Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Whether you're looking for some armchair traveling or you're trying to check off the entire map of the world, surely there will be plenty of options this week.

Listopia: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Optional Questions:
1. What are you reading for this prompt?
2. Where is it set?
3. Would you ever want to go there?

I’ve been to 39 states, Canada, and Mexico. I can use anything else for this prompt so I have a few choices. Ha! I’m not entirely sure yet how I’ll narrow it down.

Alaska is one of a handful of states I haven’t been to, so I think that may be it for this one! I’m not sure which book yet...maybe Dana Stabenow.

I haven't been outside of North America or the Caribbean, so this is always an easy prompt for me, especially since I real a lot of books set in England. For this one though I have Normal People planned, set in Ireland, which I will one day visit.

I could also do one set in the handful of US states I haven't been to but that would take more digging.

For people who want to do Alaska, The Great Alone and The Simple Wild are so good.

I decided to narrow this down by choosing both a place I've never visited and a place I've never read about (that I can remember). That still left me with a good number of options from my owned TBR, but I decided to go with Land Sharks - A Swindle in Sumatra since it's one of my longest owned books out of the options and I have a side challenge to clear out my backlog.

I've only visited one state but I'm going to exclude all of the US. Still have loads of options, as most my travel has been within Europe, so I'm not really planning this prompt.

I'm going to read A Gentleman in Moscow for this prompt: it was leftover from my 2017 plan and I've never been to Russia.

I'd be interested in going to Russia, especially for its fascinating history and architecture. Although I'd probably want to go to Australia or New Zealand first, as I've never visited the continent of Oceania before.

I am planning on reading one of these European classics:
-The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann, set in Switzerland
-The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas, set in France, Italy, and Med. isles
-Don Quixote, set in Spain
-The Wreath by Sigrid Undset, set in Norway

I’m thinking about The Bitter Side of Sweet (Ivory Coast), The Mercies (Norway), The Tsar of Love and Techno (USSR), The Swan Book (Australia), or The Girl with the Louding Voice (Nigeria).

I'm going to read The Shadow of the Wind, which is set in Barcelona, Spain. I would love to visit someday..

As I have never been to Maine The Dark Half

If I'm feeling ambitious when I get to this prompt, I'll read one of these:
An Unnecessary Woman - Rabih Alammedine (Lebanon)
The Dovekeepers - Alice Hoffman (Israel)
The Shadow Land - Elizabeth Kostova (Bulgaria)
Iceland's Bell- Halldor Laxness (Iceland)

Or I'll just plug in an Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers novel.

1. What are you reading for this prompt?
Chernobyl Strawberries: A Memoir

2. Where is it set?
Chernobyl, Ukraine

3. Would you ever want to go there?
That would be a hard pass...

Can you choose an imaginary place? I mean, I've never been to Narnia...

The River Why by David Duncan
set in one of the many states I haven't been.

It might be a stretch because it takes place in four different states, and I have been to one of them, but I'm using Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts. It takes place in New York, Illinois, South Dakota and California. California is the only state out of the four that I've been to. Does this count?

1. What are you reading for this prompt?
A Song for Ella Grey

2. Where is it set?
England

3. Would you ever want to go there?
Yes! I'd love to go to England!!!

1. What are you reading for this prompt?
In the Dark by Brian Freeman

2. Where is it set?
Duluth, Minnesota

3. Would you ever want to go there?
Sure, I’ve mostly only been in the western US and I’d love to visit all 50 states at some point

Dear Child by Romy Hausmann

set in Stuttgart, Germany

I have been to Germany (Munich), so this may be a stretch to fit the prompt...but I would visit, yes.

1. What are you reading for this prompt?
The Baker Street Translation

2. Where is it set?
London, England

3. Would you ever want to go there?
I have always wanted to visit England

I have read I Dreamed of Africa, a memoir by Kuki Gallmann. It's set in Kenya. I would love to go on safari there! I've travelled to many places in the world, but have never visited Africa. It's on the bucket list, if we can ever get on a plane again!!!

1. What are you reading for this prompt?
I read The House I Loved by Tatiana de Rosnay
2. Where is it set? Paris, France
3. Would you ever want to go there? Absolutely!

Maggie Finds Her Muse: A Novel by Dee Ernst

Finished 2/2/21

1. What are you reading for this prompt? You Can't Catch Me
2. Where is it set? It was set in several places I have not been - Wyoming, Ohio and Connecticut
3. Would you ever want to go there? I would like to go to Wyoming and Connecticut and while Ohio isn't at the top of my list I wouldn't mind going there.

1. What are you reading for this prompt? When All Is Said
2. Where is it set? Rural Ireland
3. Would you ever want to go there? Absolutely. I've visited London but would love to visit more of England as well as Scotland and Ireland.

1. What are you reading for this prompt?

Piercing 10/02/2021
this is a strange book about 2 possible schizophrenics with murderous tendancies. It was strangely enjoyable. I am a fan of Haruki Murakami i am not sure if this author is related to him certainly his books have the same weirdness

2. Where is it set? Japan

3. Would you ever want to go there? I should be there NOW if my world cruise had not been cancelled due to Covid. I would love to visit but am not sure we will ever cruise again - it seems just too risky all those people in one place. Maybe we fly there one day

1. What are you reading for this prompt?
Anne of Green Gables - I was reading this for a prompt last year, but life got crazy, and I did not finish it. I'm fitting it into this prompt. :)

2. Where is it set?
It is set in Prince Edward Island, Canada. I have been to Canada, but not that particular place.

3. Would you ever want to go there?
Yes. I would love to visit.

I started reading The Master and Margarita for the monochromatic cover prompt, but decided it wasn't monochromatic enough for me, so I'm using it here instead. It's set in Moscow. Russia is not on my list of places I really want to see, but I'd go if someone else invited me along!

The great alone, set in Alasca. I'd love to see the northern lights

1. What are you reading for this prompt?
Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
2. Where is it set?
Scotland, mainly, but Jamaica and France as well.
3. Would you ever want to go there?
Yes. I would love to go to all of them, but Scotland is pretty high on my list.

I read Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 35 for this prompt. It's set in Japan, and would definitely visit Japan if I ever got the chance! (And if possible, try some high end authentic sushi while I was there!)

I have never visited the Yukon in Canada and would love to go. It would be in the summer as I dislike extreme cold and would end up staying in the hotel room in the winter. :D


A Darkness Absolute by Kelley Armstrong

1. What are you reading for this prompt?
I read Child of God by Cormac McCarthy

2. Where is it set?
Tennessee, USA

3. Would you ever want to go there?
No, I don't have any interest in visiting there

1. What are you reading for this prompt?
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
2. Where is it set? Argentina
3. Would you ever want to go there? Yes. I would like to visit Iguazu Falls, Buenos Aires, and Los Glaciares.

1. What are you reading for this prompt?
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

2. Where is it set?
Tokyo, Japan

3. Would you ever want to go there?
Yes, but I probably won't...

1. What are you reading for this prompt?
A Serpent's Tooth by Craig Johnson

2. Where is it set?
It's set in Wyoming

3. Would you ever want to go there?
Well one of my life goals was to try and visit each of the 50 states so someday, even if it is just one of those quick drive through, see a few attractions, kinda visits.

I am reading The Venitian Game by Philip Gwynne Jones.
It is set in Venice.
I would love to go to Venice, am hoping to go within the next 2 or 3 years.

1. What are you reading for this prompt? The Coppersmith Farmhouse
2. Where is it set? Montana
3. Would you ever want to go there? Yes, it is one of two western states I haven't visited (the other is Wyoming)

I read Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell for this prompt, set in England.

I read The Wayward Daughter by Shradha Ghale. The author is a journalist and although this is a novel, it contained a lot of information about its setting in Kathmandu and Nepal in general.

I don't have any urge to visit this country, fascinating though it is; I don't cope well with the air in high places.

1. What are you reading for this prompt?
I read Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist by Dorothy Gilman
2. Where is it set?
Jordan
3. Would you ever want to go there?
Not likely but what I love about this series is that the protagonist travels to many different areas, many of them considered "hot spots" but at the same time presents a lovely picture of the landscape, the "average Joe" people who live there, and some history.

For this prompt, I read Nutshell by Ian McEwan. It takes place in London, England. While the narrator would have preferred Norway, Italy, or France, I actually hope to visit London, not just Heathrow, someday soon.

1. What are you reading for this prompt? The River
2. Where is it set? Manitoba, Canada
3. Would you ever want to go there? Yes. I would love to see the Northern Lights!

I read The Killer's Guide To Iceland by Zane Radcliffe.

It's set in Iceland, and I'd love to go there. Maybe next year, when we can hopefully travel again.

1. What are you reading for this prompt? Northanger Abbey
2. Where is it set? England
3. Would you ever want to go there? I'm dying to go there. I want to take my daughter some day.

Nothing better than reading Jane Austen - it's been too long. Now I want to re-read all of her books.

1. What are you reading for this prompt?
I read Une si longue lettre by Mariama Bâ.

2. Where is it set?
It's set in Dakar, Senegal.

3. Would you ever want to go there?
I certainly wouldn't pass up the opportunity and I would love to visit francophone Africa, but I suspect that if I do get the chance, it will be to see Togo, where my Aunt is from.

I was excited to use this prompt as an opportunity to pick a book set in a location that I had neither visited nor read about and Senegal fit the bill!

I'm reading The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, which is set in the wilds of Alaska. Alaska is the one US state I haven't yet visited, and it's absolutely on my bucket list. I'm a pretty outdoorsy person, so it's one of my favorite places to read about, too.

1. What are you reading for this prompt?
The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter

2. Where is it set?
While it's nonfiction, it describes a cultural practice in Sweden.

3. Would you ever want to go there?
Yes. I dream of going on a Baltic cruise one day.

1. What are you reading for this prompt? The Third Man by Graham Greene
2. Where is it set? Vienna Austria
3. Would you ever want to go there? Yes

I just finished The Strange Journey of Alice Pendelbury by Marc Levy, set mainly in Istanbul, Turkey. I've never been, but have always hoped to visit this fascinating country one day.