Around the World in 80 Books discussion

Africa

Asia

India: Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Japan: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
China:
1. Empress Orchid by Anchee Min
2. The Chinese Gold Murders by Robert van Gulik

Caribbean

Europe

Bulgaria: Solo
Channel Islands: The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy
England: Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
France: The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
Germany: Fatherland by Robert Harris (3 Stars|02 Sep '12)
Russia: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
United Kingdom: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Latin America

Middle East

Iran: Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji

North America

Australia, Oceania, Antarctica

ASIA: Japan
✔ Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden ★★★★★

ASIA: India
✔ Life of Pi by Yann Martel ★★★★

EUROPE: France
✔ The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery ★★★★

EUROPE: Channel Islands
✔ The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy ★★★ (7 Mar. 12)

Sanskriti wrote: "EUROPE: England
✔ The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy ★★★ (7 Mar. 12)

"

Sanz, you could count this book as Guernsey or the Channel Islands and free up England for another book, if you wanted to.

Diane wrote: "Sanskriti wrote: "EUROPE: England
✔ The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy ★★★ (7 Mar. 12)

"

Sanz, you could count this ..."

Changed to Channel Islands

ASIA: China

Empress Orchid by Anchee Min ★★★★★ + ♥ (18 Mar. 12)

MIDDLE EAST: IRAN

Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji ★★★★★ + ♥ (27-Mar-12)

Europe: Russia

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky ★★★ (01 Jul '12)

Europe: England
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
2 Stars/ 26 Aug '12



I'm not a fan of stories that flit from one character's mind to another's. It is easy to lose oneself in a train of thought and lose connection with the bigger story. Perhaps Mrs. Dalloway was never intended to have a bigger story. It was more to do with the moment each of the characters found themselves in. Dialogues aren't common and the characters lack a sense of depth. The only person I warmed up to in the entire story was Septimus Smith, a World War I veteran, spiralling into insanity and then throwing himself out of a window when being forced into a mental institution.

But I have to give credit to the writer if not the book itself. Virginia Woolf is writing in a time when the War has ended, people are looking for change and lifestyles are becoming complex. This is 1920s England, a society trying to break through its past into a new and a promising future. There were parts in the book that I liked but those moments were few.

A difficult read for me since I couldn't hold onto any part long enough to be curious to know which way the tale went.

REGIONS: 3|COUNTRIES: 9|BOOKS:9

Europe: Germany
Fatherland by Robert Harris
3 Stars|02 Sep '12



With a take on alternate history, Fatherland is set in post World War II Germany in which Hitler has emerged victorious. Against this backdrop is the coming together of Germany and America for diplomatic talks, when a cop, Xavier March, discovers a corpse by the riverside. This discovery would have been a routine investigation, except that the Gestapo take over the case. March’s curiosity and sense of duty leads him from one dead man to another, all of them being men of power. What March gets himself involved in is a bitter episode in history that the Gestapo want to bury and the civilians want to forget.

An interesting take on events on what the Germany with Adolf Hitler would look like. Of particular mention is where the protagonist observes how the new-age Germany compares each of its building, every structure of its, to another building in Europe. Playing with the genre of thriller, the book seeks to address some of the questions that have horrified people on the issue of German concentration camps and the extermination of Jews. While it took me a while to get into the second half was full of kicks and action.

An absorbing read on the whole.

REGIONS: 3|COUNTRIES: 9|BOOKS:10

ASIA: CHINA
The Chinese Gold Murders (3 Stars, 05 Sep '12)



Set in Ancient China, this is a detective mystery featuring Judge Dee, a semi-fictional character. When Judge Dee takes on his new role as a magistrate, he finds himself instantly in the midst of the murder investigation of his predecessor. Left with a bizarre set of clue that include ghostly apparitions and man-eating tigers, Judge Dee has two ex-ruffians as his comrades. As one clue leads to another, Judge Dee discovers more deaths in his district and an attempt is made on his life, which ends unsuccesfully. With the aid of his comrades, he is able to finally able to resolve the murder mystery.

A light, fluffy detective read. Judge Dee in his role as a magistrate is also made to act the part of a detective. Interesting to note how the judicial system in ancient China worked. The book is not exactly an action-packed thriller, but a nice read for a glimpse into 600s China.

REGIONS: 3|COUNTRIES: 10|BOOKS: 11

Europe: Bulgaria
Solo (4 Stars, 16 Sep '12)



Solo is the story of a 100 year blind man, Ulrich who has seen the world move through wars and innovations having lived through the 20th century into the new millenium. As a child, Ulrich falls in love with music and with a violin as his companion, seeks his Father's approval. When that fails to come, he stifles his passion and begins to find another interest, one that would flare into outright obsession: chemistry. It is this passion of his that takes him to Berlin, brings him in contact with the wonders of lab chemicals. But chemistry is also what costs the most of his life; his wife, his kid and even his own body.

As the book moves into the second half, the lines blur and we enter into the imaginary world of Ulrich, one that he has created to fuel his reality. In this illusionary universe, reside Ulrich's imaginary children, each having grown from Ulrich's own passions.

What an engrossing read! The book is full of moments; moments that delight, that amaze, that make you laugh out loud and make you cringe, all at the same time. It takes you all of the first half of the book to travel a hundred years though the eyes of a blind man, and as the story develops you get hungry for more. It is exactly this moment that Rana Dasgupta chooses to throw his readers into the dream world of his blind protagonist, a world which serves to fill in all the holes of the protagonist's life. It complements and contrasts the real life lived by Ulrich.

Wonderfully built, unique premise and a well thought out story... Deserves a read!

Regions: 3
Countries: 11
Books: 12

United Kingdom: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (5 Stars, 24 Sep '12)