Around the World in 80 Books discussion

In honor of the 2018 Winter Olympics being held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, we will begin a Winter Olympics reading challenge.

Time limit: February 9, 2018 until July 23, 2020 (day before the Summer Olympics begin in Tokyo)

Genre: Any

There will be three chances to "medal":

Gold Medal - Read a book set in or written by an author from each of the countries participating in the 2018 Olympics
Silver Medal - Read a book set in or written by an author from each country that wins a medal in the 2018 Olympics (i.e. 26 countries medaled in 2010)
Bronze Medal - Read a book set in or written by an author from each country that wins a gold medal in the 2018 Olympics (i.e. 19 countries won gold in 2010)

Medals Keys will be placed as medals are earned during the games: (G)Gold (S)Silver (B)Bronze

Current Count of Countries with Medals
-----------------------------------
G 22
S 21
B 25
Total gold medalists: 22
Total countries with medals: 30
Total participants: 86

Here is the tentative list of countries participating in the 2018 Olympics (there are 86 competing teams at this time). I will update medal counts daily during the competition.

Albania
Andorra
Argentina
Armenia
Australia (S)(B)
Austria (G)(S)(B)
Belarus (G)(S)
Belgium (S)
Bermuda
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada (G)(S)(B)
Chile
China (G)(S)(B)
Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic (G)(S)(B)
Denmark
Ecuador
Eritrea
Estonia
Finland (G)(S)(B)
France (G)(S)(B)
Georgia
Germany (G)(S)(B)
Ghana
Great Britain (G)(B)
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary (G)
Iceland
India
Iran
Ireland
Israel
Italy (G)(S)(B)
Jamaica
Japan (G)(S)(B)
Kazakhstan (B)
Kenya
Korea (G)(S)(B)
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia (B)
Lebanon
Liechtenstein (B)
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malaysia
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Netherlands (G)(S)(B)
New Zealand (B)
Nigeria
Norway (G)(S)(B)
Pakistan
Philippines
Poland (G)(B)
Portugal
Romania
Russia "Olympic Athletes from Russia" (G)(S)(B)
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia (G)(S)
Slovenia (S)(B)
Spain (B)
Sweden (G)(S)(B)
Switzerland (G)(S)(B)
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
Turkey
Ukraine (G)
USA (G)(S)(B)
Uzbekistan

No Longer on the list: Azerbaijan, Dominica, Peru, Puerto Rico, San Marino, South Africa, Timor Leste,
North Korea and South Korea together are now just Korea, and not separate teams

Updated

I like it, I'm in.
I assume I can use the same books that I use in the random challenge or the tourist challenge.

Erik wrote: "I like it, I'm in.
I assume I can use the same books that I use in the random challenge or the tourist challenge."

Yes, you can use the same books for any challenges on the site.

This will be much easier than the Summer Olympics were. I am going to try to go for gold.


Albania: Spring Flowers, Spring Frost
Andorra: Andorra
Argentina: Kiss of the Spider Woman
Armenia: Retreat Without Song
Australia (S)(B): Inland
Austria (G)(S)(B): The Confusions of Young Törless
Belarus (G)(S): Summer in Baden-Baden
Belgium (S): The Deadbeats
Bermuda: A Fall from Aloft
Bolivia: Affections
Bosnia and Herzegovina: The Bridge on the Drina
Brazil: Epitaph of a Small Winner
Bulgaria: A Ballad for Georg Henig
Canada (G)(S)(B): Lives of Girls and Women
Chile: Of Love and Shadows
China (G)(S)(B): Monkey: The Journey to the West
Chinese Taipei (Taiwan): The Bear Whispers to Me
Colombia: The Autumn of the Patriarch
Croatia: The Museum of Unconditional Surrender
Cyprus: Magnette: A Cyprus Odyssey
Czech Republic (G)(S)(B): Closely Watched Trains
Denmark: The Murder of Halland
Ecuador: A Taste of Ecuador: The Collected Stories of Eugenia Viteri
Eritrea: African Titanics
Estonia: Professor Martens' Departure
Finland (G)(B): The Manila Rope
France (G)(S)(B): Thérèse Raquin
Georgia: A Hero of Our Time
Germany (G)(S)(B): Austerlitz
Ghana: The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
Great Britain (G)(B): To the Lighthouse
Greece: The Daughter
Hong Kong: Farewell My Concubine
Hungary: (G) The Case Worker
Iceland: Journey to the Center of the Earth
India: Untouchable
Iran: Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return
Ireland: Carry Me Down
Israel: In the Heart of the Seas
Italy (G)(S)(B): I'm Not Scared
Jamaica: John Crow's Devil
Japan (G)(S)(B): Kitchen
Kazakhstan (B): Captain of the Steppe
Kenya: Nairobi Heat
Korea (G)(S)(B): Human Acts
Kosovo: Who Will Slay the Wolf
Kyrgyzstan: Farewell Gul'sary
Latvia (B): Soviet Milk
Lebanon: Always Coca-Cola
Liechtenstein (B): Stamping Grounds
Lithuania: The Issa Valley
Luxembourg: Priestblock 25487
Macedonia: The Legend of Kalesh Andja
Madagascar: Beyond the Rice Fields
Malaysia: The Terracotta Bride
Malta: Testament of Youth
Mexico: The Labyrinth of Solitude and Other Writings
Moldova: Missionary, Me?
Monaco: Your Father's Room
Mongolia: Mongol
Montenegro: The Coming
Morocco: Hideous Kinky
Netherlands (G)(S)(B): The Laws
New Zealand: The Collected Stories of Katherine Mansfield
Nigeria: The Spider King's Daughter
Norway (G)(S)(B): Alberta and Jacob
Pakistan: Shame
Peru: The Time of the Hero
Philippines: Monsoon Mansion: A Memoir
Poland (G)(B): If This Is a Man
Portugal: The History of the Siege of Lisbon
Romania: Forest Of The Hanged
Russia "Olympic Athletes from Russia" (S)(B): Oblomov
Serbia: A Tomb for Boris Davidovich
Singapore: The Singapore Grip
Slovakia (G)(S): Embers
Slovenia (S): Veronika Decides to Die
Spain (B): The Heretic: A Novel of the Inquisition
Sweden (G)(S): By the Open Sea
Switzerland (G)(S)(B): The Judge and His Hangman
Thailand: The Sad Part Was
Togo: Dirty Feet
Tonga: We Are the Ocean: Selected Works
Turkey: Life Is a Caravanserai
Ukraine (G): Death and the Penguin
USA (G)(S)(B): Blonde
Uzbekistan: The Devils' Dance

Metal Count
------------------
Gold 22/22
Silver 4
Bronze 4
Total medalists: 30/30
Non-medal countries: 57
Total countries: 86/86

The list has been updated. The following countries have been added:

Ghana
Jamaica
Nigeria
Tonga

I will join! The Summer Olympics Challenge was a bit too much for me, I think the Winter Olympics will be a bit easier. Aiming for brons, but hoping for silver :)

Progress:
8/22 Gold medalists*
10/30 Medalists

Australia -
Austria* -
Belarus* -
Belgium - Gezien de feiten (Mar 18, 2018)
Canada* -
China* -
Czech Republic* -
Finland* -
France* - Black Dogs (Mar 10, 2018)
Germany* - The Orphan's Tale: A Novel (Apr 30, 2018)
Great Britain* - Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine (Feb 16, 2018)
Hungary* -
Italy* - The Comfort of Strangers (Mar 4, 2018)
Japan* - Reisverslag van een kat (Nov 21, 2018)
Kazakhstan -
Korea* - De 100-jarige man die terugkwam om de wereld te redden (Jul 25, 2018)
Latvia -
Liechtenstein -
Netherlands* - De heilige Rita (Apr 30, 2018)
New Zealand -
Norway* -
Poland* -
Russia* -
Slovakia* -
Slovenia - Veronika Decides to Die (May 18, 2018)
Spain -
Sweden* -
Switzerland* -
Ukraine* -
USA* - The Devil Wears Prada (Apr 13, 2018)

I'm in :D

I'm in. Finished 22/86

Bosnia and Herzegovina - People of the Book - 3/15/18
Brazil - Let's Look at Brazil 10/10/19
Finland - Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage 3/15/19
France - A Discovery of Witches - 4/27/18
Germany - ஹிட்லர் Hitler 8/28/19
Great Britain - The Ocean at the End of the Lane - 3/14/18
Greece - The Song of Achilles - 3/16/18
Hong Kong - Marvel's Doctor Strange - 5/14/18
India - Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana - 3/19/18
Italy - Inferno 1/2/19
Japan - Rashomon and Other Stories - 3/13/18
Korea - Living Reed: A Novel of Korea - 5/24/18
Morocco - Tangerine 5/30/19
Netherlands - The Historian 3/13/19
New Zealand - The Whale Rider 8/5/19
Norway - Norse Mythology - 5/14/18
Pakistan - I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban - 3/11/18
Russia - The Overcoat - 4/24/18
Spain - Origin 6/18/19
Sweden - A Man Called Ove 4/16/19
Turkey - Last Train to Istanbul - 4/17/18
USA - Atlas Shrugged - 3/16/18

Diane wrote: "In honor of the 2018 Winter Olympics being held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, we will begin a Winter Olympics reading challenge.

Time limit: February 9, 2016 until July 23, 2020 (day before the Sum..."

Diane,

Will you be setting this up as an official challenge under Challenges with the official start and end dates where if we set up a book shelf name, so that what we read will be tracked for us?

Just curious. Can understand it you choose to let individuals do their own thing.

Thanks MJ

I've not been able to finish others of these before, but I am definitely in this time.

I could not complete the Summer Olympics. I want to try the Winter Olympics and complete it.

Let me go for the Gold

Winter Olympics Challenge

Duration:February 9, 2016 until July 23, 2020

Albania Agamemnon's Daughter: A Novella & Stories by Ismail Kadare; 07/24/2018
Andorra
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria Death Waltz in Vienna by Thomas Ochiltree; 04/11/2018
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
Chile
China
Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominica
Ecuador
Eritrea
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany Fatherland by Robert Harris Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi; 08/30/2018
Great Britain
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary The Corpse with the Ruby Lips by Cathy Ace; 11/05/2018
Iceland
India I, Krishnadevaraya by Ra. Ki. Rangarajan; 06/09/2018
Iran
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malaysia
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
North Korea
Norway
Pakistan
Peru
Philippines
Poland The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy; 05/11/2018
Portugal The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon by Richard Zimler; 08/13/2018
Puerto Rico
Romania
Russia "Olympic Athletes from Russia"
San Marino
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Turkey
Ukraine
USA
Uzbekistan

No Longer on the list: Azerbaijan, Dominica, Peru, Puerto Rico, San Marino, South Africa, Timor Leste,
North Korea and South Korea together are now just Korea, and not separate teams

I'm in! Going to start with medallists (ie aim for Silver) but would love to go for Gold ultimately. Some of these countries overlap with my random travel challenge too, which will be a bonus :-)

I'm in too. Going for gold but will probably have to settle for silver.

Albania - Broken April
Andorra - 32 Yolks: From My Mother's Table to Working the Line
Argentina - The Accomplice
Armenia - The Gimmicks
Australia (S)(B) - When the Night Comes
Austria (G)(S)(B) - Ecstasy
Belarus (G)(S) - The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko
Belgium (S) - High As the Heavens
Bermuda - Resonating Souls
Bolivia - Into the Jungle
Bosnia and Herzegovina - The Man From Berlin
Brazil - The Seven Sisters
Bulgaria - The Shadow Land
Canada (G)(S)(B) - Caribou Crossing
Chile - In the Midst of Winter
China (G)(S)(B) - The Forbidden Orchid
Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) - Green Island
Colombia - Fruit of the Drunken Tree
Croatia - Girl at War
Cyprus - The Spice Box Letters
Czech Republic (G)(S)(B) - Lions in the Garden
Denmark - Hamlet
Ecuador - Everything Here Is Beautiful
Eritrea - The Invisible Crowd
Estonia - The Lace Weaver
Finland (G)(S)(B) - Nights of Awe
France (G)(S)(B) - The Sisters of St. Croix
Georgia - Point of No Return
Germany (G)(S)(B) - The Women in the Castle
Ghana - Homegoing
Great Britain (G)(B) - The Royal Nanny
Greece - My Family and Other Animals
Hong Kong - Fall from Grace
Hungary (G) - Esther's Inheritance
Iceland - Nightblind
India - Ticket to India
Iran - The Gardens of Consolation
Ireland - The Darkling Bride
Israel - Sadness Is a White Bird
Italy (G)(S)(B) - The Scribe of Siena
Jamaica - Augustown
Japan (G)(S)(B) - Flame in the Mist
Kazakhstan (B) - Half a World Away
Kenya - A Change in Altitude
Korea (G)(S)(B) - Human Acts
Kosovo - The Kosovo Incident
Kyrgyzstan - Enemy of the Good
Latvia (B) - The Hidden Letters of Velta B.
Lebanon - Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut
Liechtenstein (B) - Beating Ruby
Lithuania - Above Us Only Sky
Luxembourg - The Elf of Luxembourg
Macedonia - Prince of Macedonia
Madagascar - True Confections
Malaysia - The Night Tiger
Malta - The Information Officer
Mexico - Risky Business
Moldova - The Sisters of the Winter Wood
Monaco - Meet Me in Monaco
Mongolia - White Chrysanthemum
Montenegro - The Luck of Thirteen
Morocco - Exit West
Netherlands (G)(S)(B) - Midwinter Break
New Zealand (B) - Hide Your Heart
Nigeria - Purple Hibiscus
Norway (G)(S)(B) - The Girl Between
Pakistan - Duty Free
Philippines - Before Ever After
Poland (G)(B) - Mischling
Portugal - The High Mountains of Portugal
Romania - The Girl They Left Behind
Russia "Olympic Athletes from Russia" (G)(S)(B) - These Are the Names
Serbia - My Diary in Serbia, April 1, 1915 - Nov. 1, 1915
Singapore - Meddling and Murder
Slovakia (G)(S) - Katarina
Slovenia (S)(B) - Escape from Slovenia
Spain (B) - The Summer House by the Sea
Sweden (G)(S)(B) - The Deal of a Lifetime
Switzerland (G)(S)(B) - Avalanche
Thailand - Burning Moon
Togo - Instruments of Darkness
Tonga - Royal Visit to Tonga
Turkey - The Gendarme
Ukraine (G) - The Summer Guest
USA (G)(S)(B) - Crazy For You
Uzbekistan - Lands of Lost Borders: Out of Bounds on the Silk Road



TOTAL COUNTRIES - 86/86

Update:

No Longer on the list: Azerbaijan, Dominica, Peru, Puerto Rico, San Marino, South Africa, Timor Leste

North Korea and South Korea together are now just Korea, and not as separate teams

Updated

Don´t know if it´s here I list my books in the challenge

Start with bronze:

Sweden - Att ta ett liv
Germany - Silesian Station
Netherlands - A Bridge Too Far
USA - The Handmaid's Tale
Norway - Uglen
Canada - Entry Island
Austria - Stridens skönhet och sorg 1917: första världskrigets fjärde år i 108 korta kapitel
France - All the Light We Cannot See
South Korea -
Italy - Sällskapet i Genua
Switzerland -
Japan - Norwegian Wood
Czech Republic -
Slovakia -
Belarus -
Great Britain - The Lewis Man
Poland -
Ukraine -
Russia (OAR) - The Secret Speech
China - When We Were Orphans
Finland -
Hungary -

______________________________________

Silver

Australia -
Belgium - Passchendaele: A New History
Kazakhstan - Sovjetistan
Latvia -
Lichtenstein -
New Zealand -
Slovenia -
Spain - El juego del ángel

Do we record our progress on this thread or start a separate one somewhere?
Thanks.

Nancy H wrote: "Do we record our progress on this thread or start a separate one somewhere?
Thanks."

Just post your list to this thread.

Medals updated

I will give this one a try. I am aiming for bronze to begin with--Gold Medal Winners.

Winter Olympic Challenge 2018 - Bronze Medal

Austria - Die Blendung by Elias Canetti
Belarus - Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster by Svetlana Alexievich
Canada - In the Village of Viger by Duncan Campbell Scott
China - The Art of War by Sun Tzu
Czech Republic - The Golem by Gustav Meyrink
Finland - A Frozen Hell: The Russo-Finnish Winter War of 1939-1940 by William R. Trotter
France - Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
Germany - Friedrich by Hans Peter Richter
Great Britain - The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Hungary - Upon the Head of the Goat: A Childhood in Hungary 1939-1944 by Aranka Siegal
Italy - The Rover by Aphra Behn
Japan - The Tale of Genji byMurasaki Shikibu
Korea - This Is Paradise!: My North Korean Childhood by Hyok Kang
Netherlands - Eline Vere. Een Haagsche roman by Louis Couperus
Norway - A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen
Poland - This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen by Tadeusz Borowski
Russia - Mother by Maxim Gorky
Slovakia - Embers by Sándor Márai
Sweden - The Red Room byAugust Strindberg
Switzerland - Swiss Sonata by Gwethalyn Graham
Ukraine - The Fixer by Bernard Malamud
U.S.A. - The Ballad of the Sad Café and Other Stories by Carson McCullers

Silver Medal

Australia - Missus by Ruth Park
Belgium - Het dwaallicht by Willem Elsschot
Kazakhstan - One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Latvia - Un Drame En Livonie by Jules Verne
Liechtenstein - Oh, wie klein ist Liechtenstein: Erzählungen by Armin Öhri
New Zealand - The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
Slovenia - Slovenia, 1945: Memories of Death and Survival after World War II by John Corsellis
Spain - Platero y yo by Juan Ramón Jiménez

Gold Medal

Andorra
Albania - Chronicle in Stone by Ismail Kadare
Argentina - El túnel by Ernesto Sabato
Armenia
Bermuda
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzogovina - The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andrić
Brazil - River of the Sun by James Ramsey Ullman
Bulgaria - Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw
Chile - Poema de Chile, completo by Gabriela Mistral
Chinese Taipei
Colombia - Short Walks from Bogota: Journeys in the New Colombia by Tom Feiling
Croatia - Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
Cyprus
Denmark - Sechs Novellen by Jens Peter Jacobsen
Ecuador - The Old Man Who Read Love Stories by Luis Sepúlveda
Eritrea
Estonia - The Darkest Corner of the World by Urve Tamberg
Georgia
Ghana
Greece - A History Of My Times by Xenophon
Hong Kong - Defend or Die: The Siege of Hong Kong, Jack Finnigan, Hong Kong, 1941 by Gillian Chan
Iceland - The Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson
India - The Second Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
Iran- My Father's Notebook: A Novel of Iran by Kader Abdolah
Ireland - Amongst Women by John McGahern
Israel- This Year In Jerusalem by Mordecai Richler
Jamaica
Kenya
Kosovo - Elegy for Kosovo: Stories by Ismail Kadare
Kyrgyzstan - Jamila by Chingiz Aitmatov
Lebanon
Lithuania - Konrad Wallenrod by Adam Mickiewicz
Luxembourg - Luxembourg Run by Angus Ross
Macedonia - Diary of an Uncivil War: The Violent Aftermath of the Kosovo Conflict by Scott Taylor
Madagascar
Malaysia - A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute
Malta - The Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlowe
Mexico - What the Moon Saw by Laura Resau
Moldova
Monaco - Topper Takes a Trip by Thorne Smith
Mongolia
Montenegro - The Black Mountain by Rex Stout
Morocco - The Voices of Marrakesh: A Record of a Visit by Elias Canetti
Nigeria - The Lion and the Jewel by Wole Soyinka
Pakistan - The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
Phillipines - Noli Me Tángere by José Rizal
Portugal - Livro do Desassossego by Fernando Pessoa
Romania - On the Road to Babadag: Travels in the Other Europe by Andrzej Stasiuk
Serbia - When Pumpkins Blossomed by Dragoslav Mihailović
Singapore
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
Turkey - The Sultan of Byzantium by Selçuk Altun
Uzbekistan

Total countries so far: 66/86

Viv's Winter Olympic Challenge 2018

COMPLETED:
Gold Medals: 20/22
Medals: 24/30
Countries: 40/86

Albania
Andorra
Argentina Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin 18 March 2018
Armenia
Australia (S)(B)Force of Nature by Jane Harper 19 September 2019
Austria (G)(S)(B)A Whole Life 14 September 2019
Belarus (G)(S)Chernobyl Prayer: A Chronicle of the Future 27 April 2018
Belgium (S)
Bermuda
Bolivia
Bosnia and HerzegovinaSarajevo Marlboro 28 October 2018
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada (G)(S)(B)And the Birds Rained Down by Jocelyne Saucier 13 April 2018
Chile
China (G)(S)(B)The Chilli Bean Paste Clan by Yan Ge 4 July 2018
Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) The Stolen Bicycle by Wu Ming-Yi 22 April 2018
ColombiaThe Sound of Things Falling 10 October 2018
Croatia Zagreb Noir 7 October 2018
Cyprus
Czech Republic (G)(S)(B)Waiting for the Dark, Waiting for the Light 29 September 2019
DenmarkMercy by Jussi Adler-Olsen 16 May 2018
Ecuador
Eritrea
EstoniaWhen the Doves Disappeared by Sofi Oksanen 22 September 2018
Finland (G)(S)(B) The Hummingbird 9 September 2019
France (G)(S)(B)Vernon Subutex, 1 by Virginie Despentes 1 September 2018
Georgia
Germany (G)(S)(B)Blue Night by Simone Buchholz 3 September 2018
Ghana
Great Britain (G)(B) The Outrun by Amy Liptrot 25 February 2018
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary (G) Another Love: A Novel 21 August 2018
Iceland Last Rituals 21 January 2019
IndiaWhen I Hit You: Or, A Portrait of the Writer as a Young Wife by Meena Kandasamy 25 March 2018
Iran Song of a Captive Bird 19 March 2018
Ireland
Israel
Italy (G)(S)(B)My Brilliant Friend 10 August 2018
Jamaica
Japan (G)(S)(B) The Boy in the Earth 7 May 2018
Kazakhstan (B)
Kenya
Korea(G)(S)(B) The White Book by Han Kang 20 April 2018
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia (B)Soviet Milk by Nora Ikstena 18 March 2018
LebanonAn Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
Liechtenstein (B)
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malaysia
Malta
MexicoLike Water for Chocolate
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Netherlands (G)(S)(B) The Dinner 3 November 2019
New Zealand (B) Faces in the Water 19 October 2019
NigeriaMy Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite 6 January 2019
Norway (G)(S)(B)
Pakistan Kartography by Kamila Shamsie 14 March 2018
Philippines
Poland (G)(B) Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead 15 August 2019
Portugal
Romania
Russia "Olympic Athletes from Russia" (G)(S)(B)The Unwomanly Face of War 27 September 2018
SerbiaWith Their Backs to the World: Portraits from Serbia 19 October 2018
Singapore
Slovakia (G)(S)
Slovenia (S)(B)
Spain (B)Death Rites by Alicia Giménez Bartlett 14 June 2018
Sweden (G)(S)(B)Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren 8 May 2018
Switzerland (G)(S)(B) Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley - 8 March 2018
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
TurkeyIstanbul, Istanbul - 10 June 2018
Ukraine (G)The Museum of Abandoned Secrets 27 March 2019
USA (G)(S)(B) The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers - 25 April 2018
Uzbekistan

Medal count updated

Ooh. I am in for the challenge.

Winter Olympics

Time limit: February 9, 2018 until July 23, 2020 (day before the Summer Olympics begin in Tokyo)

Genre: Any

There will be three chances to "medal":

Gold Medal - Read a book set in or written by an author from each of the countries participating in the 2018 Olympics

Silver Medal - Read a book set in or written by an author from each country that wins a medal in the 2018 Olympics (i.e. 26 countries medaled in 2010)

Bronze Medal - Read a book set in or written by an author from each country that wins a gold medal in the 2018 Olympics (i.e. 19 countries won gold in 2010)

Medals Keys will be placed as medals are earned during the games: (G)Gold (S)Silver (B)Bronze

Current Count of Countries with Medals
-----------------------------------
G 22
S 21
B 25
Total gold medalists: 22
Total countries with medals: 30
Total participants: 86

Here is the tentative list of countries participating in the 2018 Olympics (there are 86 competing teams at this time). I will update medal counts daily during the competition.

Albania

Andorra

Argentina

Armenia

Australia (S)(B)

Austria (G)(S)(B)

Belarus (G)(S)

Belgium (S)

Bermuda

Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Brazil

Bulgaria

Canada (G)(S)(B)

Chile

China (G)(S)(B)

Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)

Colombia

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic (G)(S)(B)

Denmark

Ecuador

Eritrea

Estonia

Finland (G)(S)(B)

France (G)(S)(B)

Georgia

Germany (G)(S)(B)

Ghana

Great Britain (G)(B)

Greece

Hong Kong

Hungary (G)

Iceland

India

Iran

Ireland

Israel

Italy (G)(S)(B)

Jamaica

Japan (G)(S)(B)

Kazakhstan (B)

Kenya

Korea (G)(S)(B)

Kosovo

Kyrgyzstan

Latvia (B)

Lebanon

Liechtenstein (B)

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Macedonia

Madagascar

Malaysia

Malta

Mexico

Moldova

Monaco

Mongolia

Montenegro

Morocco

Netherlands (G)(S)(B)

New Zealand (B)

Nigeria

Norway (G)(S)(B)

Pakistan

Philippines

Poland (G)(B)

Portugal

Romania

Russia "Olympic Athletes from Russia" (G)(S)(B)

Serbia

Singapore

Slovakia (G)(S)

Slovenia (S)(B)

Spain (B)

Sweden (G)(S)(B)

Switzerland (G)(S)(B)

Thailand

Togo

Tonga

Turkey

Ukraine (G)

USA (G)(S)(B)

Uzbekistan

No Longer on the list: Azerbaijan, Dominica, Peru, Puerto Rico, San Marino, South Africa, Timor Leste,
North Korea and South Korea together are now just Korea, and not separate teams

Updated medal count

Bronze Medal : 21/22

Austria : The Order of the Day by Éric Vuillard
Belarus : Un printemps à Tchernobyl by Emmanuel Lepage
Canada : How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny
China : Rickshaw Boy by Lao She
Czech Republic : HHhH by Laurent Binet
Finland : Trekways of the Wind by Nils-Aslak Valkeapää
France : Guardians of the Louvre by Jirō Taniguchi
Germany : Babylon Berlin by Volker Kutscher
Great Britain : Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
Hungary :
Italy : Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
Japan : A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
Korea : The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley
Netherlands : Judas by Astrid Holleeder
Norway : Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
Poland : The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman
Russia : The Big Green Tent by Lyudmila Ulitskaya
Slovakia : The Luck of the Weissensteiners by Christoph Fischer
Sweden : Gösta Berling's Saga by Selma Lagerlöf
Switzerland : Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Ukraine : Jossel Wassermanns Heimkehr by Edgar Hilsenrath
USA : The Dying of the Light by Robert Goolrick

Silver Medal : 25/30

Australia : The Lost Man by Jane Harper
Belgium : The Abyss by Marguerite Yourcenar
Kazakhstan : Dans la combi de Thomas Pesquet by Marion Montaigne
Latvia :
Liechtenstein :
New Zealand :
Slovenia :
Spain : Strange Pilgrims by Gabriel García Márquez

Gold Medal : 55/86

Andorra
Albania
Argentina : Conversations à Buenos Aires by Jorge Luis Borges, Ernesto Sabato and Orlando Barone
Armenia
Bermuda
Bolivia : Soeurs de miséricorde by Colombe Schneck
Bosnia and Herzogovina : Jésus et Tito by Velibor Čolić
Brazil : Chronicle of the Murdered House by Lúcio Cardoso
Bulgaria
Chile : Moi, Christian Clot, explorateur
Chinese Taipei
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus : Othello by William Shakespeare
Denmark : The Book of Hygge: The Danish Art of Living Well by Louisa Thomsen Brits
Ecuador
Eritrea : In the United States of Africa by Abdourahman A. Waberi
Estonia
Georgia : L'Autre Joseph by Kéthévane Davrichewy
Ghana : Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Greece : Iphigeneia at Aulis by Euripides
Hong Kong : Le Dragon de Hong Kong by Roger Leloup
Iceland : The Good Shepherd by Gunnar Gunnarsson
India : The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar
Iran : Désorientale (Disoriental) by Négar Djavadi
Ireland : The Likeness by Tana French
Israel : Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City by Guy Delisle
Jamaica : Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Kenya
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Lebanon : Des vies possibles by Charif Majdalani
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia : The Life of Alexander the Great by Plutarch
Madagascar : Les naufragés de l'île Tromelin by Irène Frain
Malaysia
Malta : The Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlowe
Mexico
Moldova : The Power by Naomi Alderman
Monaco : Twenty Four Hours in the Life of a Woman by Stefan Zweig
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco : The Voices of Marrakesh: A Record of a Visit by Elias Canetti
Nigeria : Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Pakistan : I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
Phillipines
Portugal : The Maias by Eça de Queirós
Romania
Serbia
Singapore
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
Turkey : Istanbul: Memories and the City by Orhan Pamuk
Uzbekistan : The Possessed: Adventures With Russian Books and the People Who Read Them by Elif Batuman

Updated medal count

Starting my Olympic Adventure and going for it all:

Albania
Andorra
Argentina
Armenia
Australia (S)(B)
Austria (G)(S)(B)
Belarus (G)(S)
Belgium
Bermuda
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada (G)(S)(B)
Chile - Death on the Patagonian Express (3/21/18)
China (S)(B)
Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic (G)(S)(B)
Denmark
Ecuador
Eritrea
Estonia
Finland (B)
France (G)(S)(B) - Paris Is Always a Good Idea (3/14/18)
Georgia
Germany (G)(S)(B)
Ghana
Great Britain (G)(B) - A Study in Scarlet Women (2/11/18)
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India - Dearly Departed (3/2/18)
Iran -The Septembers of Shiraz (2/9/18)
Ireland - Flying by the Seat of My Knickers (3/8/18)
Israel
Italy (G)(S)(B)
Jamaica
Japan (G)(S)(B)
Kazakhstan (B)
Kenya
Korea (G)(S)(B)
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia (B)
Lebanon
Liechtenstein (B)
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malaysia
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Netherlands (G)(S)(B)
New Zealand - Just This Once (3/9/18)
Nigeria
Norway (G)(S)(B)
Pakistan
Philippines
Poland (G)(B)
Portugal
Romania
Russia "Olympic Athletes from Russia" (S)(B)
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia (G)(S)
Slovenia (S)
Spain (B)
Sweden (G)(S) The Stonecutter (2/21/18)
Switzerland (G)(S)(B) - Murder in Montreux (3/13/18)
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
Turkey
Ukraine (G)
USA (G)(S)(B) - The Traveling Tea Shop (2/12/18)
Uzbekistan

Updated

Why not? I’ll try it! I totally failed the Summer Olympics challenge but this one should be easier. I’m going for Bronze, possibly silver!

Time Frame: February 9, 2018 until July 23, 2020
Gold Medal Countries (Read/Total): 18/22
Additional Silver Medal Countries 2/8

🥇Austria : Chess Story 8/18
🥇Belarus : Ostland (8/18) (Part of it is set around Minsk during the German occupation of WWII.)
🥇Canada: The Wolves of Winter (3/16/18), Annabel (8/18), The Shipping News (1/30/19)
🥇China: Green Island (Set mostly in Taiwan) (5/3/20)
🥇Czech Republic : R.U.R. (9/9/18) and Spaceman of Bohemia (10/20/18)
🥇Finland: The Year of the Hare (3/4/18)
🥇France : Maisie Dobbs (5/14/18), The Rain Watcher 8/5/18, The Panda Theory 10/25/18
🥇Germany: Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family (3/13/18) and Sand (7/29/18)
🥇Great Britain : When It's Over (4/14/18)
🥇Hungary: The Man Who Went Up in Smoke (3/12/19)
🥇Italy : Children of God (partly set in Rome) (Nov 2018); Augustus (2/18/19)
🥇 Japan : Killing Commendatore (12/9/2018); Strange Weather in Tokyo 92/4/19)
🥇Korea : The Hole by Hye-Young Pyun (10/28/18)
Netherlands :
🥇Norway : Shadow on the Mountain (2/20/18); Hunger (1/10/19)
🥇Poland: Flights by Polish author Olga Tokarczuk (2/24/19)
🥇Russia: A Gentleman in Moscow (4/9/18), The Girl from the Metropol Hotel: Growing Up in Communist Russia (8/18)
Slovakia :
🥇Sweden : A Man Called Ove (6/16/18)
Switzerland :
Ukraine :
🥇USA :The Air We Breathe (3/30/18) + LOTS others

8 Extra for Silver:
🥇Australia: Island Home: A Landscape Memoir 11/29/18 4 stars
🥇Belgium: Ostend 10/22/18 4 stars
Kazakhstan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
New Zealand
Slovenia
Spain -

Updated

I messed up on the summer Olympics so would like to give this one another go. Got bronze last time so will try and do better.

Albania
Andorra
Argentina
Armenia
Australia (S)(B)
Austria (G)(S)(B)
Belarus (G)(S)
Belgium (S). In Love and War 3/18
Bermuda
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada (G)(S)(B). The Break. 3/18
Chile
China (G)(S)(B)
Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic (G)(S)(B)
Denmark
Ecuador
Eritrea
Estonia
Finland (G)(S)(B)
France (G)(S)(B). Lottie's Run 3/18
Georgia
Germany (G)(S)(B)
Ghana
Great Britain (G)(B). This is How it Ends 3/18
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary (G)
Iceland Hotel Silence 3/18
India
Iran
Ireland
Israel
Italy (G)(S)(B)
Jamaica
Japan (G)(S)(B)
Kazakhstan (B)
Kenya
Korea (G)(S)(B)
Kosovo Three Elegies For Kosovo 3/18
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia (B)
Lebanon
Liechtenstein (B)
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malaysia
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Netherlands (G)(S)(B)
New Zealand (B)
Nigeria
Norway (G)(S)(B)
Pakistan
Philippines
Poland (G)(B). Hotel Savoy 3/18
Portugal
Romania
Russia "Olympic Athletes from Russia" (G)(S)(B).
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia (G)(S)
Slovenia (S)(B)
Spain (B)
Sweden (G)(S)(B). The Swimmer. 3/18
Switzerland (G)(S)(B)
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
Turkey
Ukraine (G)
USA (G)(S)(B). The Prodigal Son. 3/18
Uzbekistan

Gold. 9 /86. Silver. 7/30. Bronze. 6 /22

So, the final count is as follows:

Total participants: 86 countries (Gold)
Total countries with medals: 30 (Silver)
Total gold medalists: 22 countries (Bronze)

To earn a "Bronze" medal, you will need to read books from:
Austria
Belarus
Canada
China
Czech Republic
Finland
France
Germany
Great Britain
Hungary
Italy
Japan
Korea (North or South)
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Russia
Slovakia
Sweden
Switzerland
Ukraine
USA

For a "Silver" medal, you will read all of the above countries, plus:
Australia
Belgium
Latvia
Liechtenstein
New Zealand
Slovenia
Spain

To earn a "Gold" medal, you will need to read a book from each country listed in the first post.

Winter Olympics Challenge
February 9, 2018 - July 23, 2020
Going to go for a silver medal (30 countries): - 28/30

Australia Alone on a Wide Wide Sea
Austria - Nosotras. Historias de mujeres y algo más
Belgium La Hilandera De Flandes
Belarus Chernobyl Prayer: A Chronicle of the Future
Canada The Testaments
China The History of Bees
Czech Republic Closely Observed Trains
Finland Death Spiral
France The Reader on the 6.27
Germany - Portuguese Irregular Verbs
Great Britain How to Be a Woman
Hungary The Door
Italy If on a Winter's Night a Traveler
Japan If Cats Disappeared from the World
Kazakhstan
Korea The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly
Latvia Soviet Milk
Liechtenstein Ludmila
Netherlands Amsterdam
New Zealand The Piano
Norway Midnight Sun
Poland
Russia A Dog's Heart
Slovakia The Equestrienne
Slovenia New Europe
Spain Cuatro días de enero
Sweden A Man Called Ove
Switzerland Frankenstein
Ukraine Death and the Penguin
USA The Heart Goes Last

Adding:
Denmark: The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club
Eritrea: Joining Africa: From Anthills to Asmara
Great Britain: The Invention of Air: A Story of Science, Faith, Revolution, and the Birth of America
Ireland: Are You Somebody?: The Accidental Memoir of a Dublin Woman
Japan: Facing the Wave: A Journey in the Wake of the Tsunami
Russia: A Gentleman in Moscow
Sweden: A Man Called Ove
USA: The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell

Total Gold Medalists: 5/22
Total Medalists: 5/30
Total Countries: 8/86

I am in. What is the duration? I see it starts Feb 2016 or Feb 2017 or Feb 2018.....

Kavitha wrote: "I am in. What is the duration? I see it starts Feb 2016 or Feb 2017 or Feb 2018....."

The challenge goes from February 9, 2018 until July 23, 2020 (the day before the Summer Olympics begins).

Diane wrote: "Kavitha wrote: "I am in. What is the duration? I see it starts Feb 2016 or Feb 2017 or Feb 2018....."

The challenge goes from February 9, 2018 until July 23, 2020 (the day before the Summer Olympi..."

Thank you, Diane!

Adding:
Czech Republic: The Habsburg Empire: A New History
Morocco: In Morocco
Spain: The Vanishing Velázquez: A 19th Century Bookseller’s Obsession with a Lost Masterpiece
Switzerland: The Other Einstein

Total Gold Medalists: 7
Total Medalists: 8
Total Countries: 12

Added in Feb/March:

United Kingdom: The Outrun: A Memoir
Argentina: Fever Dream
India: When I Hit You: Or, A Portrait of the Writer as a Young Wife
Iran: Song of a Captive Bird
Latvia: Soviet Milk
Pakistan: Kartography
Switzerland: Frankenstein

Total Gold Medalists: 2
Total Medalists: 3
Total Countries: 7

Updating #32

Adding
Hungary: The Bridge at Andau
Iceland: Independent People
Phillipines: An American Doctor's Odyssey: Adventures in 45 Countries

Total Gold Medalists: 8
Total Medalists: 9
Total Countries: 15

Added in April
Canada: And the Birds Rained Down
Korea: The White Book
Taiwan:The Stolen Bicycle
USA: The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
Belarus: Chernobyl Prayer: A Chronicle of the Future

Total Gold Medals: 6
Total Medals: 7
Total Countries: 12

Adding:

Ecuador: A Taste of Ecuador: The Collected Stories of Eugenia Viteri
India: Untouchable
Madagascar: Beyond the Rice Fields

Metal Count
------------------
Gold 15/22
Silver 3
Bronze 1
Total medalists: 19/30
Non-medal countries: 19
Total countries: 38/86

Adding:
Austria:The Crooked Maid
France: A Fifty-Year Silence: Love, War, and a Ruined House in France
Mexico: The Line Becomes A River
Nigeria: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano: Written by Himself

Gold Medalists: 10/22
Total Medalists: 11/30
Total countries: 19/86

Adding:
Austria:The Crooked Maid
France: A Fifty-Year Silence: Love, War, and a Ruined House in France
Mexico: The Line Becomes A River
Nigeria: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano: Written by Himself

Gold Medalists: 10/22
Total Medalists: 11/30
Total countries: 19/86

Added in May 2018:
Japan: The Boy in the Earth
Denmark: Mercy
Sweden: Pippi Longstocking

Gold medalists: 8/22
Total medalists: 9/30
Total countries: 15/86

Adding Poland and Russia. Message 21

Mother (Russia)

This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen (Poland)

Israel - This Year In Jerusalem

Adding:
Argentina: The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey
Brazil: Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City
Portugal: Blindness

Gold Medalists: 10/22
All Medalists: 11/30
Total countries: 22/86

Adding Serbia: A Tomb for Boris Davidovich by Danilo Kiš.

Metal Count
------------------
Gold 16/22
Silver 3
Bronze 1
Total medalists: 20/30
Non-medal countries: 25
Total countries: 45/86