Around the World in 80 Books discussion

Post your nominations here for the January group reads. A significant portion of the book must be set in the featured location. We will be reading a selection set in Jordan, a world mystery, and a book relating to migrating from another country to the United States.

Jordan*:
Nominate a book set in Jordan.
Jordan List: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Jordan Bookshelf: https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...

World Mystery
Nominate a mystery novel set in a MENA country. MENA countries include Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Western Sahara, and Yemen.

Migration
Nominate a book relating to migration to the United States from another country.

Women in Translation
Nominate a translated book from an author from sub-Saharan Africa.

For a list of books we have read in previous months, click here: Previously Read Group Read Books

*For our featured world country selection (this month it is Jordan): If the book selected by popular vote is not written by a native or resident author of at least 1 year, the book written by a native/resident author with the highest votes will also be selected, resulting in two book selections for that country.

For Jordan, I nominate The Cry of the Dove by Fadia Faqir

For migration, I nominate America Is Not the Heart by Elaine Castillo

For women in translation from sub-Saharan Africa, I nominate The First Wife: A Tale of Polygamy by Paulina Chiziane (Mozambique)

For Jordan, I nominate The Bride of Amman by Fadi Zaghmout

For world mystery, I nominate My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk

For migration, I nominate The Newcomers: Finding Refuge, Friendship, and Hope in an American Classroom by Helen Thorpe

For women in translation, I second Laurie's nomination of The First Wife: A Tale of Polygamy by Paulina Chiziane

For World Mystery, I nominate The Golden Scales by Mritish-Sudanese author, Jamal Mahjoub , writing under the pen name, Parker Bilal.

Those are some good choices for World Mysteries set in the Middle East. In addition to those, I might offer two books by authors that I haven't read yet, but that sound interesting:

The Saturday Morning Murder by Batya Gur, and
Finding Nouf by Zoë Ferraris

There are also some historical series set in the Middle East, to include:
The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin (19th century Ottoman empire; Yashim the Eunuch series), and
Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters (19th century Egypt; Amelia Peabody series)

Finally, not for nomination, but more for reference for those interested, there are some individual books in other detective series that take place in the Middle East, to include:

O Jerusalem by Laurie R. King (early 20th century Palestine; Mary Russell series)
Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie (early 20th century Iraq; Hercule Poirot series)
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie (early 20th century Egypt; Hercule Poirot series)
Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie (early 20th century Palestine, Jordan; Hercule Poirot series)

And, for curiousity sake, the only Agatha Christie mystery not set in the 20th century:
Death Comes as the End (Egypt, 2000 B.C.)

For Jordan I nominate, Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly, and the Making of the Modern Middle East by Scott Anderson

For the migration theme, I nominate Nisei Daughter by Monica Itoi Sone.

For Women in Translation, I nominate, Season of the Shadow by Léonora Miano. Cameroon.

Migration: children of the revolution by Dinaw Mengistu, about migration from Ethiopia, set in Washington DC.

FYI, The Cry of the Dove mentioned above also seems to exist with the alternative title My Name Is Salma, which I was going to suggest before I realized it was the same book

he is depressed. Says life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain. Doctor says, "Treatment is simple. Great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go and see him. That should pick you up." Man bursts into tears. Says, "But doctor...I am Pagliacci.”

For Jordan, I nominate Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life by Noor Al-Hussein.

For World Mystery, MENA, The Scorpion's Sting by J.D. Masterson.

For Migration to US, It Ain't So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas.

For women in translation, sub-Saharan Africa, Agaat by Marlene van Niekerk.

It's great that we have so many nominations this month. I hope many readers vote, too.

Nominations are now closed.

Vesna wrote: "If more than one nomination is acceptable for one category, then I would like to suggest a couple of books for each of these two categories.

For women in translation,
The Remainder..."

Vesna, I won't be able to use your nominations for Women in Translation, as they are not authors from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Vesna wrote: "Diane wrote: "Vesna, I won't be able to use your nominations for Women in Translation, as they are not authors from Sub-Saharan Africa."

My apologies. I didn't realize that they should be from Sub..."

Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie writes in English. Doesn’t she?

You are right, Carol. I thought her first novel Purple Hibiscus was translated but now I see that all her novels were written in English. Thanks for alerting me about it.

Vesna wrote: "You are right, Carol. I thought her first novel Purple Hibiscus was translated but now I see that all her novels were written in English. Thanks for alerting me about it."

No problem, Vesna. I have had to remind myself to check any Nigerian author because, in my anecdotal experience, they often write in English. We don’t have to wait for translations. Yay! But I can’t pick them for WiT themes. Boo!