Around the World in 80 Books discussion

We'd love to hear what you have to say! Post any reviews you would like to on books you have read.

Authors, please no self-promotion in this thread.

I usually review the books I've read, right now I post them in my challenge tread, if you like I could post them here as well... Do you want review post as seperate treads of all in this tread?

LadyHeather wrote: "I usually review the books I've read, right now I post them in my challenge tread, if you like I could post them here as well... Do you want review post as seperate treads of all in this tread?"

Whichever you prefer.

Hi

I’m one half of a New Zealand father-and-son writing/publishing team here at Sterling Gate Books.

My son James Morcan and I have co-authored two new release novels which have already appeared on Amazon’s bestseller lists in their respective categories. (We seek reviews for each).

One of these, an international thriller titled The Ninth Orphan, recently held the #1 ranking for one full week. In December, it was at #3 on Amazon’s ‘Movers & Shakers’ site for the biggest gainers for all books in its Kindle Store in the previous 24hrs.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

Our second book, a historical adventure-romance titled Fiji, is already outselling our first book in some weeks, which bodes well.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057YCZM0/

We are delighted that both books are receiving predominantly 5-star reviews. We are pro-actively seeking more reviews for both books, and that’s one reason we joined this group. That and to exchange views with like-minded people.

Best from NZ

Lance

Please check out my book review blog!
http://cafereads.blogspot.com/

Hi Diane,

I'm not sure where to post this, but I've written a review on William Dalyrmple's "City of Djinns" and liked it so much that I'm doing a blog giveaway for it this week. I think it will be interesting to this group because it's a fascinating history of Delhi. Please let me know if there's an appropriate place to put this (and apologies if this is the wrong place!). Here's the link to my review: http://yschoo.com/2013/02/03/city-of-...

Thanks for the link. Don't know about location.(:

Yangsze wrote: "Hi Diane,

I'm not sure where to post this, but I've written a review on William Dalyrmple's "City of Djinns" and liked it so much that I'm doing a blog giveaway for it this week. I think it will b..."

Yangsze, you can post it under Group Announcements (1st group folder). Thank you for requesting permission. I will move it into the Archives at the end of your giveaway.

Diane wrote: "Yangsze, you can post it under Group Announcements (1st group folder). Thank you for requesting permission. I will move it into the Archives at the end of your giveaway"

Thanks Diane --will do!

Here is my review for Two For Texas by

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Laurel wrote: "Here is my review for Two For Texas by

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."

your review makes me want to read this book. I am a texas history fanatic

Michael wrote: "Laurel wrote: "Here is my review for Two For Texas by

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."

your review makes me want to read this book. I am a texas history fanatic"

Great! I learned a fair bit. I think he did a really good job of combining the plot and events with the events of the time. Remember, it is less than 400 pages. About the first 1/4 is about escaping from the prison, then messing around with native threats, and the last 1/3 is about why the 2 guys didn't end up fighting at the Alamo, and the last part is about San Jacinto. If you know a lot about Texan history, there may not be lot of new stuff for you, but you will enjoy the adventure.

Diane, after reading message 2 and your response in 3,it seems OK to put a link to my reviews in my Circumnavigator thread. Nice. I liked to keep all my stuff together in a neat place.

Diane, it is nice to find a group where all are interested in books set in different places!

I am not quite sure if Circumnavigator or Flexible Flier is best for me. I cannot find that place where I read the different definitions...... I am still a little lost.

Chrissie wrote: "Diane, after reading message 2 and your response in 3,it seems OK to put a link to my reviews in my Circumnavigator thread. Nice. I liked to keep all my stuff together in a neat place.

Diane, it..."

The main difference between the two is that the FF challenge occurs during a calendar year (Jan-Dec), and the circumnavigator challenge is on-going and has no time limits. Participants either do one or the other or both simultaneously. There are also two other lighter calendar year tracks - Tourist and Rogue Traveler. Tourists read 24 countries per year in any region or regions. Rogue Travelers are credited by number of books instead of number of countries and basically have no rules. There are really no rules, but rather guidelines. It is your personal challenge and you interpret the guidelines as you see fit, and adapt them so they work best for you.

The explanations can be found here:
Circumnavigator: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/6...
Calendar Year Challenges: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/6...

You can set up your thread however you like. Here are my threads so you can see how I am participating in both the Trekker (calendar year challenge just like FF but in geographical order instead of random) and Circumnavigator challenges simultaneously. I started my Circumnavigator challenge in 2009.
Trekker: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
Circumnavigator: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/6...
You don't need to set up your thread the way I did. Most of the other member's threads are much better organized.

Absolutely include your reviews in your thread! I don't review much because a) I am lazy and b) I am not a very gifted reviewer.

I am so glad you have joined our group!

Diane, you are terribly sweet to explain all of this to me. I am kind of thick headed! The Circumnavigator does seem best for me and luckily that is the thread I made. :0) I do read tons of books that take place in different countries. Because I have lived in different countries I am curious about different cultures. BUT I don't like any pressure put on me.

I write reviews for two reasons. First of all if I later forget what a book was about, I can reread my own review and it all come back! This makes me feel I have not wasted my time! Secondly, by writing a review the process of writing helps me figure out why I react as I do. I mean, often I know I love or hate or just think a book is OK, but I have to figure out WHY. Don't others of you find writing a good way of figuring this out?

THANK YOU, Diane.

Here is a link to a shelf with all of my reviews (some of them are just me rating a book with a half-star)

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Come Over to My House by Theo LeSieg

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a marvellous picture book written by Dr. Seuss about homes from around the world. It was my favourite book when I was 3 or 4. It is an excellent book for young readers.



View all my reviews

My review of The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth.

“Half a million dollars is the price,” says the blonde Englishman being hired to assassinate French President Charles De Gaulle…

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

My review of The Accursed Mountains.



'In the pocket of his increasingly tatty travel trousers Robert Carver carried an impressive business card during his 1996 passage through Albania: it said ‘Freelance BBC Broadcaster - author - film-maker’ (in 7 languages) to establish his credentials where necessary...'

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

This book about Antarctica by Gabrielle Walker is amazing. Probably the most immersive book I've read about another country and among the best balancing between science and literary writing I've encountered. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished Path of the Assassin by Brad Thor an excellent book!

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book should come with a warning to have a box of tissues handy. Had I known, it would have made the awkwardness of my husband walking in the kitchen to find me weeping at the counter over the author’s words. Was it the onions? No. Michelle Zauner had me crying at the first chapter. From her complex relationship with her parents, especially her mother, to her mouth-watering description of the Korean meals prepared by her mother and aunties, this is a beautiful story of a young woman finding her way home.



View all my reviews

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Based on the book synopsis and online buzz, the novel turned out to be very different story than I imagined. However, I still went along for the ride and enjoyed it. With a whole host of characters entering and exiting the story, it was a lot like Towles’s other novel A Gentleman in Moscow with hotel guest coming and going. While I like some character’s stories better than others, overall I found Emmet and Billy’s wild ride very entertaining and the author’s writing refreshing especially his weaving of classical literary quotations out of the mouths of characters very unlikely to have read the texts.



View all my reviews

Where would be the best place in this group to ask recommendations for what i'm specifically looking for?
I'm looking for historical fiction (1900s or earlier), or fantasy books, in english, with middle east culture & surroundings. especially persia. Both adult, YA, & children's.

Books that not only have happy endings, but where you can feel things are going to work out from the beginning. But which have depth, substance, challenges. Imaginative would be great too. Or with lots of cooking/dishes woven into story. Thanx

Read Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Nhat Hanh
Review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service by Carol Leonnig
Review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


Reading Behind Bars: A True Story of Literature, Law, and Life as a Prison Librarian by Jill Grunenwald
Review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

christine and nancy, were thise kast two posts a response to me...?

Posted a new review on Youtube for The Last Wish.

https://youtu.be/7JYsjSdwRu8

Daughters of Smoke and Fire is a powerful story about the struggles of the Kurdish people in Iran, by Ava Homa the first Kurdish woman to publish a novel in English. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Here is my review

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope is the memoir of William Kamkwamba a boy who grew up in Malawi and despite incredible challenges built a windmill to supply power and water to his village. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Here is my review

Lisa wrote: "Where would be the best place in this group to ask recommendations for what i'm specifically looking for?
I'm looking for historical fiction (1900s or earlier), or fantasy books, in english, with ..."

The Final Strife by United Arab Emirates author Saara El-Arifi. A fantasy based on Ghanian folklore and Arabian mythology. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Here is my review

Lisa wrote: "Where would be the best place in this group to ask recommendations for what i'm specifically looking for?
I'm looking for historical fiction (1900s or earlier), or fantasy books, in english, with ..."

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker, is a historical fiction/ fantasy set in New York in 1899, incorporating elements of Yiddish and Middle Eastern mythology and folklore.

I just finished reading the YA fantasy The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna who was born and raised in Sierra Leone. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ An empowering feminist read, here is my review

I read:

Chai Time At Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran a novel which shifts between the conflict in Sri Lanka and a quirky nursing home in Australia trying to bring love and spicy dishes to its feisty residents. This is my review

I read:
House of Stone by Zimbabwean author Novuyo Rosa Tshuma is an award-winning novel covering the history around the decades of the formation of Zimbabwe as a new nation, in particular the Gukurahundi massacres which followed. ⭐⭐⭐ here is my review

SOUTH AMERICA
Bolivia:
Treasure of the World by Tara Sullivan is a beautifully written story set in the mountains of Bolivia where 12 year old Ana and her family struggle to mine silver and eke out an existence, highlighting plight of children forced to work just so their families can eat. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review

MIDDLE EAST
Iran:
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood is a graphic novel/ autobiography by Marjane Satrapi about growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ here is my review

Set in Czechia (former Czechoslovakia):
HHhH by Laurent Binet - 4.5* - My Review

This is the story of Operation Anthropoid, a combination of history, memoir, and historical fiction about the 1942 assassination of Reinhard Heyrich. The protagonists are the two assassins of the Czechoslovakian resistance, Jozef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš, who were trained by British Special Operations. What makes this book different is that the author comments on his research within the narrative. I found it exceptional.

Set in the US (California), Switzerland, and Germany:
Mouth to Mouth by Antoine Wilson - 4* - My Review

From the book’s description: “The charismatic Jeff invites the narrator to drinks, and there, swearing him to secrecy, begins telling him the fascinating and disturbing story of his life, starting with a pivotal incident from his youth.” This is one of those books where the reader should go into it knowing only it is a dark mystery, a story told from one person to another while waiting for a delayed flight in an airport. I felt completely absorbed, as if I were right there with them. It is a fabulous job of storytelling.

The Roads Chosen, by Ben Carlyle.



https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Set in East Prussia (today's Poland):

This is an unusual book of WWII, set in East Prussia just prior to the end of the war, that portrays the local people fleeing the encroaching front: All for Nothing by Walter Kempowski - 3+* - My Review

I thought the first half stronger than the second, but overall worth reading for a different perspective - the author was a teen living in Germany at the time and he based this historical fiction on his experiences and research.

Set in Pakistan and UK (England):
Best of Friends by Kamila Shamsie - 4* - My Review

The storyline follows the changes in a deep friendship that can occur over time and how difficult it can be to maintain when values differ. The political situations in both Pakistan and the UK form the backdrop to both timelines. Themes include migration issues, justice, convictions, betrayal, and loyalty. Kamila Shamsie writes beautifully. I felt invested in the narrative, especially the first three-quarters of the book. The ending was not quite what I expected, but it makes a point that is particularly relevant in today’s society.

Set in Denmark:
Scattered All Over the Earth by Yōko Tawada - 5* - My Review

I quite enjoyed this book about language, communications, and linguistics. It explores the concepts of homelands and migrations, and how these may change in the future. The characters form an interesting, quirky bunch. Even though it is dystopian, it has a certain charm, portraying how people try to do the best they can in less-than-ideal circumstances. The ending is open and full of irony. Highly recommended!

CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA
Venezuela:
Blue Label by Eduardo Sánchez Rugeles is literary fiction set in Venezuela about teenagers on a road trip, trying to find a way to deal with the collapse of a country around them. I found it well-written and engaging. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Here is my review

OCEANIA
Australia:
Jack and Harry by Tony McKenna an Aussie outback adventure about two teenage boys who go bush when falsely accused of a crime. A swashbuckling yarn with a few eye-roll moments thrown in. ⭐⭐⭐ here is my review

MIDDLE EAST
Lebanon:
by Rabih Alameddine is a quiet, but beautifully written story about an elderly woman living in Beirut, ensconced with her beloved books. ⭐⭐⭐ here is my review

Set in Egypt:
Mountolive by Lawrence Durrell - 4* - My Review

I read this due to its nomination for the Goldsmith Prize. I think it is another of those books where the format gets in the way of telling the story. It references both Scotland and Mauritius. I liked it but didn't love it:
Diego Garcia by Natasha Soobramanien and Luke Williams - 3* - My Review

Set in Italy:
The Revolution of the Moon by Andrea Camilleri - 3* - My Review

Set in Japan just after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima:

Black Rain by Masuji Ibuse - 4* - My Review

Set in Iceland, England, and Japan:
Touch by Olaf Olafsson - 4* - My Review