2025 Reading Challenge discussion
ARCHIVE: Yearly Challenges
>
Around the World in Books Challenge - 2014

5/5


Thanks
I kind of feel like I haven't been ambitious enough. But for other challenge, I feel like I've been too much.
COMPLETED!
I'm in for 12 and a Bonus
North America: The Call of the Wild by Jack London (Alaska)
Central America: Conquistador: Hernán Cortés, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs by Buddy Levy (Mexican history)
Caribbean: Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene (Cuba)
South America: Seven Serpents & Seven Moons by Demetrio Aguilera-Malta (Author from Ecuador)
West Europe: 1984 by George Orwell (England)
East Europe and Former Soviet Union: Roadside Picnic by Arkady Strugatsky (Soviet Union)
Africa: Foreign Gods, Inc. by Okey Ndibe (Nigeria)
Middle East: The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames by Kai Bird (Beirut, Lebonan & other Middle East locations)
East Asia: Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse (India)
South Asia: A Personal Matter by KenzaburÅ ÅŒe (Japan)
Southeast Asia: Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition by Grant Hardy (Chinese Philosophy)
Australia & South Pacific: The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton (New Zealand location and author)
BONUS
Antarctica: At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft
I'm in for 12 and a Bonus
North America: The Call of the Wild by Jack London (Alaska)
Central America: Conquistador: Hernán Cortés, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs by Buddy Levy (Mexican history)
Caribbean: Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene (Cuba)
South America: Seven Serpents & Seven Moons by Demetrio Aguilera-Malta (Author from Ecuador)
West Europe: 1984 by George Orwell (England)
East Europe and Former Soviet Union: Roadside Picnic by Arkady Strugatsky (Soviet Union)
Africa: Foreign Gods, Inc. by Okey Ndibe (Nigeria)
Middle East: The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames by Kai Bird (Beirut, Lebonan & other Middle East locations)
East Asia: Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse (India)
South Asia: A Personal Matter by KenzaburÅ ÅŒe (Japan)
Southeast Asia: Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition by Grant Hardy (Chinese Philosophy)
Australia & South Pacific: The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton (New Zealand location and author)
BONUS
Antarctica: At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft

1. North America: Heart of the Matter (USA) READ 23/01/2014
2. South America: The House of the Spirits (author from Peru)
3. West Europe: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Great Britain) READ 3/02/2014
4. East Europe and Former Soviet Union:Solaris (author from Poland)
5. Australia & South Pacific: The Forgotten Garden (author from Australia)
6. South Asia: The Enchantress Of Florence (author born in India)
I've already finished 2/6
Update: 4 done
North America World After (California) 1/5 5 stars
Central America
Caribbean
South America Excavation (South American Jungle) 2/10 4 stars
West Europe The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared (Sweden) 2/22 5 stars
East Europe and Former Soviet Union
Africa
Middle East
East Asia
South Asia
Southeast Asia The Coroner's Lunch (Laos) 1/28 5 stars
Australia & South Pacific
North America World After (California) 1/5 5 stars
Central America
Caribbean
South America Excavation (South American Jungle) 2/10 4 stars
West Europe The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared (Sweden) 2/22 5 stars
East Europe and Former Soviet Union
Africa
Middle East
East Asia
South Asia
Southeast Asia The Coroner's Lunch (Laos) 1/28 5 stars
Australia & South Pacific

6/12
North America - Kindred
Central America
Caribbean
South America
West Europe - We, the Drowned set in Denmark
East Europe and former Soviet Union
Africa Half of a Yellow Sun set in Nigeria
Middle East - The Testament of Mary set in Israel
East Asia Norwegian Wood set in Japan
South Asia
South East Asia
Australia & South Pacific - The Luminaries set in New Zealand

Region Division Reference : [image error]
I am planning to start with an aim of completing the whole task with all the 12 regions, so lets see how things unfold.
Challenge : Around The World in Books Challenge
Duration : January 1 - December 31, 2014
Target : 12 Regions
------------------------------------------------
Regions
� North America
The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller (1/11/2014)
Double Indemnity by James M. Cain (2/28/2014)
2. Central America
3. Caribbean
4. South America
� West Europe
The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes (2/3/2014)
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (2/13/2014)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (2/25/2014)
Animal Farm by George Orwell (2/28/2014)
6. East Europe and Former Soviet Union
� Africa
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (4/29/2014)
� Middle East
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (3/22/2014)
� East Asia
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami (2/8/2014)
10. South Asia
11. Southeast Asia
12. Australia & South Pacific
-------------------------------------------------
Summary
Total Regions Covered : 5 / 12
Total Books Read : 9










Apoorv, how was The Bridges of Madison County? That movie made me cry, cry, cry...ugly cry. I had to watch it over and over. Was the book just as good?

Jodi, with no two thoughts I can say, The Bridges of Madison County is amongst the finest romances I have ever read. I havent actually seen the movie (though planning to catch up with it owing to the story and the astounding starcast) but trust me, the book is exceptional.
The story moves you and Robert and Francesca just linger on. I still think about them and their love even after a month of having read the book.
Its a must must read, do read it if you get a chance. I am sure if you loved the movie so much that you were emotionally choked with their story.. the book will take you to their world and just leave you there to experience the magic.


1. North America: Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever (Washington, DC) Completed: 1/29
2. Central America: The Pearl (Mexico) Completed: 2/12
3. Caribbean: The Last Days of St. Pierre: The Volcanic Disaster That Claimed 30,000 Lives (Martinique) Completed: 2/27
4. South America
5. West Europe: The Book Thief (Germany) Completed: 1/26
6. East Europe and Former Soviet Union
7. Africa
8. Middle East
9. East Asia
10. South Asia
11. Southeast Asia
12. Australia & South Pacific: The Rosie Project (Australia) Completed: 2/4
Completed: 5/12


For South Asia:

For Africa:

For North America:

And for West-Europe:

Four done, four to go ;)!

Well, I didn't read them all at once ;). Because I only joined this challenge recently, I could also put some books here which I read in january...
I completed the Soviet Union. Japan to follow in a few days.
4/12 done.
4/12 done.
Update: 5 done
North America World After (California) 1/5 5 stars
Central America
Caribbean
South America Excavation (South American Jungle) 2/10 4 stars
West Europe The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared(Sweden) 2/22 5 stars
East Europe and Former Soviet Union
Africa
Middle East
East Asia
South Asia The Case of the Missing Servant (India) 3/3 4 stars
Southeast Asia The Coroner's Lunch (Laos) 1/28 5 stars
Australia & South Pacific The Rosie Project (Australia) 3/1 4 stars
North America World After (California) 1/5 5 stars
Central America
Caribbean
South America Excavation (South American Jungle) 2/10 4 stars
West Europe The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared(Sweden) 2/22 5 stars
East Europe and Former Soviet Union
Africa
Middle East
East Asia
South Asia The Case of the Missing Servant (India) 3/3 4 stars
Southeast Asia The Coroner's Lunch (Laos) 1/28 5 stars
Australia & South Pacific The Rosie Project (Australia) 3/1 4 stars

1. North America � White Christmas in Dry Creek (Took place in America) 1/3
5. West Europe � Arabella (Took place in the UK) 1/3
12. Australia & South Pacific - The Italian's Ruthless Marriage Command (Author from Australia and partially takes place in Australia) 2/8
South East Asia (Japan) completed. 5/12 done.

Central America (Nicaragua) Nicaragua: The Jaguar Smile: A Nicaraguan Journey (1987) by Salman Rushdie (03/07/14)
Full list: Post #12


2. Central America: The Pearl (Mexico) Completed: 2/12
3. Caribbean: The Last Days of St. Pierre: The Volcanic Disaster That Claimed 30,000 Lives (Martinique) Completed: 2/27
4. South America
5. West Europe: The Book Thief (Germany) Completed: 1/26
6. East Europe and Former Soviet Union
8. Middle East
9. East Asia
10. South Asia: I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban (Pakistan) Completed: 3/8
11. Southeast Asia
12. Australia & South Pacific: The Rosie Project (Australia) Completed: 2/4
Completed: 6/12



North America Dissident Gardens: A Novel New York
Central America
Caribbean
South America
West Europe The Dinosaur Feather Denmark
East Europe and Former Soviet Union We Are On Our Own Hungary
Africa Americanah Africa
Middle East The Golem and the Jinni Syria
East Asia Boxers and Saints China
South Asia
Southeast Asia Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea North Korea
Australia & South Pacific The Rosie Project Australia

Completed: 1/12
Australia & South Pacific: The Husband's Secret Author born in and set in Australia Finished 13/03/14



North America: The Great Gatsby Set in New York & Author born in Minnesota - Finished 15/03/14
Central America
Caribbean
South America
West Europe
East Europe and Former Soviet Union
Africa
Middle East
East Asia
South Asia
Southeast Asia
Australia & South Pacific: The Husband's Secret Author born in and set in Australia - Finished 13/03/14




Adding
Middle East (Iraq) Sweet Dates in Basra: A Novel by Jessica Jiji (03/19/14)
9 of 12 completed!
Books mentioned in this topic
We Are On Our Own (other topics)The Dinosaur Feather (other topics)
One Summer: America, 1927 (other topics)
The Rosie Project (other topics)
Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez (other topics)John Steinbeck (other topics)
Neil James MacRaild (other topics)
Jack London (other topics)
Grant Hardy (other topics)
More...
5/5
Congrats on completing your challenge!