Book Nook Cafe discussion

If you have a book list of books set in a particular country that you would like to share, here is a thread for you.



Books set in Italy

I love books set in Italy.

Two that I've read and loved are:

An Italian Education: The Further Adventures of an Expatriate in Verona~Tim Parks

Italian Neighbors~Tim Parks

A few other books that take place in Italy that I have on my To Read list.

On Persephone's Island: A Sicilian Journal~Mary Taylor Simeti

Living in a Foreign Language: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Love in Italy~Michael Tucker

The Villa in Italy~Elizabeth Edmondson

Pasquale's Nose~Michael Rips

A Venetian Affair: A True Tale of Forbidden Love in the 18th Century~Andrea Di Robilant

Dolce Vita Diaries~Cathy Rogers

Chewing Gum in Holy Water: A Childhood in the Heart of Italy~Mario Valentini

A Tuscan Childhood~Kinta Beevor

Seasons in Basilicata: A Year in a Southern Italian Hill Village~David Yeadon

August Heat~Andrea Camilleri

Palladian Days~Carl Gable

Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World~Anthony Doerr

inspector moutalbano mystery series
The Terra-Cotta Dog~Andrea Camilleri

Stolen Figs: And Other Adventures in Calabria~Mark Rotella

A Commissario Guido Brunetti MysteryDeath at La Fenice~Donna Leon

The Italian Renaissance~Virginia Schomp

EDIT: After looking at my book jnl I found four more.

Portofino~Frank Schaeffer

The Miracles of Santo Fico: A Novel~D.L. Smith

Bella Tuscany~Frances Mayes

EDIT again:

I mentioned this thread to a friend.

She recommend these three to me.

Mount Allegro: A Memoir of Italian American Life~~Jerre Gerlando Mangione

Closet Italians~~Nick J. Mileti

Christ Stopped at Eboli: The Story of a Year~~Carlo Levi

I have read a few books lately set in France, mainly in Paris.
The Paris Wife
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Sarah's Key
Chocolat
The Girl with No Shadow
I Am Madame X
A Tale of Two Cities

I especially liked The Paris Wife, and Sarah's Key.
Chocolat and The Girl with No Shadow are books with magical realism.
I Am Madame X is about the woman who sat for Sargent's famous portrait.
I read Dickens back in high school, and was probably too young to appreciate it at that time.

Great idea to post these Alias! I would like to learn more about other countries and look forward to seeing what people post.

I have read most from the UK & Ireland, I'm sure. Between my love of mystery, history, and classics, it's no contest. And I always read the Booker winner, too. A few others do come to mind quickly the Devotion of Suspect X from Japan, The Kite Runner from Afghanistan, Cutting for Stone from Ethiopia, The Vagrants from China, Suite Francaise, Spanish and Swedish mysteries and novels, and a few from India and Turkey that I would have to look up. I'm only counting books by native authors, not books about countries by others like David Mitchell. I've read a few German novels and history as well. Thanks for the topic

Connie wrote: "I have read a few books lately set in France, mainly in Paris.
-----------------------

Thanks for the France list, Connie.

I read the Madame X book and also saw the painting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. At the time I saw it, it wasn't even prominently displayed. I felt like I wanted to grab the people walking by and point out the painting !

The Met has an over-abundance of riches. It's my favorite museum.

I've also read and love
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
A Tale of Two Cities

I read but thought it was only ok
Sarah's Key

I can't add any other books to your France List.

Alias, regarding the painting of Madame X, I saw it at a big Sargent exhibit at the MFA in Boston a few years ago. It's gorgeous, and was the featured painting there.
I was thinking about how provocative the pose was in Sargent's time. The look is mild compared to what we see on TV today. How times change!

Books set in Africa


I've read these books set in Africa:

Things Fall Apart~Chinua Achebe
This book is considered a classic, but I'll be honest and say I didn't care for it.

Land of a Thousand Hills: My Life in Rwanda~Rosamond Halsey Carr
A top rated book by me

I Dreamed of Africa~Kuki Gallmann
Another top rated book by me

The Ponds of Kalambayi~Mike Tidwell
Interesting book by a Peace Corps volunteer

Bill Bryson's African Diary~Bill Bryson
Small book that I purchased because the proceeds went to CARE international and I love Bill Bryson.:)

The Poisonwood Bible~Barbara Kingsolver
top rated book by me

Cry, the Beloved Country~Alan Paton
Loved it. Read it twice.

Power Lines : Two Years on South Africa's Borders~Jason Carter
President's grandson in the peace corps. I liked this book a lot.

The Grass Is Singing~Doris Lessing
Very well written. I recall you could feel the sun and heat beating down on each page.

Country of My Skull: Guilt, Sorrow, and the Limits of Forgiveness in the New South Africa~Antjie Krog
Powerful book. It's not easy to read about the horrible things that happened during apartheid. The book shows the importance of bearing witness.

The Power of One~Bryce Courtenay
Top rated book by me

Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood~Alexandra Fuller

The Sheltering Sky~Paul Bowles

Scribbling the Cat~Alexandra Fuller

The Healing Land: The Bushmen and the Kalahari Desert~Rupert Isaacson

Almost all of Wilbur Smith's novels are set in Africa. He lived there too.

Books about the Middle East

Looking over my jnl, I've read:


Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life~Queen Noor Al-Hussein
Excellent read

War and Peace in the Middle East: A Concise History, Revised and Updated~Avi Shlaim

The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror~Bernard Lewis

Baghdad Diaries: A Woman's Chronicle of War and Exile~Nuha Al-Radi

Thura's Diary~Thura al-Windawi

The Sewing Circles of Herat: My Afghan Years~Christina Lamb

The Kite Runner~Khaled Hosseini
Excellent
The Bookseller of Kabul~Åsne Seierstad

Snow~Orhan Pamuk

Infidel~Ayaan Hirsi Ali

I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced~Nujood Ali

Connie wrote: I was thinking about how provocative the pose was in Sargent's time. The look is mild compared to what we see on TV today. How times change! ."
---------------

Yes ! An exposed shoulder...oh my :)

For you fans of Venice (I would not include myself on that list!) the next book in the ZEN series (the first three were made into a TV series) takes place there Dead Lagoon

I love books set in the Pacific Islands. Michener's Hawaii partly inspired me to co-author Fiji, a historical adventure-romance I co-wrote with my son James.

Set in 19th Century Fiji, it is “a spellbinding novel of adventure, cultural misunderstandings, religious conflict and sexual tension set in one of the most exotic and isolated places on earth”.

In the mid-1800's, Fiji was a melting pot of cannibals, warring native tribes, sailors, traders, prostitutes, escaped convicts and all manner of foreign undesirables. It's in this hostile environment in our story that an innocent young Englishwoman and a worldly American adventurer find themselves. Despite their differences, there’s an undeniable chemistry between them. When their lives are suddenly endangered by marauding cannibals, they are forced to rely on each other for their very survival.

The Amazon Kindle edition of Fiji: A Novel is FREE until Monday March 12 PST.

It is currently ranked Top 20 in Amazon's Historical Books category.

More reviews are welcomed for this mainly 5-star reviewed novel!

Lance

Lance, we do not allow author promotion of books at BNC. I'll let this one stand, but any future ones will be removed.

Sterling wrote: "I love books set in the Pacific Islands. Michener's Hawaii partly inspired me to co-author Fiji, a historical adventure-romance I co-wrote with my son James.

Set in 19th Century ..."

Pacific Island books make for great reads, and Michener knew how to weave an historical story.

Welcome to Book Nook Cafe, DM ! I look forward to reading your posts.

ty, Alias Reader. Nice of you to welcome me.

Hiya, DM, nice to "meet" you. I know Michener is a favorite with many but i've rarely read beyond his first two chapters, for some reason. I like the geology but then lose interest. Weird, methinks, but there 'tis.

deb

Hi Madrano. Nice to meet you too. Michener is no easy read. Often you just have to keep at it. When you almost reach the halfway point, that's when it's hard to set the book down.

Michener and Conroy are the only overly wordy authors for whom I will persevere.

lol, JoAnn, it's so true, because the ending is worth it. I think we've moved away from overly wordy writings.

Our latest book, Fiji: A Novel, is an historical action-adventure set in 19th Century Fiji.

http://amazon.com/dp/B0057YCZM0/
http://amazon.co.uk/dp/B0057YCZM0/

Our first published novel, The Ninth Orphan, an international thriller, is set primarily in France.

http://amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC
http://amazon.co.uk/dp/B0056I4FKC

Both novels are FREE to download on Amazon from now until Wednesday June 13.

"The Ninth Orphan" is the first novel in the Orphan Trilogy. The prequel, "The Orphan Factory", will be published next month.

I'd add any book by Henning Mankell. Good thrillers set in Sweden.

Alias Reader wrote: "If you have a book list of books set in a particular country that you would like to share, here is a thread for you.



Books set in Italy

I love books set in Italy.

Two that I've read and lov..."

Doing Italians...oops...ItalyDoing Italians...oops...Italy

Another book on South Africa that I would recommend is Biko by Donald Woods. The book and its movie, Cry Freedom with Denzel Washington and Kevin Kline, contain excellent descriptions of life under apartheid.

I heard author Donald Woods speak when I was in college in the mid-1980s. The book profiles Black Consciousness movement and its leader Steve Biko, and it tells of the friendship that developed between Biko and Woods and the impact on Woods and his family. It is an amazing story of people who risk everything to make a better world and to raise awareness of injustice. Biko is also the subject of a Peter Gabriel song that was an anthem for human rights advocates back in the 1980s - including me!

I'm not familiar with the movie, Susan. Thanks for mentioning it. I like Kevin Kline.

Stephanie, thanks for sharing the title of your book. Do you have another book in the works?

I don't think i've seen mention of the passing of The Power of One author Bryce Courtenay this week. I read his book with a few people from this group (or was it one of our monthly books? I can't recall.) and appreciated the work. I know it means much to Alias, as it was her pleasure in it which led me to read it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/24/boo...

I really liked that he would send a free, signed copy of one of his books to people who stopped him on the street. Indeed, his entire story is a good one. Apparently in his last book, knowing it would be just that, he thanked his readers. Sweet.

Gosh, I didn't know that, Deb.I loved his book, The Power of One. Thanks for letting me know.

The story you linked to brought tears to my eyes. What a nice man.

Alias Reader wrote: "I'm not familiar with the movie, Susan. Thanks for mentioning it. I like Kevin Kline.

Stephanie, thanks for sharing the title of your book. Do you have another book in the works?"

We are seriously considering continuing our story after our Italy adventure and are batting around ideas. It is fun telling the story of our lives in the context of our traveling together, and I am sure we will come up with the right formula soon and be back to writing.

Susan wrote: "Another book on South Africa that I would recommend is Biko by Donald Woods. The book and its movie, Cry Freedom with Denzel Washington and Kevin Kline, contain excellent descriptions of life under..."

I loved the movie Cry Freedom...hard to watch, but impossible to tear oneself away. Thanks for the book tips.

Amy wrote: "I'd add any book by Henning Mankell. Good thrillers set in Sweden."

I LOVE Henning Mankell. I hadn't heard of him until I moved to Germany, and my partner turned me on to him. I was skeptical as I am not usually a crime novel person. But Mankell's writing is addictive.

I am a huge fan of Alexander McCall Smith, another author I hadn't heard of until my partner told me about him. Hey, I think I am going to use DP for Dear Partner...lol. Anyway, I am addicted to his 44 Scotland Street series. Also, like his No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, which I am now reading in German...which is why I am not reading much else lately...assiduously trying to improve my German. Found out I can actually understand his writing in German, and that's what I've been reading for the last month.

He has another Scotland series I like (The Sunday Philosophy Club)and a British one.

I was dying to visit Edinburgh because of his writing, and it did not disappoint. An enchanting city in which I could happily live.

Stephanie wrote: "I am a huge fan of Alexander McCall Smith, another author I hadn't heard of until my partner told me about him. Hey, I think I am going to use DP for Dear Partner...lol."
-----------

DP.... dear partner....I like that ! :)

I like DP, too. It can save such time when posting. Every time i have to type out the entire word "husband" i feel time has been stolen from me. LOL!

Re. Edinburgh. This is good to know. We hope to visit there some day but it keeps moving down the list, not upwards.

Good luck with the process of creating another book, Stephanie. It must be fun & challenging to work with another person on it.

Right now I have in my book bag 5 books set in Paris --

Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong: Why We Love France, But Not the French by Jean-Benoît Nadeau

A Paris Notebook by C.W. Gusewelle

Paris in Mind Three Centuries of Americans Writing about Paris by Jennifer Lee

A Writer's Paris: A Guided Journey For The Creative Soul by Eric Maisel

Almost French: Love and a New Life in Paris by Sarah Turnbull

Carol, are you planning a trip there? Please let us know what you think of these. I've only been in Paris for one weekend, New Year's Weekend, at that, so know i've missed the bulk of the city. Enjoy the books!

deb

Madrano wrote: "Carol, are you planning a trip there? Please let us know what you think of these. I've only been in Paris for one weekend, New Year's Weekend, at that, so know i've missed the bulk of the city. Enj..."

I probably won't finish all the books before this very busy month is over, but I will finish reading them in January.

Traveling abroad -- all depends on when my husband retires. His must-visit is Scotland (he's a golfer) and my must-visit is Paris. I have to get passports.

We have only travelled in the US which is really beautiful. This past January went to Las Vegas. I'm not into gambling but I love the Cirque du Soleil shows and minor-climbing Red Rock Canyon. In June to beautiful Lake Lanier in Georgia. In November to CA in San Bernadino Mts, and the Santa Monica Pier then flew to Salt Lake City to visit a friend. Later drove to Yellowstone Natl. Park and Grand Tetons-- stayed awhile -- took 700 pictures -- so beautiful and bison walking right near your car. We ended up in Eden, Utah -- saw Park City (where Sundance Film Festival held) and where the 2002 Olympics was-- people still train there. It was freezing cold and these guys were practicing aerial freestyle skiing -- in the air doing an inverted flip & then go into a summersault and finally fall into an outdoor pool. Amazing! I love to travel.

Carol, i like traveling in the USA, too. There is such variety here. I look forward to our trips, even when they are just to places an hour from here. I'm a fan of architecture, museums of all sorts and just rolling down the road.

I understand your 700 photos of the Tetons--when i think of how many i would have taken over the years, i'm almost relieved digital cameras didn't exist in the '70s, '80s and (for us) the '90s. I'd never catch up or even look at them all. But what a great way to remember details.

I have to say I really like digital cameras! When I was in college I was developing, printing and spending huge amounts of time in the dark room. As much as I like my college photography, you can't beat a digital camera. Even my husband took pics with his iPhone and then he downloaded an APP and instantly edited all his pics.They came out great!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbi...
Grand Tetons

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbi...
Yellowstone Park

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbi...
Buffalo crossing

Wish you and everyone a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Carol, we are not able to view your Facebook pictures. Maybe it's because of your Facebook privacy settings. Your trips sound wonderful!

I had the same experience with your photos, Carol. I was most eager to see what "Buffalo crossing" meant! LOL!

I barely got into developing my own photos, primarily because there was a lack of access to a dark room. I used one in the community but the hours were awful & arrangements had to be made first. At the time i was just too busy for that. Now i find pleasure when i look at those few i managed to develop.

As you noted digital is a breeze. Somehow i (gladly) became the family photographer. However, on our last overseas trip (Spain and after i broke my camera by dropping it several stories), DH bought several disposable cameras, to be used until we could get to a Big City & buy a new digital. Once i got the new one, he took over the disposables and had a rollicking good time. Our next purchase will probably be a new digital for me, while he "inherits" the old one. Sounds fair, right?

Sorry about the pics - I will have to figure out another way to post them.

Valiant attempt. If you figure it out, please let me know. Over the last 12 months i've wanted to share a couple of photos or images but regularly forget how to do so.

Most of the books I read are set in the UK. With regards to France, I like reading Georges Simenon, Belgium's second most translated author. Most of Simenon's books on Maigret are set in France. One I particularly liked was A Man's Head.

Others I read situated in France:

The Cleaner of Chartres by Salley Vickers
A Wild Herb Soup by Emilie Carles
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind
The Olive Harvest: A Memoir of Love, Old Trees, and Olive Oil by Carol Drinkwater

Books set in Germany:

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold by John le Carré
The One from the Other by Philip Kerr
The Reader by Bernard Schlink
Pavel & I by Dan Vyleta
On Hitler's Mountain: Overcoming the Legacy of a Nazi Childhood by Irmgard A. Hunt
The Good German by Joseph Kanon
A Different Kind of Courage: Gretel's Story by Gretel Wachtel

Books set in the USA:

Butcher's Crossing by John Edward Williams
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
City of Masks by Daniel Hecht
Whispers of the Dead by Simon Beckett
Paula by Isabel Allende
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride
From Cradle to Grave: The Short Lives and Strange Deaths of Marybeth Tinning's Nine Children by Joyce Egginton
Music of the Heart: The Roberta Guaspari Story by Roberta Guaspari
Julius Winsome by Gerard Donovan

Books set in Asia:

The Quiet American by Graham Greene
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
Daughter Of China by Meihong Xu
Red China Blues: My Long March From Mao to Now by Jan Wong
The House on Dream Street: Memoir of an American Woman in Vietnam by Dana Sachs
Cranes At Dusk by Hisako Matsubara
Daughter of the Ganges: A Memoir by Asha Miró
An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang
A Small Town Called Hibiscus by Gu Hua
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Zoya's Story: An Afghan Woman's Struggle for Freedom by Zoya

Like Alias I also read: The Bookseller of Kabul and The Kite Runner

Books set in Africa:

Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohamed
The White Lioness by Henning Mankell
The Slave Girl: A Novel by Buchi Emecheta
God Dies by the Nile by Nawal El Saadawi
Monique and the Mango Rains: Two Years with a Midwife in Mali by Kris Holloway
The Plague by Albert Camus
The Devil That Danced on the Water: A Daughter's Quest by Aminatta Forna
Memoirs of a Woman Doctor by Nawal El Saadawi
They Call Me Mama Daktari by Anne Spoerry
Muriel at Metropolitan by Miriam Tlali
Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail by Malika Oufkir
Tomorrow to Be Brave by Susan Travers
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Wow ! Thank you, Danielle ! I love your lists.

Also Welcome to Book Nook Café ! Thank you for joining our group. :)

We are always looking for active posters.

I look forward to checking out the books on your various country lists.

Great lists, Danielle! Thanks!

Thanks Alias and Amy. I will try to post regularly.