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In western North Carolina with The Weight of This World by David Joy.

Andrea wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Andrea wrote: "I'm in 1930s Shanghai with The Jade Lily - so glamorous!"

Sounds interesting, Andrea - waiting for your review :-). Have you read [book:Shanghai Diary..."

I think you'd like it.

I'm in England with Sherlock Holmes and Laurie R. King's original character, Mary Russell with Island of the Mad. I expect to eventually depart for Italy under Mussolini.

I'm in Syria with The Map of Salt and Stars.

I’m in Sudan with The Wedding of Zein and Other Stories by Tayeb Salih.

Lilisa wrote: "I'm in Syria with The Map of Salt and Stars."

I’ll be looking forward to seeing what you think about this one, Lilisa.

Carol wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I'm in Syria with The Map of Salt and Stars." I’ll be looking forward to seeing what you think about this one, Lilisa."

Me too: I have it loaded onto my Kindle, ready to go.

I’ve started reading Finding Gobi: The true story of a little dog and an incredible journey. Not very far in yet, and still in Edinburgh, but expecting a lot of the action to take place in China.

Carol wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I'm in Syria with The Map of Salt and Stars."

I’ll be looking forward to seeing what you think about this one, Lilisa."

I am listening to it and enjoying it so far. The narrator is excellent - her name is not listed in ŷ������. I'll have to wait until the end to hear it again.

Andrea wrote: "Carol wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I'm in Syria with The Map of Salt and Stars." I’ll be looking forward to seeing what you think about this one, Lilisa."

Me too: I have it loaded onto m..."

Hope you enjoy it Andrea. I'm close to one-third into it and liking it. The narration is excellent.

Andrea wrote: "I’ve started reading Finding Gobi: The true story of a little dog and an incredible journey. Not very far in yet, and still in Edinburgh, but expecting a lot of the action to take p..."

I have this one on my list - I'm imagining it will be cute and endearing! It'll be interesting to hear your reaction.

Lilisa wrote: "Andrea wrote: "I’ve started reading Finding Gobi: The true story of a little dog and an incredible journey..." I have this one on my list - I'm imagining it will be cute and endearing! It'll be interesting to hear your reaction. ..."

So far it seems like a good, quick read. The dog has arrived nice and early in the story. The only quibble I have (which is unlikely to bother you) is that knowing the author is Australian, it grates on my nerves every time he writes about his 'mom' and refers to the temperature in Fahrenheit rather than Celsius (although it doesn't say F, but I can't imagine he means he's running in 110C). Strangely the 'miles' of his running races don't seem to bother me!

Of course it could just be that my NetGalley copy is a US/International edition of the book, so I'll try to get over it :-D

Andrea wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Andrea wrote: "I’ve started reading Finding Gobi: The true story of a little dog and an incredible journey..." I have this one on my list - I'm imagining it will be c..."

Glad you're enjoying it and 😂!

In the Gambia with Reading the Ceiling by Dayo Forster.

Diane wrote: "In the Gambia with Reading the Ceiling by Dayo Forster."

I suppose if both you and calzean read it, it must be more interesting and more mature than the GR summary suggest :)

On an unrelated note, should I have been using an article to refer to “The�� Gambia my whole life, or is this a relatively recent name modification?

Catching up on the To Read shelf today.

Just read my Christmas read (yicks!) Rock Crystal by Adalbert Stifter - Germany

As well as Sebastian and the Troll by Fredrik Backman - Sweden

I'm still traveling in the Middle East/Italy but coming close to my journey's end there with The Map of Salt and Stars. I'm also in The Netherlands hanging out with an 83-1/4 year-old with The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83¼ Years Old

I'm en route to alternate Spain with the most recent of The Great Library alternate history series by Rachel Caine, Smoke and Iron. In this universe the Library of Alexandria became a tyrannical world dictatorship monopolizing books and placing a stranglehold on innovation.

Carol wrote: "Should I have been using an article to refer to “The�� Gambia my whole life, or is this a relatively recent name modification."

I liked the book a lot more than I thought I would. The Gambia apparently is one of two countries who officially have "the" in front of it (the other is The Bahamas). I think I read once that the "the" was placed there in an effort to distinguish it from the similar sounding Zambia, I don't know if this is true. The name has been in effect for a very long time and is not a recent development. I think it dates back to or near their independence from colonial rule.

Diane wrote: "Carol wrote: "Should I have been using an article to refer to “The�� Gambia my whole life, or is this a relatively recent name modification."

I liked the book a lot more than I thought I would. The..."

Thanks so much for the education, Diane. Much appreciated!

I’m in Taiwan with Ed Lin’s 99 Ways to Die.

I'm in India with The Palace of Illusions and just heading to France with The Little Paris Bookshop.

I’m in Flint, Michigan, US, with The Poisoned City: Flint's Water and the American Urban Tragedy by Anna Clark.

I’m in the UK with He Died with His Eyes Open by Derek Raymond, and in 1970s Afghanistan with The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

I'm in 18th century China with the third volume in the Li Du mystery series, City of Ink by Elsa Hart. Li Du is an Imperial Librarian. I am reading an ARC.

I'm in the United States working through the Women's Movement via poetry. I love it!!! Highly recommend this.

Poems from the Women's Movement by Honor Moore

In Cambodia with Hunters in the Dark by Lawrence Osborne.

Shomeret wrote: "I'm in 18th century China with the third volume in the Li Du mystery series, City of Ink by Elsa Hart. Li Du is an Imperial Librarian. I am reading an ARC."

Did you make it through the second one, too, or are you going forward without it? :)

I’m well into #2 of the Ibis Trilogy, River of Smoke, and am currently being introduced to 1830s Canton. It’s been 6 years since I read the first instalment, which slowed me down a bit, as I struggled to remember how all the main characters fit together. Hooray for Wikipedia!

I was in Turkey with The Architect's Apprentice highly recommend this book if you love Historical Fiction ,
Now, Now, moving to US, NY with Rules of Civility as I heard so many good reviews on it.

Sara wrote: "I was in Turkey with The Architect's Apprentice highly recommend this book if you love Historical Fiction ,
Now, Now, moving to US, NY with Rules of Civility as I h..."

Good to hear from you Sara! The Turkey book has been on my list for awhile - got to get to it. I loved RoC - hope you enjoy it.

Andrea wrote: "I’m well into #2 of the Ibis Trilogy, River of Smoke, and am currently being introduced to 1830s Canton. It’s been 6 years since I read the first instalment, which slowed me down a b..."

Interesting...hadn't realized Sea of Poppies was part of a trilogy.

Carol wrote: "Shomeret wrote: "I'm in 18th century China with the third volume in the Li Du mystery series, City of Ink by Elsa Hart. Li Du is an Imperial Librarian. I am reading an ARC."

Did yo..."

I read and reviewed the second Li Du. I posted about it to the finished thread. It was The White Mirror. It took place in 18th century Tibet and I gave it five stars. It's so far the best fiction I've read in 2018.

Shomeret wrote: "Carol wrote: "Shomeret wrote: "I'm in 18th century China with the third volume in the Li Du mystery series, City of Ink by Elsa Hart. Li Du is an Imperial Librarian. I am reading an..."

Wow! that's fantastic news, Shomeret. I hope this third one keeps that trend going.

Leslie wrote: "I'm in the United States working through the Women's Movement via poetry. I love it!!! Highly recommend this.

[book:Poems from the Women's Movem..."

Finished! :-)

Just finished a beautiful collection of poetry by Gerard Manley Hopkins set in England and Ireland. Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Just finished another for my Irish Challenge - Door Into the Dark: Poems by Seamus Heaney, which I loved. It's a very small collection of poetry about life in Ireland.

Also, read George Washington: The Crossing by Jack E. Levin, which is a picture, brief story book about Washington's crossing the Delaware River for the important victory that finally overwhelmed the British in the American Revolution and earned him the respect to become our nation's first president. It's a weird cross between a children's book and an adult book. Several places leave you confused about which side are we talking about now???

I just finished another Nigerian read - Collected Poems by Chinua Achebe.

I'm currently in ancient Alexandria, Egypt with The Deadliest Fever ~ A Miriam Bat Isaac Mystery in Ancient Alexandria. The central character is a Jewish alchemist.

I'm in India with Shantaram and in Morocco/France with Paris Echo.

I’m in mid-century Wales with The Murder of My Aunt by Richard Hull.

I am in Kyrgyzstan with Farewell Gul'sary by Chingiz Aitmatov.

I'm in Czech Republic with Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar.

I’m in Turkey again, with Liar's Candle, the debut novel by August Thomas.

Andrea wrote: "I’m in Turkey again, with Liar's Candle, the debut novel by August Thomas."

I’ll be interested to read your comments on Liar’s Candle, Andrea. I had mixed feelings, mostly good, but ...

Carol wrote: "I’ll be interested to read your comments on Liar’s Candle, Andrea. I had mixed feelings, mostly good, but..."

I'm reading it on the strength of your review Carol, and at about the halfway mark I'm not disappointed. One thing I'm getting a kick out of is the cliffhanger chapter endings. Not every chapter, but often the final lines send the plot spiralling off in a different direction due to a major development. It's like the author had some kind of serialisation in mind. It's keeping me on my toes! But at the same time, I wouldn't describe it as unputdownable, because I've been putting it down a fair bit.

Something odd I noticed in the writing is that when the CIA is referred to in noun form, it often is without the expected definite article. Is it just me? I find it slightly jarring every time I see it. It's a bit like the earlier posts about The Gambia and The Bahamas hahaha

Andrea wrote: "Carol wrote: "I’ll be interested to read your comments on Liar’s Candle, Andrea. I had mixed feelings, mostly good, but..."

I'm reading it on the strength of your review Carol, and at about the ha..."

Oh, yes. You’re 100% right and her lack of knowledge about the Agency and how it operates is a glaring weakness. She gave me enough other goodness that it wasn’t a show-stopper, but ...

I hadn’t focused on the chapter endings but they WERE good.

I’m glad you’re enjoying it. It’s gotten less love and attention than I would have thought.

I'm currently in British mandate Palestine with Lone Wolf in Jerusalem by Ehud Diskin. This is an English translation of זאב בודד בירושלים . The author is a retired Israeli military officer. The protagonist is a Holocaust survivor who was an anti-Nazi partisan and has become a lone terrorist acting against the British in Palestine.

I'm in mid-century Japan with The Setting Sun by Osamu Dazai, an author I've wanted to read for some time, but never enough to actually do so. I'm glad I've broken that barrier. It's a fast read. I'm withholding judgment until the end.

Shomeret wrote: "I'm currently in British mandate Palestine with Lone Wolf in Jerusalem by Ehud Diskin. This is an English translation of זאב בודד בירושלים . The author is a retired ..."

This looked and looks so interesting, Shomeret. I feared its # of pages, so didn't commit on NG, but if you are a fan, I'll probably purchase it.