Around the World in 80 Books discussion

Post your nominations here for the February group reads. A significant portion of the book must be set in the featured location. We will be reading a selection set in the Comors, a book set on an island in the Caribbean, and a book from an author of Asian descent.

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

Islands
Nominate a book set on an island in the Caribbean. This can be an island country, territory, or island belonging to a larger country.

Minority Author
Nominate a book written by an author of Asian descent who lives in a country where they are part of a minority or marginalized population.

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 Comoros): 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 minority author, I nominate Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong.

For the minority author I nominate A Lover's Discourse by Xiaolu Guo. She's lived in the UK, Paris, Zurich, Berlin and currently the US, and her books (including this one) often talk about migration, alienation, identity, etc.

Comoros: A Girl Called Eel. The author, Ali Zamir, is from the Comoros, and the location is, according to Wikipedia, Mayotte, which is part of the Comoros archipelago, but not part of the country (it is part of France)

Islands
P. Chamoiseau Texaco (Martinique)

Minority author
J. Otsuka When the Emperor Was Divine

Comoros
M. Toihiri Le Kafir Du Karthala

For the islands theme, I nominate The Distant Marvels by Chantel Acevedo. It takes place in Cuba.

Minority author
Amin MaaloufSamarkand
Amin is born in Lebanon, writing in French and he is member of French Academy, living in France.

Iris wrote: "Minority author
J. Otsuka When the Emperor Was Divine"

Would love to read this one!

Jovan wrote: "Minority author
Amin MaaloufSamarkand
Amin is born in Lebanon, writing in French and he is member of French Academy, living in France."

That one looks fantastic! I've been on a bit of an Uzbekistan obsession this year (don't ask, long story) and I'd love to read more about that area.

Caribbean Islands
The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman. It is set on St Thomas, Virgin Islands. Historical fiction about the family of the impressionist artist Camille Pissarro.

I'll nominate The Sugar Barons for the island setting.

Susan wrote: "I'll nominate The Sugar Barons for the island setting."

I am really keen to read The Sugar Barons as well!

Not so many options for Comoros, so I'm going to nominate: A Fish Caught in Time: The Search for the Coelacanth by Samantha Weinberg

Comoros nomination: Hacked

Caribbean: Omeros by Derek Walcott.

Asian Minority: The Fish Girl by Miranda Riwoe, a Brisbane author whose father is Indonesian-Chinese and who re-tells Maugham's story 'The Four Dutchmen' from the perspective of its "Malay trollop".

Iris wrote: "Islands
P. Chamoiseau Texaco (Martinique)

Minority author
J. Otsuka When the Emperor Was Divine"

I'd love to read the book by Otsuka!

Nominations are now closed.