenny, for bearing with my madness.

Can you add Snow Flower and the Secret Fan to China (as a part of my list) in the master list?

Also, please remove Hotel du Lac from my books in Switzerland. I had already read that, I just remembered. Please add On a Day Like This instead. Thanks a lot.

This is such a brilliant list. As I go on from each doc to doc, the only thought on my head is - So many books, so little time!
Thanks for compiling this! :)

Jenny, you have done an amazing job of putting everything together. Just done with my list - http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7...

Hi Jenny, I finalized my list!! At least 35 of them are unique to the master list as of today. Thank-you so much!

Thanks! Could you please place my name next to Pakistan's The Reluctant Fundamentalist on your Master List? Thanks alot!

Chel wrote: "Thanks! Could you please place my name next to Pakistan's The Reluctant Fundamentalist on your Master List? Thanks alot!"
Yep.

I have made somewhat of an executive decision - at this point I feel like making changes to the master list is a little excessive. Most of the changes requested of me lately has been books already on the list.

How about we table changes for now, and revisit in December once everyone has their list of books read? Then we can update with any books that didn't make the list, as our contribution to society.

(Plus with my new job, I'm worried I won't have the time on a continuing basis!)

Jenny wrote: "I have made somewhat of an executive decision - at this point I feel like making changes to the master list is a little excessive. Most of the changes requested of me lately has been books already..."

Jenny I admire the fact that you kept up with it this far. I second your motion.

Jenny wrote: "I have made somewhat of an executive decision - at this point I feel like making changes to the master list is a little excessive. Most of the changes requested of me lately has been books already..."

That sounds great. Thank you again for putting this together! :)

I do think that people should feel free to keep us updated on changes on their own lists, as before. That will also make the end of the year updating easier.

Jenny, good luck with your new job. I agree that continuing with every single book is excessive at this point. You've done such a service to our group! Thank you so much! :)

Absolutely Jenny. I felt guilty adding some books.

Good luck with your job. You've done so much for all of us.

Thanks so much for updating the list to its present state. I hope your new job goes great! I hope you have time to continue to participate too!

Hey Jenny, ditto on the many thanks and wishes for the job!!

Congratulations on your new job, Jenny! That's exciting.

You guys are too kind. I'm still here reading and everything, no worries! I was just feeling like the list was too much for right now. I might be fine once things settle in!

Brava! Well said Chelsea.

Thank you so much Jenny for all your have done with the list. I can't even imagine doing that. Good luck with your job.

I was thinking that as we finish a selection that is for the challenge, we could add it to the group's bookshelf.

Janice wrote: "I was thinking that as we finish a selection that is for the challenge, we could add it to the group's bookshelf."
Great idea. How?

Click on the group's bookshelf and there is a field where you can enter the title of a book that you want to add. Select the bookshelf "read" and enter the date you finished it.

I don't think you really need to do anything else.

This has probably been covered before (lots) but does our chosen book list have to be complete by a certain date? I have chosen the majority of mine,but some I have a choice and still have some books/countries to visit.

Susan wrote: "This has probably been covered before (lots) but does our chosen book list have to be complete by a certain date? I have chosen the majority of mine,but some I have a choice and still have some bo..."

Susan, there is no rule about that. It is up to you when you finish your list or finish making your choices. My list has multiple choices for various countries. I like to have options about the books I will read this year depending on my mood,etc.. Have fun. :)

Thank you, I'm pleased with your answer ;-)

Glad you're pleased.

Help! I'm trying to add my read book Faces in the Water to the bookshelf and it keeps listing it with my starred rating. Does that just show for me because everyone else's books are clear of stars or am I doing something wrong?

Mikki, I don't see it on the bookshelf. But I did see one book that I have already read. It showed the stars I gave it. None of the other books showed stars.

That's because I removed it in order to try again. Okay, so the stars must only be visible to the individual who rated it. Makes sense. Thank you, Anne.