Around the World in 80 Books discussion

A new year, a new set of countries. Here are the dozen randomly assigned to me for 2021:

Barbados ☑
Malaysia ☑
Turkey ☑
Colombia ☑
Ghana ☑
Malta ☑
Gabon ☑
Belarus ☑
Zimbabwe ☑
Indonesia ☑
Central African Republic ☑
Comoros ☑

Once again, a couple of repeats, but overall a good mixture of countries. I'll continue to read one a month.

Since I just finished a book set in Egypt, I will choose the country closest to Egypt for my first book: Turkey

January

Random Country #1: Turkey

Curiouser and curiouser: Travelers can cross continents underground, thanks to the Marmary rail tunnel under the Bosporus strait, which commuters can use to travel between Europe and Asia.

Book read for Turkey: The Snake Stone by Jason Goodwin

Do travelers use the Marmary tunnel in this book? No -- this book is almost two centuries too old. But in some ways, the book seems a love letter to the caïques used to ferry travelers across the waterways surrounding Istanbul and separating the continents.

Not so random excerpt from page 113:
It was already dark when Yashim reached the landing stage at Karaköy. Istanbul across the Golden Horn looked strangely unfamiliar, the outline of its hills concealed in the darkness, false heights picked out by the lamps that burned on minarets and domes. For a moment, it was possible to believe the city had been replaced by mountains, their peaks and slopes dotted here and there by charcoal burners' huts.

Did I enjoy the book? Absolutely! Yashim the eunuch makes for an entertaining sleuth (and proficient cook), and the Polish ambassador (without a country) and the French archeologist's wife are fascinating characters.

So for next month's book, of the books I currently have checked out from the library, I actually have a book from a country on the list above. Ergo, next month's country will be: Zimbabwe

February

Random Country #2: Zimbabwe

Curiouser and curiouser: The country's name comes from traditional architecture, with its "great houses of stone".

Book read for Zimbabwe: We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo

Are there great houses of stone in this book? No. Unfortunately, most of the regular houses in the fictional Paradise were bulldozed in a governmental operation, leaving residents to try to recover their lives in shantytowns.

Not so random excerpt from page 148:
Look at the children of the land leaving in droves, leaving their own land with bleeding wounds on their bodies and shock on their faces and blood in their hearts and hunger in their stomachs and grief in their footsteps... They will never be the same again because you just cannot be the same once you leave behind who and what you are, you just cannot be the same.

Did I enjoy the book? Parts, yes. Ultimately I was hoping for more resolution, but it does lay bare the crisis of identify facing immigrants.

So for next month's book, I don't have any books checked out from countries on the list, but since I am currently reading a book from Iceland, the country closest to Iceland remaining on my list is: Belarus

March

Random Country #3: Belarus

Curiouser and curiouser: Belarus is home to one of the largest areas of primeval forest covering the European plain; forests cover approximately 40% of the country.

Book read for Belarus: King Stakh's Wild Hunt by Uladzimir Karatkevich

Are there primeval forests in this book? Absolutely -- they loom dark and near to the road, encroaching upon a forlorn manor house and the humble homes of the surrounding villagers. These woods are patrolled by night by the apparations of a wild hunt, bent on avenging the death of their king upon the succeeding generations of the Yanovsky family.

Not so random excerpt from page 78:
In my dream that night King Stakh's Wild Hunt silently raced on. The horses neighed, their hoofs landed, and their engraved bridles rocked. Beneath their feet was the cold heather, bending forward, the grey shadows dashed on, marsh lights glittering on the horses' foreheads. Aboce them a lonely star was burning, a star as sharp as a needle.

Did I enjoy the book? For the most part, yes, though the 19th century romantic style of the text did get a bit old after a while. I was curious to see if science or the supernatural would win out in the end.

So for next month's book, I have a book currently checked out from the library from my list of countries above. Therefore, next month's country will be: Indonesia

April

Random Country #4: Indonesia

Curiouser and curiouser: The word "ketchup" in English may itself derive from an Indonesian sweet soy sauce called kecap (which itself is derived from the Chinese language).

Book read for Indonesia: Coconut & Sambal: Recipes from my Indonesian Kitchen by Lara Lee

Is there kecap in this book? Is the sky blue? Of course there are recipes both for and using kecap in an Indonesian cookbook! It also appears to be one of the easier things to make.

Not so random excerpt from page 212:
There are also many traditional recipes I learnt from home cooks across the archipelago, who say that when we eat jajanan pasar [literally "market snacks"] we are eating the wisdom of our ancestors: one thousand years of history. Created as a symbol of Indonesia's diversity and the great wave of ethnicities, personalities and struggles that found a home on these islands jajanan pasar serve as a reminder to Indonesians to be tolerant and kind to each other.

Did I enjoy the book? I did. And now I'm hungry!

So for next month's book, I don't have any books checked out from countries on the list, but since I am currently reading a book from Vietnam, the country closest to Vietnam remaining on my list is: Malaysia

May

Random Country #5: Malaysia

Curiouser and curiouser: Datuk Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor was not only the first Malaysian astronaut -- he was also the first Muslim in space, prompting Malaysia to release a guidebook for future Muslim astronauts advising them how to perform Islamic rites at the International Space Station.

Book read for Malaysia: The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng

Do Islamic rites take place in this book? No, but the author discusses Buddhist beliefs, and also includes a section dealing with Christianity's Arminian theology.

Not so random excerpt from page 203:
Invitations to the party had been sent to all the right people: the British ruling class of Penang, which meant the resident councillor and his wife, high-ranking civil servants, military and naval officers; a few playwrights and musicians; the editors of the various newspapers; and the people who really ran the island--Chinese tycoons, Malay aristrocrats, and British Tuan Besars. And then there were the Japanese whom I had invited. It was truly a gathering of friend and foe.

Did I enjoy the book? This is two for two for me for books by Tan Twan Eng. I appreciate the thoughtfulness he puts into his writings, and the space for what is not said.

So for next month's book, since I am currently reading a book from Hungary, the country closest to Hungary remaining on my list is: Malta

June

Random Country #6: Malta

Curiouser and curiouser: The national dog of Malta is not the Maltese (which has no verified connection to the island), but is instead the Pharaoh hound, aka Kelb tal-Fenek, traditionally used for hunting rabbits.

Book read for Malta: Safe at anchor in mid-harbour. A Novel from Malta by Oliver Friggieri

Are there Pharoah hounds or any dogs in this book? No. Just a mopey son who resents his mother and stepfather and pines for a girl whose parents are uncertain of him.

Not so random excerpt from Chapter 8:
"But understand me well. When instead of the bicycle we'll be seeing cars, what then? And what about the cinema? And pictures?"
"I don't know, your Excellency," the priest fell back on the refrain.
"Do you think everything we've built up will fall down and break, one day?" the Bishop fell silent, drawing in a deep breath.

Did I enjoy the book? Father Frejbel remains the heart of the story, but he is sidelined as Susanna's son Wistin plays prodigal. Somewhere in this book is a good narrative, but it didn't come through in this book, which was a bit of a disappointment.

So for next month's book, I have a book currently checked out from the library from my list of countries above. Therefore, next month's country will be: Comoros

July

Random Country #7: Comoros

Curiouser and curiouser: The name of this island country comes from the Arabic word for moon.

Book read for the Comoros: A Fish Caught in Time: The Search for the Coelacanth by Samantha Weinberg

Does the moon factor into the search for the coeleanth? Hard to say exactly -- some are caught on nights near a full moon, some with less light. But the common factor is that the coelacanth seem to be more active at night, spending days inside underwater caves.

Not so random excerpt from page 2:
"I picked away the layers of slime to reveal the most beautiful fish I had ever seen," she recounts. "It was five feet long, a pale, mauvy blue with faint flecks of whitish spots; it had an iridescent silver-blue-green sheen all over. It was covered in hard scales, and it had four limb-like fins and a strange little puppy dog tail. It was such a beautiful fish--more like a big china ornament--but I didn't know what it was."

Did I enjoy the book? Yes -- especially the section with the German researchers who in their persistence finally identified coelacanths by day. Pretty fascinating history of the search for a fish that had been believed lost to time.

Apropos of nothing, I think Lewis Carroll would have had a field day with this fish!

So for next month's book, since I am currently reading a book on Mesopotamia, the country closest to Hungary remaining on my list is: Central African Republic

August

Random Country #8: Central African Republic

Curiouser and curiouser: Unfortunately, this country is the most malnourished and has the lowest life expectancy in the world.

Book read for Central African Republic: Batouala by René Maran

Does malnourishment and low life expectancy factor into this tale: Sadly, yes, as famine is referenced, and some characters don't make it to see old age.

Not so random excerpt from page 53:
This disappointment did not please Mourou. She expressed her rage with a series of deep and hoarse growls. Prey missed is almost always prey lost.

Did I enjoy the book? Yes. The tale of an African chief and his village was short, but with a strong sense of place, and clear motivation for its main characters (as ill-advised as some of their actions might have been).

So for next month's book, since I am currently reading a book from Lebanon, the country closest to Lebanon remaining on my list is: Gabon

September

Random Country #9: Gabon

Curiouser and curiouser: Gabon is home to 80% of Africa's gorilla population.

Book read for Gabon: Mema by Daniel M. Mengara

Are there gorillas in this book? Not that I remember. Wild ghost boars show up, though.

Not so random excerpt from page 30:
My mother's story is a sad one. It is a story that should not be told.

Did I enjoy the book? Eh -- I'm rather indifferent to the book, and I have to wonder if the author had the right idea...

So for next month's book, since I was reading a book from Taiwan, the country closest to Taiwan remaining on my list is: Ghana

October

Random Country #10: Ghana

Curiouser and curiouser: In Ghana the day of the week a child is born on will compose part of their name.

Book read for Ghana: Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi

Does the Ghanaian naming convention show up in the book? Yes! The family patriarch is named Kweku (meaning born on a Wednesday), and his sister is named Ekua (also meaning born on a Wednesday). Other names in the book have a Nigerian background.

Not so random excerpt from page 123:
..there was the sense in her house of an ongoing effort, of an upswing midmotion, a thing being built: A Successful Family, with the six of them involved in the effort, all, striving for the common goal, as yet unreached. They were unfinished, in rehearsal, a production in progress, each performing his role with an affected aplomb, and with the stress of performance ever-present for all as a soft sort of sound in the background. A hum.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes -- it was a well-written tale of immigrants and family dynamics and hope and reconciliation. I found it fascinating.

So for next month's book, I had finished a book from Egypt at the same time, so the country closest to Egypt remaining on my list is: Barbados

November

Random Country #11: Barbados

Curiouser and curiouser: The grapefruit is a hybrid fruit first developed in Barbados.

Book read for Barbados: How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones

Do grapefruit show up in this book? Not that I recall; there are references to oranges, though.

Not so random excerpt from page 131:
People lie about the first slap. Lala knows you can never trust a woman who can tell you the direction from which the fist first came, because if you are genuinely shocked that first time you are beaten, the only thing you remember is the sting.

Did I enjoy this book? Enjoy isn't the right word. It told some not so pleasant truths about real life in "Paradise", and some of the heartache in the book could have been eased if parents had better communicated with their children.

For next month's book, the only country remaining on the list is: Colombia

December

Random Country #12: Colombia

Curiouser and curiouser: Colombia is not the largest exporter of coffee in the world -- it comes in at number 3 after Brazil and Vietnam.

Book read for Colombia: Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

Is there coffee in this book? Yes, the adults drink it, but it isn't a big part of the book.

Not so random excerpt from page 151:
School had started again and Cassandra and I were tired all the time--then the government announced that Pablo Escobar was in jail. Cassandra jumped up and down screaming and Mama shook my shoulder. "Chula, do you realize? We can go to the movies! We can go out wherever we want now and we won't have to fear being blown up!"

Did I enjoy the book? To a degree, yes. It was well written and engaging, though the events that took place must have been traumatizing for both the main character and the maid to her family.

And with that, 2021 comes to a close for random country reads.