Janet Posted October 8, 2008 Author Share Posted October 8, 2008 I've been tempted into this! It will definitely broaden my reading, although it'll probably take me years to complete+. If books are in colour then I've read them, if they're in black then they're 'intended' reads and subject to change. I'd already considered this a month or so ago and started a tentative list in word, due to the fact that I'd read one from Afghanistan and one from Germany. UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED, the books are from the country the author was born in.1 Afghanistan - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini 10/10 2 Albania 3 Algeria 4 American Samoa 5 Andorra 6 Angola 7 Anguilla 8 Antigua and Barbuda 9 Argentina 10 Armenia 11 Aruba12 Australia - The Book Thief by Markus Zusac 10/1013 Austria - The Dragonfly Pool by Eva Ibbotson 7/10 14 Azerbaijan 15 Bahamas 16 Bahrain17 Bangladesh - Brick Lane by Monica Ali - 5/5 18 Barbados 19 Belarus20 Belgium - Madame Verona Comes Down the Hill by Dimitri Verhulst - 4/5 21 Belize 22 Benin 23 Bermuda 24 Bhutan 25 Bolivia 26 Bosnia and Herzegovina27 Botswana - The Screaming of the Innocent by Unity Dow - 10/10 - finished 04.09.1128 Brazil - The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho - 8/10 29 British Virgin Islands 30 Brunei 31 Bulgaria 32 Burkina Faso 33 Burundi 34 Cambodia 35 Cameroon36 Canada - No Time for Goodbye - Linwood Barclay - 8/10 37 Cape Verde 38 Cayman Islands 39 Central African Republic 40 Chad41 Channel Islands - A Child's War by Molly Bihet - 2½/5 - finished 08.08.13 42 Chile - By Night in Chile - Roberto Bolaño - 5/10 - finished 01.08.11 43 China - Waiting by Ha Jin - 9/10 - finished 10.11.11 44 Colombia 45 Comoros 46 Congo Brazzaville 47 Congo Kinshasa 48 Costa Rica 49 Croatia 50 Cuba 51 Cyprus52 Czech republic - Lovely Green Eyes by Arnošt Lustig - 6½/1053 Denmark - Hitler's Canary by Sandi Toksvik - 8/10 54 Djibouti55 Dominica - Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys - 4/5 - finished 28.03.18 56 Dominican Republic 57 East Timor 58 Ecuador59 Egypt - Stones of Bobello by Edwar Al-Kharrat - 4/10 - finished 03.10.11 60 El Salvador 61 Equatorial Guinea 62 Eritrea 63 Estonia64 Ethiopia - Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese - 4/5 - finished -01.12.14 65 Falkland Islands 66 Faroe Islands 67 Fiji 68 Finland69 France - Candide or Optimism - Voltaire - 7/10 70 French Guiana 71 French Polynesia 72 Gabon 73 Gambia 74 Georgia75 Germany - All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque - 9/1076 Ghana - In a Free State - V S Naipaul - 4½/10 77 Gibraltar 78 Greece79 Greenland - Greenland – Eskimo Folk-Tales - Knud Rasmussen – 3/5 - finished 16.08.13 80 Grenada 81 Guadeloupe 82 Guam 83 Guatemala 84 Guinea-Bissau 85 Guinee Conakry86 Guyana - Kiskadee Girl - Maggie Harris - 3½/5 - finished 22.04.13 87 Haiti 88 Honduras89 Hungary - The Door - Magda Szabó - 4/5 0 finished 13.08.1290 Iceland - The House of Evidence by Viktor Arnar Ingólfsson - 4/5 - finished 29.03.1391 India - A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry - 10/10 92 Indonesia93 Iran - The Beginner's Guide to Acting English by Shappi Khorsandi - 10/10 - finished 12.09.11 94 Iraq95 Ireland - The Sea - John Banville - 3/1096 Israel - Scenes from Village Life - Amos Oz - 3½/597 Italy - I'm Not Scared by - Niccolò Ammaniti - 8/10 98 Ivory Coast 99 Jamaica100 Japan - The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - Haruki Murakami - 7/10 101 Jordan 102 Kazakhstan 103 Kenya 104 Kiribati 105 Kuwait 106 Kyrgyzstan 107 Laos 108 Latvia109 Lebanon - Somewhere, Home - Nada Awar Jarrar - 8/10 - finished 10.04.11110 Lesotho - Green Mountain Doctor - Colin Smith - 4/5 - finished 06.04.14 111 Liberia 112 Libya 113 Liechtenstein 114 Lithuania 115 Luxembourg 116 Macedonia 117 Madagascar118 Malawi - The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind - A Memoir - William Kamkwamba - 4/5 - finished 08.06.12 119 Malaysia 120 Maldives 121 Mali 122 Malta 123 Marshall Islands 124 Martinique 125 Mauritania 126 Mauritius127 Mexico - Down the Rabbit Hole - Juan Pablo Villalobos - 3/5 - finished 12.08.13 128 Micronesia, Federated States of 129 Moldova 130 Monaco 131 Mongolia 132 Monserrat 133 Morocco 134 Mozambique 135 Myanmar 136 Namibia 137 Nauru 138 Nepal139 Netherlands - The Hundred and Ninety-Nine Steps by Michel Faber - 10/10 140 Netherlands Antilles 141 New Caledonia142 New Zealand - Mister Pip - Lloyd Jones - 9½/10 143 Nicaragua 144 Niger145 Nigeria - The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin - 3/5 - finished 01.09.16 146 Niue 147 Norfolk Island 148 North Korea 149 Northern Mariana Islands150 Norway - The Christmas Mystery - Jostein Gaarder - 7½/10 151 Oman152 Pakistan - The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid - 8/10 153 Palau 154 Palestinian Authority 155 Panama156 Papua New Guinea - Killer Twist (Ghostwriter Mystery #1) by C A Larmer - 2/5 - 25.03.13 157 Paraguay 158 Peru 159 Philippines 160 Pitcairn Islands 161 Poland162 Portugal - The Elephant's Journey by José Saramago - 3/5 - 10.04.13 163 Puerto Rico 164 Qatar 165 Rarotonga & the Cook Islands 166 Reunion 167 Romania168 Russia - Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov - 8/10 - 14.08.11 169 Rwanda 170 Saint Kitts and Nevis 171 Saint Lucia 172 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 173 San Marino 174 Sao Tome and Principe 175 Saudi Arabia 176 Senegal177 Serbia and Montenegro - The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht - 4/5 - 28.03.12 178 Seychelles 179 Sierra Leone 180 Singapore 181 Slovakia 182 Slovenia 183 Solomon Islands 184 Somalia185 South Africa - Bitter Fruit by Achmat Dangor - 3/5 - 22.03.12186 South Korea - Please Look After Mother by Kyung-Sook Shin - 2½/5 - 06.07.17187 Spain - The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafón - 4½/5 - 19.06.12188 Sri Lanka - The Flower Boy - Karen Roberts - 8/10 189 Sudan 190 Suriname 191 Swaziland192 Sweden - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson - 10/10 193 Switzerland - Heidi - Johanna Spyri - 7/10 194 Syria 195 Taiwan 196 Tajikistan 197 Tanzania 198 Thailand 199 Togo 200 Tonga201 Trinidad and Tobago - In a Free State - V S Naipaul - 4½/10 202 Tunisia 203 Turkey 204 Turkmenistan 205 Turks and Caicos Islands 206 Tuvalu 207 Uganda 208 Ukraine 209 United Arab Emirates210 United Kingdom - A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens - 10/10 211 United States - The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks - 7/10 212 Uruguay 213 Uzbekistan 214 Vanuatu 215 Vatican City 216 Venezuela 217 Western Sahara 218 Western Samoa 219 Vietnam 220 Virgin Islands 221 Yemen222 Zambia - Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin - finished 07.08.13 - 4/5223 Zimbabwe - The Voluptuous Delights of Peanut Butter and Jam by Lauren Liebenberg - 10/10 53 Countries - 22.75%+Assuming I finish it at all!Purple = book read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 (edited) 16/233 = 6.87% Edited October 4, 2011 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted October 8, 2008 Author Share Posted October 8, 2008 (edited) Suggestions for future reads Albania -The Siege by Ismail Kadare Algeria - The Attack by Yasmina Khadra / What the Day Owes the Night by Yasmina Khadra Andorra - The teacher of Cheops by Albert Salvadó Angola - The Book of Chameleons by Jose Eduardo Agualusa Antigua and Barbuda - Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid Argentina - The Paper House by Carlos Maria Dominguez / The Tango Singer by Tomas Eloy Martinez Bangladesh - Brick Lane by Monica Ali completed Belarus - The Shadow of the Sun: My African Life by Ryszard Kapuscinski Barbados - Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord Belgium - Madame Verona Comes Down the Hill by Dimitri Verhulst completed Belize - Mangrove Roots Chronicles by Wanjiru Uhuru Bhutan - The Circle of Karma: A Novel by Kunzang Choden Bosnia and Herzegovina - Bridge Over The Drina by Ivo Andric Bulgaria - The Voices of Marrakesh by Elias Canetti - note to self - book (obviously!) not set in Bulgaria – there are other options for this author so check settings Cambodia - When Broken Glass Floats: Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge by Chanrithy Him Cameroon - Houseboy by Mr Ferdinand Oyono Congo-Brazzaville - Little Boys Come from the Stars by Dongala Emmanuel Boundz Cote d'Ivoire - Allah Is Not Obliged by Ahmadou Kourouma Eritrea - My Fathers' Daughter by Hannah Pool /The Consequences of Loveby Sulaiman Addonia Estonia - Brecht at Night by Mati Unt Ethiopia - Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese Faroe Islands - The Old Man and His Sons by Heðin Brú Finland - Purge by Sofi Oksanen Greece - Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis Greenland - Eskimo Folk Tales by Knud Rasmussen (on Kindle) Guyana - Kiskadee Girl by Maggie Harris / Whole of a Morning Sky by Grace Nichols Guadeloupe -Crossing the Mangrove by Maryse Conde Haiti - Love, Anger, Madness: A Haitian Triptych by Marie Vieux-Chauvet Hungary - The Door by Magda Szabo - completed Iceland - Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurdardottir Indonesia - Twilight in Djakarta by Mochtar Lubis Israel - Let it be Morning: A Novel by Sayed Kashua Jamaica - The Same Earth by Kei Miller Jordan - Pillars of Salt by Fadia Faqir Kenya - One Day I Will Write About This Place by Binyavanga Wainaina / The Challenge for Africa by Wangari Maathai Kyrgyzstan - Jamilia by Chingiz Aitmatov / The Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko Malaysia - Evening Is the Whole Day by Preeta Samarasan / Inspector Singh Investigates: A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder by Shamini Flint Malta - South From Granada (Penguin Modern Classics) by Gerald Brenan - note to self - book (obviously!) not set in Malta – check to see if other options for this author set in Malta Martinique - Return to My Native Land (Bloodaxe Contemporary French Poets) by Aime Cesaire Mexico - Sweet Like Chocolate by Laura Esquivel Mozambique - Under the Frangipani by Mia Couto Nepal - Buddha's Orphans by Samrat Upadhyay Nigeria - A Time For New Dreams by Ben Okri / Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngoli Adichie / I Do Not Come to You by Chance by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani Peru - Eva Luna by Isabel Allende - (think I have The House of the Spirits by same author) Portugal - The Elephant's Journey by Jose Saramago Saudi Arabia – Girls of Riyadh byRajaa Alsanea /The Belt by Ahmed Abodehman Senegal - Murambi, the Book of Bones by Boubacar Boris Diop / God's Bits of Wood by Sembene Ousmane Serbia - The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht completed Sierra Leone - A Long Way Gone: The True Story of a Child Soldier by Ishmael Beah / Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara Singapore - Foreign Bodies by Hwee Hwee Tan Somalia - Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohamed South Africa - Bitter Fruit by Achmat Dangor completed South Korea - The Bird by Oh Jung-hee / Our Twisted Hero by Yi Munyol / Fox Girl by Nora Okja Keller Spain - The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon completed Sudan - Minaret by Leila Aboulela / Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih/ Slave by Mende Nazer Syria -A Hand Full of Stars by Rafik Schami Togo - Do They Hear You When You Cry by Layli Miller Bashir United Arab Emirates - From Rags to Riches: A Story of Abu Dhabi by Mohammed A. J. Al-Fahim Various - Best European Fiction by Aleksandar Hemon Vietnam - The Tapestries by Kien Nguyen / Vietnam - Night, Again - Contemporary Fiction from Vietnam Yemen - I Am Nujood, Age10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali Zambia - Eagle in the Sky or Hungry as the Sea by Wilbur Smith / A Cowrie of Hope by Binwell Sinyangwe Edited January 1, 2013 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pipread Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Hope you succeed in this, but more importantly, I think, hope you enjoy trying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nici Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Good luck Janet! - the title of this thread really made me chuckle! I wouldn't have a clue where the books are from that I have read.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceinwenn Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Hey Janet, Glad to see you've taken the plunge!! Best of luck & maybe we can swap book suggestions/books once in a while, seeing as all of your countries are covered in my challenge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 List updated to include the United States - The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks Total countries read - 3! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 I'm seriously thinking of dumping this challenge. The enormity of it means that I'm unlikely to ever finish it. I think I'll keep up with my 'decade' one, which is achievable and enjoyable and look for a less challenging challenge than this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 I don't blame you. It's monumental!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ii Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 I'm seriously thinking of dumping this challenge. The enormity of it means that I'm unlikely to ever finish it. I picked a slightly easier version. Well, my current one* is a Cheater's Version, according to my friend, but the one I'll do after that. I picked Winter Games! Less countries! *grin* *see my blog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 I thought about dumping mine too, but then I thought, I don't have to dump it - I can just not actively pursue it. All I need to do is check the nationality of authors I read when I red them and update it as and when applicable... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceinwenn Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 (edited) Janet, why let it get the best of you? Read what you want to read & every once in a while sneak in a challenge book. Who cares if it'll take years to complete? In order to get mine done in a year I'd have to read one book evey 2 days & that sure as h*** isn't happening! The way I see it, if it takes 10 years to complete, then it takes 10 years to complete - that's why it's a challenge! I think Kell's idea is good if you want a break from actively working on it, though & is somethig I can see myself employing when I get to the really obscure countries. Good luck with whatever you decide, though! Edited January 13, 2009 by Ceinwenn Oops! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 Thanks everyone. I guess this thread won't take up too much space and doesn't matter if it takes forever. It's only that I quite fancy the idea of another, easier, challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ii Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Did you check out my version of it? It's nice and easy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 Sorry ii, I didn't. You said 'check out my blog' but I don't know where it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ii Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Oh, so sorry! I must have removed the link from my profile. I'm just so used to everyone having the link by now that... *feels silly* I'm very sorry. Here it is, in case you want to have a look. You're more than welcome to read the rest of it, of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 Ah, it's my turn to feel silly now because I didn't even think to check your profile! Thanks ii - I think I'll keep this open for a while (albeit probably on page 5 of this forum!) and see what happens, but the Winter Olympics look more likely so I'll probably aim to do those countries first and then see where it goes from there. (O/T - Must just say, I'm not sure about the yellow bag at all, but I think you've probably got what it takes to carry something like that off - I'm not sure it would go with my normal ensemble of jeans and a t-shirt! And as for the yellow shoes... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ii Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Ah, it's my turn to feel silly now because I didn't even think to check your profile! Thanks ii - I think I'll keep this open for a while (albeit probably on page 5 of this forum!) and see what happens, but the Winter Olympics look more likely so I'll probably aim to do those countries first and then see where it goes from there. And the upside is that less far less of those obscure countries one's hardly ever heard of, let alone knows an author! (O/T - Must just say, I'm not sure about the yellow bag at all, but I think you've probably got what it takes to carry something like that off - I'm not sure it would go with my normal ensemble of jeans and a t-shirt! And as for the yellow shoes... ) I'm torn. I'd pair it with something simple like 70's jeans and a t-shirt, or maybe something rocker-like, like leaher trousers, ankle boots with skyhigh heel and a semi-shredded T-shirt... or... I don't know... a form-fitting pencil skirt and a crisp white dress shirt? So that the purse is the funk next to proper? I'm torn. Maybe I should just get it and admire it in my closet. Kind of keep it as my cheer-up charm. *laughs* I love the yellow shoes! they're so out there. ... If those shock you, you should see the lace lace-up over-the-knee stiletto heel boots I've got! *cracks up* I never wear them outside, they're completely ridiculous. BF likes them, though. *dirty grin* I need more coffee... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellatrix Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Janet just a bit more encouragement from me... don't give up, I think in a couple of years time when you look back at your list and see a few (many) more filled in you'll think with pride "I've read some books I wouldn't normally have picked up". Maybe there are a few more you can fill in now have you read any Coelho (Brazil), Garcia-Marquez (Columbia??), ROhinton Mistry / Aravind Adiga / Arundati Roy (India), Mgt Atwood (Canada)? Anyway good luck with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 I realised in bed last night that John Banville is Irish and that The Sea is set in Ireland - and I've read it! That takes my grand total to 3! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I realised in bed last night that John Banville is Irish and that The Sea is set in Ireland - and I've read it! That takes my grand total to 3! I noticed your review on The Sea , now at least something good came out of reading it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 Hehe yes! I feel bad about not enjoying it because I really wanted to. Still, I can't change my feelings for it, but as you said, it did me this favour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 (edited) Finished The Flower Boy by Karen Roberts which is set in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), where the author was also born. 8/10 ETA: Snagging the map idea from Tracy in the hope that it might spur me on seeing it visually. 5 Countries - 2% Edited March 3, 2009 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 (edited) Finished Black Rock by Amanda Smyth - set in Trinidad and Togago, which are so tiny they hardly show up on the map! 6 Countries - 2% ETA: Having revised my 'rules' (i.e author's place of birth qualifies, not where the book is set), I've removed this from my list. Edited October 5, 2009 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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