Around the World discussion

My intention was to read 52 books based in 52 countries. With that in mind I've got 3 'cheats' in my list - a book about the 'Stans' (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan), a book on World Travel (no.52) and a continent rather than a country (Africa).

1. Afghanistan - The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe
2. Africa -A Good Man in Africa - William Boyd
3. Albania - Chronicle in Stone: A Novel - Ismail Kadare
4. Australia - A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
5. Bosnia - The Good Daughter - Amra Pajalic
6. Brazil - The Boys from Brazil - Ira Levin
7. Canada - The Blind Assassin - Margaret Atwood
8. China - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Country-Drivi... - Peter Hessler
9. Columbia - The Autumn of the Patriarch - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
10. Congo - Congo - Michael Creighton
11. Cuba - Our Man in Havana - Graham Greene
12. Czech Republic - The Trial - Franz Kafka
13. Denmark - Hamlet - William Shakespeare
14. England - The News Where You Are - Catherine O’Flynn
15. Egypt - Anatomy of a Disappearance: A Novel - Hisham Matar
16. Ethiopia - Cutting for Stone - Abraham Verghese
17. France - Pegasus Bridge- Stephen Ambrose, or Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Germany - The Hangman's Daughter - Oliver Pötzsch
19. Greece - Captain Corelli's Mandolin Louis de Bernieres
20. Holland - The Fall - Albert Camus
21. Hungary - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Door-Magda-Sz... - Magda Sazbo
22. India - A Passage to India - E M Forster
23. Iran - The Arabian Nights: Tales from a Thousand and One Nights
24. Iraq -Princess: True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia
25. Ireland - Dubliners - James Joyce
26. Israel - To the End of the Land - David Grossman
27. Italy - The Monster of Florence- Douglas Preston
28. Jamaica - A High Wind in Jamaica - Richard Hughes
29. Japan - Norwegian Wood - Haruki Murakami
30. Kenya - Out of Africa - Karen Blixen
31. Laos - The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures - Anne Fadiman
32. Libya - In the Country of Men- Hisham Matar
33. Malawi - The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope
34. Mexico - The Power and the Glory - Graham Greene
35. Morocco - The Sheltering Sky - Paul Bowles
36. Nigeria - Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe
37. Norway - The Snowman - Jo Nesbo
38. Pakistan - In Other Rooms, Other Wonders - Daniyal Mueenuddin
39. Panama - The Tailor of Panama - John Le Carre
40. Poland - Poland - James Mitchener
41. Portugal - Blindness - Jose Saramago
42. Russia - The Master and Margarita- Mikhail Bulgakov
43. Scotland - Trainspotting - Irvine Welch
44. Sierra Leone - A Long Way Gone - Ishmael Beah
45. South Africa - Disgrace- J M Coetzee
46. Spain - Driving Over Lemons: An Optimist in Andalucia - Chris Stewart
47. Sweden - Let the Right One In - John Ajvide Lindqvist
48. The “Stans” (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan) - The Lost Heart of Asia - Colin Thubron
49. Tasmania - English Passengers - Matthew Kneale
50. USA - The Blessed- Anne H Gabhart
51. Vietnam - The Quiet American - Graham Greene
52. World travel - To the Ends of the Earth - Paul TherouxTo the Ends of the Earth: The Selected Travels

Angie wrote: "My intention was to read 52 books based in 52 countries. With that in mind I've got 3 'cheats' in my list - a book about the 'Stans' (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzst..."

There are some books that defy easy generalization and transgress boundaries. There are several books on your list that are also on my TBR.

Asmah
there were several books that would fit into the 'world' category - I've made a note of them on Amazon and will probably try and read those when I get a chance as well.

I am so looking forward to getting started now :)

Sections of The Master and Margarita will certainly make you laugh! It is worthwhile to get an edition with notes. With or without the notes, you will laugh. You wanted some humor, right?

Judy, I'm glad you enjoyed them, I'm looking forward to them even more now.

Chrissie: I started reading The Master and Margarita in February when it was first recommended to me - I had never heard of it before. But I didn't have the time to read every night and kept losing track of the story, so I never got further than about 20% through it. This time I'm determined to finish it! It will also be one of the first books I read in the challenge as I will be seeing the person who recommended it to me in February, so I want to be able to discuss it with him then.

Angie, maybe it was more Louise that was looking for less serious books.......

I loved the book because it could be read on different levels. You can sit back and just have fun, or read all the notes and go into depth - all depending upon your mood at that reading moment. You don't have to stick to one approach. Have fun discussing it. That is usually as enjoyable as reading a good book. I didn't think I would like it, because of all the make believe stuff. Like you, I read it because a guy told me I had to, but I lost touch with him and we never talked about it. That is kinda sad.

I love that book. So much. It's fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.