Great African Reads discussion

Please discuss any non-official Morocco reads here. We can also open book-specific threads, but let's label them clearly when that happens, for example: Morocco Side Read-NameOfBook.

I think I'm going to read The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca if it doesn't get selected for the group read. Anyone else interested?

Where and how does one obtain these books? Good books are not easy to come by here in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Mark, I'm in Bamako and have the same issue. What I try to do is check the ebook availability before I make my votes on polls. I look at Amazon and also I'm lucky enough to have some University and other library access. I believe you said you work for an NGO-- some of them have library access, and some of those libraries may have ebooks. Otherwise, you can do a "side read" of any book you're able to find, or, of course, hope some kindly person will deliver from someplace where they deliver books, or from a book store.

There's a copy of the Caliph's House on Amazon for .01 plus shipping. Don't know if they'll ship to Burkino Faso?

^^ I haven't tried to order a book yet, but Amazon wouldn't ship several other things I attempted to get to Mali, unfortunately!

That's a bummer. Hope you're keeping safe in Mali. I know it was dicey there for a while.

Tinea wrote: "Mark, I'm in Bamako and have the same issue. What I try to do is check the ebook availability before I make my votes on polls. I look at Amazon and also I'm lucky enough to have some University a..."

Yes, I always check before voting. As different books are available differently in different places.
I also have used The Book Depository (it is UK based) for books not easily available in the US. They ship worldwide for free and accept several different currencies.

http://www.bookdepository.com/

They have all of the books in the poll except Secret Son. They have other books by the author but Secret Son is currently unavailable.

Checking availability is definitely important since we are a far-flung group. :)

But i'm hoping that having the Side Reads option will encourage more of us to participate, especially those who typically have trouble finding the official selection.

Valerie wrote: "I think I'm going to read The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca if it doesn't get selected for the group read. Anyone else interested?"

This is one i would definitely like to read. Since it's a two-month stop, i am hopeful i will get to it. I'll read the official book first, and then see what else i can get to. I own Secret Son, so that is another one i have tapped for my own "side read." :)

Valerie wrote: "I think I'm going to read The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca if it doesn't get selected for the group read. Anyone else interested?"

I read it in 2013, so I'd be happy to join in discussion.

Liralen wrote: "Valerie wrote: "I think I'm going to read The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca if it doesn't get selected for the group read. Anyone else interested?"

I read it in 2013, so I'd b..."

That would be GREAT! I ordered it from my library so hopefully I will have it in about a week.

Marieke wrote: "Checking availability is definitely important since we are a far-flung group. :)

But i'm hoping that having the Side Reads option will encourage more of us to participate, especially those who typ..."

Yes, it seems my library has all of the books in the polls except for the one that is now leading. :)

So, yes I will be doing a side reading if The Sand Child wins.

Lol, Beverly! But I'm glad you have plenty of options for a side read.

I'm quite curious about the Sand Child because the premise sounds interesting, but the first community review I saw was a compelling one-star review...Could make for some interesting discussion if it wins.

Tinea and Beverly,

Thanks, It is comforting to know that I am not alone in trying to obtain books. The advice about the 'book depository' is much appreciated. My main way for getting the books I want is to ask an inbound traveler from Europe or North America to bring books to me. I also ask people I know here in Ouagadougou. Of course, if possible, the easiest option for me is to download on my Kindle. Best Mark

I will be reading one of the side-reads (great new idea, Marieke!! :) ) as I can't get my hands on The Sand Child at all. My library has The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca though so I'll be joining a few of you reading that one instead. :)

Picked up The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca at the library today. Will start reading in the next few days. Can't wait!

Hoping to join you soon, Valerie! The copy at my library is currently on loan but I'm hoping they'll return it soon so I can have it. :)

Muphyn, I'll be very happy to have the company!

Cool, I'll make a separate thread for us and anyone else who's interested in reading/discussing the book.

Muphyn wrote: "Cool, I'll make a separate thread for us and anyone else who's interested in reading/discussing the book."

i am interested! but it's third on my list after Sand Child and Secret Son...

Haha, of course, your pile is nice and high, Marieke! :D I think it'll be another two weeks before I even get my hands on the book so still plenty of time. There are always way TOO MANY books to read and not enough time!! :( :( :(

Muphyn wrote: "There are always way TOO MANY books to read and not enough time!!"

Or shelf space!

Liralen wrote: "Muphyn wrote: "There are always way TOO MANY books to read and not enough time!!"

Or shelf space!"

Haha, yes, that's true too! I'm running out again, need to de-clutter my bookshelves...

Wow....shelf space....I, um, have a huge mess in my basement because I need more shelves. I will get them in 2014! :)

You are so lucky to have a basement you can fill with books!! :D Our apartment is so small that I've now been placed on a ban from buying more books until I've read (and given away) a lot of my TBR-pile. But luckily, the library is only just around the corner! :D

Muphyn wrote: "You are so lucky to have a basement you can fill with books!! :D Our apartment is so small that I've now been placed on a ban from buying more books until I've read (and given away) a lot of my TBR..."

i'm also restricted from buying new books...i mean, i have to follow certain criteria...lol

I would have envied you books basement in the past but I just moved house when I returned to the UK and downsized to a much smaller one, so gave away lots of stuff including a great any books. Just this past weekend the new study was kitted out with shelving, but it seems I haven't given away enough I still have too many books or not enough shelves! So I am limiting my new buys and making myself read those books I already have or can borrow through the library

As far as Morocco goes I just happen to have picked up Paul Bowles's The Spider's House which is set in Fez.

It is so hard to give books away, I find! How did you manage that, Sheila?! Obviously out of necessity but oh the decisions to figure out which books to give away!!

Actually it was not as hard as you might expect Muphyn. All my stuff has been in store for the best part of 4 years so I had had time to mentally and emotionally accept this. I sorted out those books I had already read and reference books (although I did also get rid of a great many cookbooks acquired over the years) - that was was easy - then I kept those I really wanted to keep which were by authors I love and have all/most of their works and got rid of the rest. I kept my To be Read shelf, the one we all complain just keeps on growing. All was part of the longer term plan - the only part that is going less well than it should is my reading of my To Be Reads :)

Sheila wrote: "Actually it was not as hard as you might expect Muphyn. All my stuff has been in store for the best part of 4 years so I had had time to mentally and emotionally accept this. I sorted out those boo..."

Sheila, I've been doing the same thing in recent years! I'm a librarian, so it almost goes without saying that I love books. But I've also had a great many moves in the last 10 years. Books are heavy, take up a lot of space, and cost a lot to move! So, I've been offloading. It hurt at first, but now I revel in it. When I finish a book from the ever-growing "to be read" shelf, I am gleeful when I give it away!

There are some, of course, that I'll always keep. But ones that aren't special for some reason and that I know I'll never read again? Straight to the "to be given away" pile. :)

Katy, I can understand the librarian loves books sentiment so well having worked for part of my life as one, and I still have the tendency to organise my shelves!

Started The Caliph's House this week-end. Enjoying it so far.

I just started the Caliph's House yesterday, Valerie. I'll set up another thread for discussion. Enjoying it too...

I'll try to make some more progress in it. I have to admit I got distracted by some books that I'm enjoying more at the moment.

Haha, I can relate to that, Valerie! ;)