Chicks On Lit discussion

I just got back from Kabul and I feel like I need a long hot shower and some mouth wash. I finished The Bookseller of Kabul I am so thankful you sent it to me Meg but SHEESH what a downer. It is my least favorite book I have read out of the region. I didn't like most of the characters and was struck in the face a million times over with the hypocrisy of all of them.

While I still make daily visits to Russia I am off to India next. The Twentieth Wife A Novel

This week I went to Norway in Out stealing Horses by Per Petterson. It was an interesting trip. The time period for the most part is during the 40's outside Oslo Norway. The young boy Trond is telling the story and he flashes back and forth from his youth to his old age. The boys father is part of the resistance against the Germans and runs back and forth to Sweden. It is told in a haunting kind of way where it is vague and yet times are very clear. I liked it enough to give it 4/5 stars.

Ooh! Tera, I just picked up The 20th Wife from the library yesterday! We'll have to compare notes.

KrisT, I read that one a while ago. I thought it was vague at parts too, but it seemed to fit the way Petterson was telling the story. I have his To Siberia at home, I may or may not get to it.

England -- The Drowning People by Richard Mason

I haven't posted in while, but I have been to a few places since Jan 1st. I read [Book: A Thousand Splendid Suns] so I have been to Afghanistan. I also read Veronika Decides to die by Paulo Coelho which was set in Slovenia, however, the author is not from there, so I am not sure it counts. I also The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society, so I have been to Guernsey.

Now I am splitting my time between England with The Other Boleyn Girl, and the Dominican Republic with In the Time of the Butterflies.

I really liked Coelho's The Alchemist, how was Veronika?

Sorry you didn't like Bookseller Tera, I really thought I learned a lot about their culture through this book. You can't say that you found either Thousand Suns and Kite Runner an upper can you? I think it is important to learn about how different their treatment is to women. It makes me so mad. And, on the other hand, so thankful I am born here not there.

Ya know in a weird way I found hope in both of those books Meg. I know it sounds strange but I loved both of those books and saw in Kite the love of family and country. The love and devotion of friendship. In 1000 Suns I saw the strength and courage of women. The determination and love that is a result of that. Yes neither were happy go lucky and cheery but I found underlying messages of goodness in them. I truly cared and liked the main characters.

I did learn a lot in Bookseller. I thought she did a great job of explaining things and I learned about some things I hadn't read about in my other Afgahni books so that was cool.

I wasn't disappointed in the book as much as the people in the book if that makes sense? I would totally recommend people read the book (although it was a little choppy in places) it was a great read for insight into the culture.

Maybe I should start a thread for it otherwise I'm bound to give spoilers away. :) Great book for discussion!

I think it would be a great thing to discuss. In fact, I was hoping that we could have a discussion on Afghanistan now that we have a base of a few books. that is part of the reason I wanted to do an around the world challenge. what do you think?

Tera, I can see what you said about A Thousand Splendid Suns, as horrifying as I found it, there was still the strength of the women resounding. Like you, I am trying not to say too much. I have only read that book, but have Kite Runner, and would love to read more and participate in a discussion.

Meg, I liked Veronika, it was similiar to Alchemist, in terms the book having a definite message, but a very different topic of course. I guess it was curiousity that drew me to the book, but I was not disappointed. I don't want to give too many details away though...

Oh I think thats a great idea to have discussions on regions that the books take place in.

Maria I finished Bookseller. If you message me your address I can get it out to you.

I think for some reason I keep going back to England... I just finished The Other Queen: A Novel
by Philippa Gregory and I absolutely loved it! I then turned around and read a modern day England English as a Second Language by Megan Crane.

But I have finally left the UK and am now reading about JFK and his brother that's pretty good so far called...
Brothers: The Hidden History of the Kennedy Years
by David Talbot. It seemed the easiest way for me to leave England for a change of pace! I am thinking that I need to read something set in Canada next!

You could go South and read something from Mexico or Latin America

I'm a new member and would love to start this with you! I've had War and Peace on my to-do list for a long time...I think it's about time.
I'd like to add a suggestion too -- Push Not the River by James Conroyd Martin. This one will take you to all the way to Poland. It was written by my high school english teacher, and all biases aside, it's a great book. It has a sequel too if you're interested called Against a Crimson Sky.

I should have read through all of the comments first! Haha I see you are quite a bit beyond War and Peace but maybe I'll catch up!

Oh not all of us are Gina. Join in I started late too and am much further behind. The discussion is great to follow though and the women reading it has truly been my inspiration and motivation to go forward.

It is never too late Gina. And I will put Push on my never ending TBR. Glad you can join us!

Meg wrote: "I just ordered Nefertiti, can't wait to read it."
I just came back from ancient Egypt a few days ago with Nefertiti, and what an enjoyable visit! I won't say anymore about this book until the discussion next month which I am looking forward to!

I have been traveling the United States the last couple days, from Hollywood to Virginia's Shenandoah Valley in Tribute; from New Mexico to Massachusetts in The Myth of You and Me A Novel. Both books I highly recommend for some light reading each with a great message! I might add, it's always enjoyable for me to tour the USA!

I am currently visiting India. I am reading The Twentieth Wife A Novel and I LOVE it. It captured me right away and I cant find enough free time to read it. I'm still making pit stops in Russia but I am falling in love with India

ooooh alright I guess it can't be put off any longer :) War and Peace it is. I'm goin to Russia! as soon as I leave Canada, Leslie if you're goin to Canada may I suggest Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. I'm into it now, although a little dry at times, I think her writing has a way of getting me hooked. It's shaping up to be a faster read than I thought.

Tera, I love your comment above on Kite Runner, I too absolutely looooooooved that book. I've been waiting for 1000 Suns to come out on paperback, I believe it has but you made me so much more excited to get into it! Right after Russia.....

Gina, Thousand Suns has come out in paperback a while ago.

I just got back from Vietnam in The Gangster We Are All Looking For by Le thi diem thuy. It is a series of stories that are all linked together telling of a little girl and her family. Some escaped Vietnam by boat and headed to California. The story goes backwards in time to what happened to them. It was poetic at times in the small little vignettes that gave a glimpse into different parts of the family life.

I would say it was an okay read but really didn't give me much of the culture I was looking for. 3/5 stars only.

I don't think I have read much from Vietnam. Too bad you didn't get more from the book, but it does sound interesting. I do remember reading some short stories, can't remember the name of the book, but the connection was an ox. It was good wish I could remember what it was.

Oh thanks Meg! I thought so, but you know how it is so much to read!
I just finished Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. It's pretty interesting and def a good read. So I'm on way out of Canada and into Russia right now.
I have not read anything from Vietnam either, I did see the play set there. Miss Saigon is it? It's been awhile but I remember loving it.

I just got back from Hong Kong with The Piano Teacher by Janice Lee. It takes place during WWII (1942/1943) Deals with love, adultry,bigotry, internment. It alternates between 1943 and 1953 which makes it a tad confusing. It was interesting to learn about the Japanese takeover. It was an okay book,not exactly what I was looking for.

I went to Vienna and Iran again Persepolis 2 The Story of a Return and not I'm going back to India The Feast of Roses A Novel while still making frequent visits to Russia

How was Persepolis2? Did you pick up more on the culture?

It was good but not as good as the first one. The first one had more of a child's eye view of life and gave it a sweetness. The second one she is in her late teens and early 20s and the view from those years and childhood years give it a much different mood. Still good though.

Well, I can't help it, I'm heading back to Egypt with Nefertiti's niece in "The Heretic Queen" by Michelle Moran as soon as a get a chance.

LinBee, I saw that at my library, do you know if it's a sequel or is it it's own separate book?

Jennifer wrote: "LinBee, I saw that at my library, do you know if it's a sequel or is it it's own separate book?"

I haven't started it yet, but it looks like it might be a bit of both. It's about Nefertiti's niece, but it's after Nefertiti is gone. And I think she marries Ramses (who is Pharaoh at the time).

LinBee you'll have to let us know how it turns out.

I am in Egypt with Nefertiti, can't wait to hear about your book LinBee

I'm going back to India to read The Feast of Roses A Novel I loved the first book so much I have been anxious to get back. I did go to Egypt and really enjoyed my time there but it didn't quite compare to India.

BTW
I tried reading Outlander because I had heard so many good things about it and it's KILLING me. Good grief I can't handle when she tries to write with a Scottish accent. It reminds me of a bad SNL skit when she goes there.
Should I stick with it? Does it get better?

I have not read either book. Tell me about The feast of Roses. I love books about India and haven't traveled there in a long time. I am still reading Nefertiti, which I why I haven't participated in our monthly discussion. Hard to read and recover!

Feast of Roses is the follow up book to The Twentieth Wife. So it just continues the story and beyond. So far so good.

I just went on a quick trip to Egypt in Adrift on the Nile by Naguib Mahfouz. It was a short book but a hard read since it was mostly done in water pipe smokey haze. The story was like a 60's version of The great Gatsby in many ways but set in Egypt. I gave it 2.5 stars. :(

Thanks for the review, I think I will pass on that book! I am enjoying Nefertiti and learning about ancient Egypt through this book. It is an easy read.

It's not another country, but I just read a Mark Twain book about Hawaii, and the descriptions are gorgeous. Lots of history in it, and the story paints the picture in my head. Beautiful. I would love to visit.

Off to Japan over the weekend in "The Housekeeper and The Professor." Most of the book takes place in the professors cottage so I didn't to see much of the country but I did learn about the culture and food. Headed off yesterday to Russia in "City of Thieves." So far, I'm very cold and very hungry!

I challenged myself to "read around the world" this time last year. I found the website/not-for-profit group Words Without Borders to be exceptionally helpful.

I'm flying out of Egypt, leaving my good friends Nefertari and Ramsses II in the Heretic Queen, and jetting I think off to England to spend some time with Henry the 8th and his many wives. I'm gonna try The Other Boleyn Girl again, I think. But I definitely be back to Egypt with Ms. Moran's next book, Cleopatra's Daughter comes out!

Alright, and before I head off to England, I'm stopping in Rome in "The Borgia Bride", and also visiting Australia in "I Am the Messenger" (which I heard good things about and I am excited. I am loving the accent already!)

I would LOVE to hear what you have to say about I Am the Messenger . I read it after The Book Thief and it was totally different but I liked it. The ending left me with some thoughts/questions I would love to hash out with you when you're done.

I loved the Book Thief. I am now in Germany once again with Skeletons of the Feast. I keep going back to WWII novels.

Me too Meg, I seem to read about a certain geographical region in "clumps" too. Now after reading Nefertiti I am curious about Egypt and am searching for books on that area/ time period.

Oh Rachelle, I get that way too. I just saw The Boy in Striped Pajamas and had to skip my next reads to go to Skeletons of the Feast. Back in Book Thief territory and history era.

Skeletons of the Feast is a wonderfully written book, it really gives you another "personal" view. You hear about how terrible German and Russian soldiers were from our history books but it gives you a look at the German side of war and what their fears and beliefs were during that time too. I really enjoyed that book, I hope you do too.

That looks really good Rachelle, I'm putting that one next on my list.