Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion

Use this space to discuss books you're reading or that might fit the 15th Read Harder task. Sign up for our new Read Harder newsletter to get recommendations for each task delivered straight to your inbox! https://bookriot.com/newsletter/read-...

"Eastern" is a pretty vague descriptor-- are we talking Eastern European? East Africa? East Asia?

That's what I was trying to figure out. Is this a weird way to say non-western? It feels pretty subjective.

Eastern hemisphere maybe? I need more information.

Like...depending on where you are, how far East might you need to go? Anyways, I'm gonna finally try Lone Wolf and Cub, Vol. 1: The Assassin's Road by Kazuo Koike.

Jessica wrote: ""Eastern" is a pretty vague descriptor-- are we talking Eastern European? East Africa? East Asia?"


I was wondering that too. Middle East? Far East? East Africa? Eastern seaboard? Eastern bloc? what's "Eastern"?

I took this to mean Asia , but it's certainly open to interpretation

I mean, everyone is east of somewhere. I'm disappointed in the wording. I'm assuming east as in Russia, Asia, and possibly Middle East. Maybe??

Tricia wrote: "I mean, everyone is east of somewhere. I'm disappointed in the wording. I'm assuming east as in Russia, Asia, and possibly Middle East. Maybe??"

Right? I live on the west coast but I'm east of Hawaii.

I'm glad we are all confused. Eastern hemisphere is over 80% of the world's population, so I guess there are lots of choices.

Eastern Hemisphere, part of Earth east of the Atlantic Ocean and west of North and South America. It includes Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. Longitudes 20° W and 160° E are often considered its boundaries. Some geographers, however, define the Eastern Hemisphere as being the half of Earth that lies east of the Greenwich meridian (prime meridian, 0° longitude) continuing to the 180th meridian.

https://www.britannica.com/place/East...

I think the scope is wide enough that you can find a book set in a country that you are unfamiliar with/outside of your knowledge/comfort zone.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Highly recommend this WWII novel, I've read it twice.

During the Nazis’ brutal siege of Leningrad, Lev Beniov is arrested for looting and thrown into the same cell as a handsome deserter named Kolya. Instead of being executed, Lev and Kolya are given a shot at saving their own lives by complying with an outrageous directive: secure a dozen eggs for a powerful Soviet colonel to use in his daughter’s wedding cake. In a city cut off from all supplies and suffering unbelievable deprivation, Lev and Kolya embark on a hunt through the dire lawlessness of Leningrad and behind enemy lines to find the impossible.

By turns insightful and funny, thrilling and terrifying, City of Thieves is a gripping, cinematic World War II adventure and an intimate coming-of-age story with an utterly contemporary feel for how boys become men.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

If the Book Riot recommendations for this task don't clarify matters, I guess I'll assume eastern hemisphere and perhaps go with something set in Australia or New Zealand, as I've read hardly any books from that region and some historical fiction from over there would hit the spot.

I was wondering what this would be, too. I immediately thought of Eastern Europe.

This doesn't really clarify what BookRiot meant by "Eastern", but they did have this reasonably long list of historical fiction, and some seem like they might be good fits:

https://bookriot.com/best-historical-...

I'm reading Moth after all. This was recommended by the NYPL blog. Love their suggestions! https://www.nypl.org/blog/2022/12/22/...

Rebecca wrote: "What about Thistlefoot? It's a long book but sounds great!"

I have this down for the "choose a book based on the cover". So, it would fit this, too?

I interpreted "Eastern" here to mean not in "the West" (also a vague term but generally North America, Europe, Australia), which makes sense since most of the historical fiction I've read is set in Europe or the US. So far I'm thinking of Beasts of a Little Land, set in Korea.

I agree with Gina. I would interpret this as primarily Asia and the Middle East, but others might rather focus on Eastern Europe, Russia or Africa. We’re all free to interpret these as we wish.

Sometimes it seems like there is more historical fiction about WWII in Europe than any other time/place in history. If you really love reading about World War II in Europe, it might be a big enough shift to read about WWII in the Pacific, or the invasions of China or Korea. White Chrysanthemum and Pachinko
I also liked
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
A Thousand Splendid Suns
The Kite Runner
A Gentleman in Moscow
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
She Who Became the Sun fantasy + historical fiction
The Night Tiger fantasy + his fic
The Widows of Malabar Hill his fic + mystery
The Notebook Agota Kristof, Hungary
China Room India

I want to read:

The Garden of Evening Mists Southeast Asia
The Gift of Rain southeastAsia
The God of Small Things - India
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena - Chechnya
Song of a Captive Bird -Iran

NancyJ wrote: "I want to read:

The Garden of Evening Mists Southeast Asia
The Gift of Rain southeastAsia
The God of Small Things - India
A Constellation of Vital ..."



I read Garden of Evening Mists this year and it's shaping up to be my favorite book of 2022 (unless a new read pops out in the next week to unseat it!) I definitely plan to read Gift of Rain next year.

Nadine in NY wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "I want to read:

The Garden of Evening Mists Southeast Asia
The Gift of Rain southeastAsia
The God of Small Things - India
A Constellation ..."

I’m glad to hear it. They both fit multiple challenges in 2023, and I’m looking forward to them.

Nadine in NY wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "I want to read:

The Garden of Evening Mists Southeast Asia
The Gift of Rain southeastAsia
The God of Small Things - India
A Constellation ..."

I loved The Gift of Rain. I should read The Garden of Evening Mists this year.

The Twentieth Wife is on my TBR and I'm saying it fits the category.

I've read them both, but Kazuo Ishiguro's books, A Pale View of Hills and An Artist of the Floating World would both fit.

I also can't recommend The Garden of Evening Mists highly enough.

NancyJ wrote: "I agree with Gina. I would interpret this as primarily Asia and the Middle East, but others might rather focus on Eastern Europe, Russia or Africa. We’re all free to interpret these as we wish.

S..."
The God of Small Things is PHENOMENAL (imo).

Anything by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù would fit, with the added bonus that they all have LGBT+ rep (they're all MLM romances). I'm going with Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 1

The Henna Artist has been on my to-read list for awhile!

I'm listening to The Decagon House Murders, which is a Japanese thriller, so I figure that counts.

I started reading Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu. From the book cover: about war, migration, and the power of telling stories - that follows three generations of a Chinese family on their search for a place to call home. The story starts in China but follows the family’s journey spanning continents and generations. Described as a bold and moving look at the history of modern China.

Stina wrote: "I'm listening to The Decagon House Murders, which is a Japanese thriller, so I figure that counts."

Nope. It isn't historical fiction. Yes, it's set in the 1980s, but that's also when the book was originally released. :-/ Back to the ol' drawing board!

Stina wrote: "Stina wrote: "I'm listening to The Decagon House Murders, which is a Japanese thriller, so I figure that counts."

Nope. It isn't historical fiction. Yes, it's set in the 1980s, but..."

Would you define 'historical fiction' for me? I would think the book was in the category.

Leona wrote: "Stina wrote: "Stina wrote: "I'm listening to The Decagon House Murders, which is a Japanese thriller, so I figure that counts."

Nope. It isn't historical fiction. Yes, it's set in ..."

I would say it has to be about someone writing in a time that's history to them. So if it was written now and set in the 1980s it would count, but if it was written in the 1980s and set in the 1980s, it was contemporary fiction at the time, not historical.

NancyJ wrote: "I agree with Gina. I would interpret this as primarily Asia and the Middle East, but others might rather focus on Eastern Europe, Russia or Africa. We’re all free to interpret these as we wish.

S..."

Oh thanks for this list! It made me recall that I've been meaning to read both A Thousand Splendid Suns (I even own it), as well as The Night Tiger - I've read The Ghost Bride by the same author and still think about it sometimes

>34 Thanks for the info. But, I have often wondered why a book like Jane Eyre is a classic and historical when she wrote the book in her own time I thought.

Leona wrote: ">34 Thanks for the info. But, I have often wondered why a book like Jane Eyre is a classic and historical when she wrote the book in her own time I thought."

I believe Jane Eyre is approximately set around the 1800s/1810s but it was published in 1847. So there's certainly an argument that it's historical fiction the way something written now but set in the 80s or 90s would be historical fiction. But I don't think there's any actual confirmation of dates in the book or anything, so one could certainly make the argument that it's not historical fiction.

Elizabeth wrote: "Leona wrote: ">34 Thanks for the info. But, I have often wondered why a book like Jane Eyre is a classic and historical when she wrote the book in her own time I thought."

I believe Jane Eyre is a..."

Jane Eyre has specific references to 1820 and was published in the mid 1840's so it is historical fiction.

Carole wrote: "I started reading Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu. From the book cover: about war, migration, and the power of telling stories - that follows three generations of a Chinese family on their searc..."

I read this book last year and loved it! I hope you enjoy it!

So I'm interpreting this as meaning "the eastern hemisphere" so I'll be reading a book from my home country, Norway. I know these challenges are supposed to inspire you to read out of your comfort zone, and you would think reading a beloved classic from my own home country wouldn't qualify, but here in Norway, Norwegian art is seen as "lame". So my generation doesn't really read much of our country's books. So I see this as a great opportunity to get to know my own culture better.

The Wreath by Sigrid Undset

It's a three book epic about a girl living in 14th century Norway. We were a very poor country, owned by Denmark at the time. So it will be interesting learning more about how life was like here then.

Jessica wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "I agree with Gina. I would interpret this as primarily Asia and the Middle East, but others might rather focus on Eastern Europe, Russia or Africa. We’re all free to interpret these ..."

I reallly want to read A Thousand Splendid Suns as well! Have it as my backup book in case I DNF my first choice!

Rebecca wrote: "I'm reading Moth after all. This was recommended by the NYPL blog. Love their suggestions! https://www.nypl.org/blog/2022/12/22/..."

Thanks for the recommendation! Added the blog to my bookmarks.

I find it interesting that they were so vague on this prompt. When I Google "an Eastern country" I get this :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...

which tells me that I can do an Australian book, and since I have two other challenges that ask for a book taking place in Australia, I'm going to do that. I'm planning on reading Picnic at Hanging Rock

I'm reading Pachinko by Min Jin Lee.

I read East as NOT West, but I like the Eastern Hemisphere definition. So, if India counts for you...I loved Cutting for Stone. It was a phenomal book.
2 books set in Korea:
Pachinko - there is an Apple TV show based on the book, but I haven't seen it but LOVED the book
The Island of Sea Women - Based on women divers in the island of JuJu which is situated off Korea. Also covers the 30's and 40's on the island
17th century Persia: The Blood of Flowers
Nigeria: Half of a Yellow Sun This book was so beautiful about a very harrowing time in Nigeria in the 1960's.

Jason wrote: "I'm reading Pachinko by Min Jin Lee."

One of my all time favorite books!

I'm not good when it comes to countries let alone locations, but is France an Eastern country?

no, France is in western Europe.

Bonnie G. wrote: "no, France is in western Europe."

Okay thanks.

But France is in the Eastern Hemisphere, which is the guideline some people are using. The challenge authors are leaving us to our own devices on this one, apparently, so I guess define "Eastern" however you like.