Global Book Selections discussion

Hey all! While some of us ( ehegm .... aka me :)) are finishing up The White Tiger and maybe even give The House Of Spiruts a go, we can start making suggestions for next month, September. All continents are up for grabs. Nominate your favorites and I will list the most popular from each continent. I will have at least one book from each continent... so def. speak for you preference. I'll post the polls toward the middle/end of next week once we have some options going :).

You could give some of the ones which didn't make it last time around a second chance, particularly those you were really keen to read. Here are a few suggestions for you, if you are still missing a continent or two.

Africa: Fantasia
The best female writer in North Africa (in my opinion). We have had a very male orientated African novel, this is a female perspective from Algeria.

North America: The Lifeboat
Just because it has been on my TBR list forever.

South and Central America: Like Water for Chocolate
This will make you hungry with all five, six or seven of your senses. It is from Mexico, so you can decide whether it is North or Latin America.
or Thursday Night Widows
which is definitely from South America: Argentina.

Asia: Sputnik Sweetheart
You have a great list of Asian novels already, so can safely ignore this one, but I love Murakami's books and think this is a good one to start with.

Australasia: The Bone People
Our Australian book was set in Europe; this one is set in New Zealand.

Europe: The Elegance of the Hedgehog
This is a lightweight choice, given all the great French classical novels, but is very nicely done and a pleasure to read.

I have only read one Murakami - 1Q84 - but I LOVED it. Would like to read more by him, so second Sputnik Sweetheart. Loved The Lifeboat. Can I give another vote for Thursday Night Widows too, as it didn't really get a chance last time?

I will amend my South American recommendation. That was more enjoyable than "Kiss of the Spider Woman".

How about The Garden of Evening Mists? I haven't read it, but it is on the Booker longlist, is set in Malaysia and on my TBR list.

Susan wrote: "How about The Garden of Evening Mists? I haven't read it, but it is on the Booker longlist, is set in Malaysia and on my TBR list."

Mine too, but I don't know much about it (except that it is on the Booker longlist).

Can I also add Finding Nouf set in Saudi Arabia. The English title is "Night of the Miraj", but that is not coming up when I search.

Susan wrote: "Can I also add Finding Nouf set in Saudi Arabia. The English title is "Night of the Miraj", but that is not coming up when I search."

Is this the UK version? (The cover looks the same as the one on Amazon.co.uk)
The Night of the Mi'raj

Yes, I think so - have you read it? It's a really great book.

I read it last year, thanks to your recommendation. The detective story plot is quite good, but the best bits are the insights into the culture you get along the way. It was interesting to see how women coped with the various restrictions placed on them and to see how the wealthy Saudis lived (someone jet skiing in a burqa was an odd image).

I wouldn't normally recommend a mystery for this kind of group, but I do think it is pretty balanced view of a very unknown society and worth reading because of that.

Great recommendations, all of them! I'm working on putting my recommendations together, I should have something up by tonight, and i'll also give you guys feedback on these ones too :). Great recommendations, i'll want to read most of them :). Murakami is one of my favorite writers, he might be top on my list... :)

Hello Elemillia.
Which is your favourite of Haruki Murakami's books?
Mine is Kafka on the Shore, but it is a bit too 'out there' for an introduction to him, don't you think?

I have only read the one novel (although it was two books) but was really, really impressed. Would love to read more by him.

For Asia Wolf Totem: A Novel
For Europe Out Stealing Horses

Val wrote: "Hello Elemillia.
Which is your favourite of Haruki Murakami's books?
Mine is Kafka on the Shore, but it is a bit too 'out there' for an introduction to him, don't you think?"

Hey Val, I'm so sorry to get back to your comment so late. But I haven't read Kafka on the Shore yet, I did read Norwegian Wood and it was one of my favorites... I would probably want to read 1Q84 next.

Alright guys, here is my feedback on the recommendations. (By the way I'm getting closer to finishing the White Tiger, I might even give Isabel Allende a go since there are still 2 weeks left in the month :))

I love the recommendation for Africa Fantasia. Mine for Africa is Half a Yellow Sun Either of these two would be great options to read. Let me know which of these you would like me to put on the poll, if you have a preference of one over the other. This time around, I'm only placing 1 book from each continent :).

I also like the option for NA The Life Boat. Also for NA I would like to recommend The Handmaid's Tale for Canada. I think we ought to read more Canadian writers :).

I'm not sure how I feel about THE BONE PEOPLE. I would like to recommend Sophie's World for Europe. The author is from Norway.

I love the recommendation for Murakami's Sputnik's Sweetheart for Asia. I'm going to leave it at that :). I think this should be our poll pick for Asia, unless someone else has a different recommendation :). (Maybe if this continent doesn't win this time for Murakami, we can revisit Wolf Totem again, or do you guys prefer Wolf Totem over Murakami... give me ur feedback).

I like Finding Nouf I am going to place this one in the polls regardless of the fact that we might have Murakami for Asia since this one is related more towards the Middle East area.

Here are two more books:
For South American setting: In the Time of the Butterflies

For Australia/Oceania: Dirt Music

How does it all sound guys? Yey? or Nay? Let me know, and in the next few days I will finalize the poll with one book from each continent :). Great recommendations from everyone. I was also going to recommend 'Out Stealing Horses' Sonja, and if anyone is interested in that one we can swap in instead of 'Sophie's World'.

My feedback, for what it is worth. I really like the author you picked (especially liked Purple Hibiscus) but have never read the author Val listed, so would probably plump for Fantasia.

Have already read both the Handmaid's Tale and The Lifeboat - plus Finding Nouf which I recommended, obviously, and liked them all.

Would really like to read the Murakami and In the Time of the Butterflies looks good.

No so keen on either of the European options to be honest or Dirt Music. However, you can never be keen on all the book choices and plenty in there I DO like.

I liked both authors (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Assia Djebar), so whichever one of the two you choose this time for Africa, please can we have the other one next time.

"The Handmaid's Tale" is very good, so I will happily go with that one and leave "The Lifeboat" on my TBR list for a bit longer.

I have Sonja's suggestion of "Wolf Totem" on my TBR list as well, so perhaps we could have that one some time, if not this rotation.

I've read Sputnik Sweetheart and The Lifeboat and liked them, but happy to read anything. Wolf Totem sounds intriguing, and Fantasia.

Wow, thanks you guys for this really great feedback. It'll make things much easier when I set up the poll. You guys are really great! I love it!

Susan: I'm glad you reminded me of Purple Hibiscus. I did like that option. Looks like Africa is becoming a better continent for book candidates :). If Africa doesn't win this time, we'll include two options next time on the voting poll and we'll list Purple Hibiscus as one of them for sure. Thanks for letting me know what you like, and what you don't like as much. It's really important to me that for the most part we enjoy what we read, or look forward to a new book. I can relate to the sentiment.

Val: Thanks for the feedback. I think 'The Lifeboat' is the winner. Most of us have read 'The Handmaid's Tale', even I started it once or twice and I could get my hands on it some other time, we'll try for something new.

Wolf Totem is another winner for the polls :). Great recommendations Sonja :)!

Sputnik's Sweetheart for Asia wins too :)

And we'll put Fantasia for Africa.

Yea, 'Dirt Music' is not so great, I know. It's kind of long too. I did some digging around and I found another option. Seven Types of Ambiguity by Eliot Perlman, an Australian writer. I'll place this one on the pearl, and if this continent doesn't win this time, we'll have more options next time. Australia is one continent I haven't read much from, if at all.

I'll be putting up the poll tonight :)

Clarification... :) ...oops I forgot that Sputnik's Sweetheart and Wolf Totem are both Asia, so Wolf Totem wins ;).

Please don't forget to vote!!! :) Thanks to everyone who has already voted :) You're on top it :)

I have made the poll available to vote on until the 26th. There is still time, but please vote on your favorite.

Voting on the polls is also a good way for me to tell which books are more preferred than others and that way also re-recommend them in the future :).

Seven Types of Ambiguity sounds interesting, ah choices, choices!

Please can we have Murakami in the next selection though. Good choices though, I agree Val.

:) Definitely! We will! I say we'll put Sputnik's Sweetheart and 1Q84? Or The Wind-up Bird Chronicle?

Great - I've read 1Q84 but not the others.

I've read Sputnik Sweetheart and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and am in the middle of 1Q84, but I don't mind discussing either.

In fact, I'm becoming quite a fan!!

Elizabeth wrote: "In fact, I'm becoming quite a fan!!"

Haha... That's awesome Elizabeth. I wonder where 1Q84 falls next to The Unit and Never Let Me Go. Remember we discussed and compared these two a little bit. Elizabeth, would you be able to expand on this idea of the three novels side by side. Do you think we could have a discussion of the three together? That would be interesting.... if we could... ;) I only read half of The Unit and haven't read the other two, I'd definitely be up for having a three-book comparison discussion :).

I don't think the themes of 1Q84 were that similar to either Unit or NLMG. It is a much more surreal storyline and, don't forget, there are 2 volumes - something to consider if you are going to do it with the group.

Susan wrote: "I don't think the themes of 1Q84 were that similar to either Unit or NLMG. It is a much more surreal storyline and, don't forget, there are 2 volumes - something to consider if you are going to d..."

Yea, that's true :). I definitely want to read it. Have you read 'The Remains of the Day' or 'When we were orphans' by Ishiguro?

Yes, I've read all Ishiguro's novels. He's one of my fave authors.

Susan wrote: "Yes, I've read all Ishiguro's novels. He's one of my fave authors."

Wow, I'll have to catch up to you Susan. I haven't read anything by him, sadly. But all that is about to change :). Do you like any other Japanese writers?

Alright! The winner for September 2012 IS WOLF TOTEM

Just a fresh reminder of how the reading choices will be set up. As usual, we'll be reading the top two choices (to give people the opportunity to read one or the other or both based on their preferences), the winner and the tie/runner up. In The Time of the Butterflies was the runner up, so this book will be our second choice for reading. It was the runner up by a difference of 1 vote :). I'm excited to read both... so i'll be joining those of you who voted for it in the discussion!

That means September is ASIA & South America. I love it!

Yaaay, sounds good both books I was intrigued by, and one that I voted for!

Elizabeth wrote: "Yaaay, sounds good both books I was intrigued by, and one that I voted for!"

Awesome! So good to hear that you're happy with the results!

Hi Everyone
I have just bought 'In The Time Of Butterflies' from eBay this morning and I will collect 'Wolf Totem' from my Library tomorrow (don't have to order it, they actually have a copy sat on the shelve according to the online system).
Looking forward to Septembers books! :0)

awesome Furny!