Around the World discussion

Very cool idea. I'm going to start working on my list. Looks like your book thread is the discussion thread for this group.

Seems like a fun idea, Barry. Now I have to work on a list!

Okay. I'm working on my list now.

Me too!

Barry wrote: "i don't know yet, ally! ask me again in 2012

but the movie is awwwwwesome if you havent watched it yet"


I have seen the movie, duh. But that means I can go ahead and read all the French and American books I need to read for school this year and potentially read like 20 books from different countries next year (and really short ones at that). I didn't know that this was a 2012 only challenge. After all, this IS August.

I have a great Somalia recommendation: Nurrudin Farah. As for the other countries, I'll have to kind of do some research.

PS - Elfriede Jelinek is awesome. You have the right idea. I think I'll read her book and quote it in my dissertation.

Hi, I just joined. I know several of you and since I am addicted to reading about different cultures, being well acquainted with Sweden, the US, Belgium and France, I thought this could be a group for me. I already have my GR books shelved by the countries in which they take place. Anne, said I could pick 52 books that take place in 52 different countries, rather than by the author's nationality or place of birth. Is that really OK? I am a terrible planner. I thought I might build my list up progressively. Is this OK? Or must I make a list of 52 right from the start? Just tell me if I am too divergent for this group! I do hope you accept me.

How are we going to discuss books? I hope we can talk about these books we are reading. Maybe we could have a thread where we inserted links to our reviews. Those interested in a particular book could then talk in the comments below the reviews. I love taling about books.

So we cannot start reading now? I am reading a memoir that takes place in Cuba! It is great, so far.

Oh, and what happens if we dump a book because it is terrible?

Sorry for all my questions, but isn't it best I ask in the beginning?

Chelsea, that sounds super. Neither do I want to spend a huge amount of time investigating how to classify the authors. I have in fact made a list of 52 countries - on paper! Maybe tomorrow I will get a chance to post it. The only thing I know for sure is that I will be making numerous changes as I read. I will try and link all the books. I feel a bit nervous, but I do not think anyone will clobber me if I do not suceed. The new books I buy can only be on Kindle, and as many of you know, English libraries in Belgium are non-existant. The cool thing is that I maybe can get through my pile of paper books stacked up here by my desk.

BTW, why have you put Ama: A Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade in Ghana? Is that where the majority of the novel takes place? I already have a book for South Africa where the Manu Herbstein is born. I want to read The legacy of Ladysmith: A novel, which is historical fiction about the Boer War. I already have the book, so I figured I would place that in South Africa.

I hope it is OK to chat here about books......

Oh Barry, I am so, so, so happy!!! Have I finally found a group that isn't neurotically stuck to strict rules and loves different cultures. Yipee!!!

I have in fact made a list but all I know for sure is that it will be altered as I read :0)

And I am so happy you like my idea of a thread where we put links to the books we have read and our reviews.

Here is the Cuban memoir I am currently reading: Blessed by Thunder: Memoir of a Cuban Girlhood. I also find these intriguing:
1. Dreaming in Cuban
2. Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy which is available on Kindle. :0)

Oh, I am so happy, I feel like dancing. Oscar, my curly coated retriever joins me with a woof! He is with me on my avatar. If you want to see more pictures of him see my profile pics.

YIPEE!!!

Thank you Anne for telling me about this group.

Chelsea, you have shelved Ama on a Ghana shelf. The author is born in South Africa, but is the setting Ghana primarily? Sorry for being so unclear.......

Chelsea, yes, it does. You see I have had this listed on my shelves for ages and think I want to read it. I think I might allow myself to either list a book according to where the primary setting is OR where the author is born OR where the author has lived...... You see I am fitting the rules to accomodate the books I want to read! If a book is concerned with "travel", setting is difficult as a criteria.

Thanks Chelsea. I HaveAma: A Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade on my TBR too though I don't have it on my "52" list.

Chelsea, Asmah just told me that the author lived in Ghana for many years, so she is putting it there too! I love the flexibility.

Sue, nice that we meet here too!

It feels like old home week!

Man you added all these "rules" and "restrictions" after I got set.

Restrictions:
Only authors I've never read
Lame, lame...

But thank you for letting me steal your list and thank you for adding my recommendation. I'm in the same class as Nabokov, yay!

Chrissie, Manu wrote, "I’m in Ghana, where I’ve been for over forty years."

I didn't realize it was "authors" never read, thought it was books never read. I believe I have at least 1 or 2 that are by authors I've read before.

Oh good. I think this is a fun idea and a way to push into areas not challenged. I think the semi-known authors or types of books can be nice breaks between big challenges (which is probably how I will schedule them). I have a couple of foreign mysteries in the list. It's a genre I enjoy but very foreign settings.

Barry, now I have had a chance to browse your books, and several intrigued me/ Unfortunately few are available on Kindle/ That Herta Müller's books are still not available I find astounding. I want to read The Land of Green Plums first though. I am sampling Delirium! Before buying a book I want to taste the writer's style. There were several I would have liked to have added, Hourglass to name but one.

It is scary! I'll never get that organized. Are you a librarian? (I have several friends who are)

I almost went to grad school for becoming a librarian but became an occupational therapist instead. I guess we're all detail oriented.

Why haven't you updated your list in over a week? I need to find something to pick on.

The brief descriptions are helpful. Thanks!

Yes, you did. But that was likea week ago. Thanks for your comments in the meantime, though. The descriptions will be helpful, btw, if I actually decide to read them in the future.

We've got one book in common - Peru The Green House. We have different approaches. I'm going by setting and you're doing author.

Barry wrote: "when are you planning to read that one Janice? let me know and let's try to sync up!"

That's a good question. I have to acquire the book first. It might be easier for you to say, "I'm reading it in ______________, so get your rear in gear and read it with me." Do you have an idea when you're going to read it?

Judy wrote: "By the way, if you aren't yet familiar w/ inter-library loans please research them with your local library, I've gotten access to things I'd never thought I'd read that way, it makes me love the wo..."

I've had good luck with the ILL too and occasionally can renew.

Barry wrote: "No idea. Was hoping you would decide that for both of us, haha.

I'm toying with the idea of mapping out a journey/tour of all the countries so they share a border or a continent or something, an..."

LOL! I see we have the same "problem". It sounds like, "What do you want for supper?" "I don't know, what do you want?"

I was thinking later in the year as well since I will read the books I already own first. So maybe August or Sept?

LOL! My stock answer to that question is porkchops.

Barry wrote: "yeah cools let's shoot for that and alert each other if we're maybe doing it sooner

i always hated that dinner discussion, and then i met the girl who only wanted to eat Pinkberry every night fo..."

Can I eat at your guys' house for dinner sometime? Pinkberry sounds like good dinner food. But I mean, with an occasional dinner at Baskin Robbins or something. I dunno. Here I am again, intruding in on your life! :P

I like quinoa. Have you seen the extra features on Inland Empire of David Lynch making quinoa?

But vegan? My ex-boyfriend was talking about his new flame who is a vegan. He is a foodie, so he posted "God must hate me." But----he posted other things about her so I defriended him and blocked him and of course he wrote back to me by email and I got all upset. I nearly got drunk last night or took some pills, but I was too depressed to do either.

So I started reading more of Paul Auster's Timbuktu this morning, and it's so depressing. Like 2 stars out of five. And that's being generous.

Personally, I think you did the right thing by blocking him. Can you block his emails too?

Janice wrote: "Personally, I think you did the right thing by blocking him. Can you block his emails too?"

No. I mean I really like him and wish I could stay in contact with him on one hand. But he has not respected me as a person, so that kind of outweighs what I feel for him. It's a complicated situation and we are living in different states right now, so that's all for the best.

Barry wrote: "haha it's a yogurt place that sounds kinda dirty"
Never thought that it sounded dirty. But it has a "weird" taste. I like tart. But this is like weird.

Barry, he is very dumb. And I've tried different flavors at pinkberry. There are a couple I like. I forget which ones. I like the caramel, pomegranate and maybe chocolate. I think they discontinued all my favorite flavors though. And the green tea one was so bad. And the original is the yucky kinda tart one with the weird possibly metallic taste.

What is Murakami? I thought you meant at first that you were marrying Murakami and it was going to be a gay marriage. But of course you are marrying a girl. I think she's great. I'm glad you finally found your soulmate. You & her are perfect for each other!

:( :( :( :( I don't read/like Japanese except for Naruse. And some silent Ozu.

Barry wrote: "there's different flavors, not just the one like when it opened in LA

he sounds dumb, Ally - vegan has much more variety than the dozen or so variations on meat which any foodie should be sick of ..."

BTW, here is my Auster ranked list so far. I don't know if Timbuktu is worse than Lulu on the Bridge. Perhaps it is. Lulu made me think Auster was dumb, as it was my first attempt to familiarize myself with his work. But Timbuktu is making me think he went thru a very bad uninspired period.

http://mubi.com/lists/paul-auster

I read the Brooklyn Follies and I saw the movie The Music of Chance and it didn't make me want to read the book. It was okay at best. And Mr. Vertigo is one of my favs. I know you don't like it. Tough!!

CTRL+F works sometimes. :P Brooklyn Follies is right below Music of Chance. I mainly hated the end of B. Follies when (view spoiler)[they all turned lesbian at the end (hide spoiler)] that reminded me of Woody Allen's Whatever Works when (view spoiler)[they all turned liberal at the end and one guy turned gay (hide spoiler)]

Moon Palace (1989) novel
Invisible (2009) novel
Smoke (1995) screenplay/film
Mr. Vertigo (1994) novel
Oracle Night (2003) novel tied with In the Country of Last Things (1987) novel
The Inner Life of Martin Frost (2007) screenplay/film – “The Inner Life of Martin Frost” is a screenplay that is mentioned in Auster’s novel `The Book of Illusions.’ It’s the only film that the protagonist watches of Hector Mann’s later, hidden films. It’s a simple story of a man meeting a girl, and an intense relationship, and her vanishing.
Leviathan (1992) novel
Sunset Park (2010) novel
The Music of Chance (1993) screenplay/film
The Brooklyn Follies (2005) novel
The New York Trilogy (1987) novel
-City of Glass (1985)
-Ghosts (1986)
-The Locked Room (1986)
The Story of My Typewriter with paintings by Sam Messer (2002)
Man in the Dark (2008) novel
Blue in the Face (1995) screenplay/film
Lulu on the Bridge (1998) screenplay/film

Barry and Ally,
you two should really take your show on the road. I think you'd be a hit.

I think olof likes Mr. Vertigo too. But he doesn't care about me. I tried acting indifferent to him though, and that actually worked. You can try telling him about what I thought about B. Follies and stuff.

Anne wrote: "Barry and Ally,
you two should really take your show on the road. I think you'd be a hit."

Thanks, Anne!

Happy wedding day!!! Have a great honeymoon.

Barry wrote: "thx Ally!!!"

YR Welcome! Don't check goodreads every 5 mins. or your wife might get ticked off and leave you!! :p yeah right, tho. you are the funnest couple ever!!

Uhoh!!!!! hhahahahahahaahaha

Did you consider organizing the list geographically instead of alphabetically?

I left Novel with Cocaine on there but added you to the doctor.

Judy wrote: "Jenny wrote: "I left Novel with Cocaine on there but added you to the doctor."

Is this a drug deal?"

No, it's rehab.

Barry, I love the way your list goes on a journey.

I have an idea for you, actually, no pressure. I just finished The Cat's Table, and it takes place at sea. It could take you from Sri Lanka to England if you wanted a unique path. :)

Born in Sri Lanka, but naturalized to Canada.