Around the World discussion

I'll consult your list should I need a book suggestion!

I considered Jan Potocki for Poland, too, but had already filled in that country. But Potocki is on my GR bookshelf.

Wiki considers Camus a French writer even though he was born in Algeria.

I'm signing off to do my reading for a few days.

Allison wrote: "PPS-Camus is Algerian. Calling him French is denying him his heritage!! And I wouldn't want to do that. That would be evil."

"Imagine there's no country
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace" -- John Lennon

Great response, Asmah.

Camus' French Algerian experiences are very important in his literature and politics, thus some biographers referring to his nationality as French Algerian and a book, The Algerian Destiny of Albert Camus: 1940-1962, http://academicapress.com/node/126 arguing for that identity. In Camus' Les raisons de l'adversaire, however, he definitely says he's French. His grandfather arrived in 1871, one of the early French families settling in French-ruled Algeria, 1830–1962. In 1848, it became a Department of France, giving Camus a French education. From the late 1930s, he fought in the French resistance.

"Really, the question of cultural nationality never troubled Camus, he was always a humanist and universalist."
p14 Destiny http://books.google.com/books?id=ScHH...

"I am French by birth, and since 1940, by deliberate choice."
p15 Destiny

"From 1848 until independence, the whole Mediterranean region of Algeria was administered as an integral part of France...The vast arid interior of Algeria...was never considered part of France. "
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_A...

"His origin in Algeria and his experiences there in the thirties were dominating influences in his thought and work."
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prize...

Camus, 1913-1960, died two years before Algeria became an independent country.

Chelsea wrote: "Barry wrote: "Ally you list-thief!! Judy and Asmah please erase your comments here and re-post them in my thread

I disagree w/ Camus as Algerian

Barry, I think Camus was born and raised in Fr..."

Chelsea, thank you for the lead that Camus "was born and raised in French Algeria". Some people say he's French, others French Algerian. I'm guessing that they claim him because of his experiences in French Algeria found in his literature and his journalism advocated Algeria's independence, which did happen in 1962; it separated from France, developing along its own path.

Going back to about 1938, Camus left French Algeria at about 25 yrs of age to join the resistance movement in France. As I noted in the message above, Camus' family were European settlers in French Algeria. If they settled on the Mediterranean coast that was French, but the Algerian interior was less so.

Barry wrote: "hahaha I like that Judy erased her comment! good lookin out Judy!

Camus being thought of as Algerian is absurd!"

Barry, Chelsea pointed out that he could possibly be considered French Algerian. Readers will have their favorite or reasonable places for him--France, French Algeria, or Algeria. It sounds like we're not universally agreed about it, nor should we be. Possibly, he considered himself French in his early life, then identified himself with the cause of Algerian independence in later life.

Allison wrote: "Thank you for your support Asmah.

No thank you Barry for moving my list into off-topic nonsense. :( At least it'll be easy to find my list."

You're welcome, Ally. There's at least two sides to every question.

And this group has its own "comedian pair" to provide us entertainment and laughter every day of the week! The current dispute, starring Ms. Allison and Group Founder Barry, is.....well stay tuned folks!

The faily installment to put a smile on our faces!

What, you don't like Amelie Nothomb. Have your read Métaphysique des tubes. The English translation is The Character of Rain: A Novel. She is a very good Belgian author. This book is set in Japan. Her parents were Belgian diplomats stationed in Japan when she was a an infant. Amelie's first memories were of her life in Japan. You have to remember that surrealism is an integral part of Belgian thought.

The Green House by Mario Vargas Llosa is on my 2011 TBR.

Allison wrote: "Cool. I must say I was intrigued with him after he started earning awards."

Then, there's Vargas Llosa's Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter, a humorous, semi-autobiographical novel about a young man's courtship of his Uncle Lucho's wife's sister and his work at Lima's radio stations in the heyday of dramatized serials.

Instead of The Book Thief, we've got "The List Thief" authored by Barry. This was a very enjoyable thread. :)

The Lover Is to be recommended by Marguerite Duras. She is in your first tier. Or have you already said you read that.........

I haven't seen the movie so I cannot comare the two, Allison. I read the book in French.

Ah Story of the Eye, I need to re-read it, lets read it together!

Maybe I'll be as famous as Marquis de Sade one day.

David wrote: "Ah Story of the Eye, I need to re-read it, lets read it together!"

Well, don't you have a gf now? We can read it thru Skype maybe. I was reading the reviews and it made me laugh too much. I have the impression now that it's more about obsession than eroticism. That sounds good, I guess.

2. England: Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby

Finished France and Algeria the same day! Both awesome books. USA & England were decent, but France & Algeria kicks their a**!

Barry wrote: "hahaha, what's so bad abt Room? i cant wait to read it"

I gave up on that PIECE OF SHIT! Read my review if you want details. Does anyone have any other Irish recommendations? I'm going to avoid Emma D. in the future. Ew, yuck, gross, missing articles, poorly written trash, gimme a break! Maybe I should boycott Ireland forever, and I would if it weren't for Frank McCourt!!!! Angela's Ashes, FTW!

BTW I'm Irish. Emma D. doesn't make me proud to be Irish. I perhaps will pretend I'm not Irish and will just tell people I'm Scottish for now on.

wow ally language......

For Irish might as well read Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, lots of good old Irish catholic stuff.

David wrote: "For Irish might as well read Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, lots of good old Irish catholic stuff."

James Joyce is dull to me.

Maybe you need a light read like the forensic-anthropologist-bog mystery Haunted Ground.

I recently listened to the audio book of Skippy Dies, but I might have actually liked it because of the accents.

Haunted Ground sounds good, but I typically don't like series. Room was light enough. The 5 year old talking about poopoo and diarrhea and floating in bath. Yeah, the kid talked like a demented urchin.

I started on a Canadian book: Alice Munro's Too Much Happiness. I was happy to find something that was more than halfway intelligent.