A Year of Reading The World

A year of reading the world
196 countries, countless stories

The list
This contains all the valid recommendations Ive had. I chose one book for each nation. Country names
are links to the reviews of the books I read.
Afghanistan (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/26/afghanistan-blood-and-guts/)Khaled
Hosseini The Kite Runner; A Thousand Splendid Suns / Anna Badkhen Waiting for the Taliban /
Emmanuel Guibert The Photographer / (as told to) Batya Swift Yasgur Behind the Burqa / Atiq
Rahimi A Thousand Rooms of Dream and Fear; The Patience Stone
Albania (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/02/08/albania-fire-power/) Ismail Kadare
The Palace of Dreams; Broken April / Fatos Kongoli The Loser
Algeria (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/14/algeria-the-truth-within/) Lela
Marouane The Sexual Life of an Islamist in Paris / Anouar Benmalek Abduction / Assia Djebar So
Vast the Prison / Boualem Sansal An Unfinished Business / Al-Tahir Wattar The Earthquake /
Anouar Benmalek The Lovers of Algeria / Yasmina Khadra The Attack
Andorra (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/02/22/andorra-buried-treasure/) Albert
Salvad The Teacher of Cheops
Angola (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/26/angola-the-meaning-of-life/) Jos
Eduardo Agualusa My Fathers Wives; Creole / Pepetela The Return of the Water Spirit / Ondjaki
Good Morning Comrades; The Whistler / Jose Eduardo Agualusa The Book of Chameleons
Antigua and Barbuda (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/02/19/antigua-and-
barbuda-a-new-departure/) Jamaica Kincaid Lucy; Annie John / Marie-Elena John Unburnable /
Althea Prince Loving this Man; Ladies of the Night / Gisele Isaac Considering Venus
Argentina (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/25/argentina-the-big-match/) Martin
Kohan Seconds Out / Csar Aira How I Became a Nun; An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter /
Ernesto Sbato The Tunnel / Alicia Steimberg Musicians and Watchmakers / Jorges Luis Borges /
Toms Eloy Martnez Purgatory (trans. Frank Wynne) / Matias Nespolo 7 Ways to Kill a Cat (trans.
Frank Wynne) / Carlos Gamerro The Islands / Iosi Havilio Opendoor / Luisa Valenzuela / Ricardo
Piglia / Guillermo Martnez / Manuel Puig / Adolfo Bioy Casares The Invention of
Morel / Julio Cortzar Hopscotch
Armenia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/20/armenia-another-side/)Armand Inezian
Bringing Ararat / Grigoris Balakian Armenian Golgotha
Australia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/02/13/australia-neighbours/) Tim Winton
11-May-14 The list | A year of reading the world
http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/ 1/92
Cloudstreet / Helen Garner The Childrens Bach / Markus Zusak The Book Thief / Nam Le The Boat /
Andrew McGahan The White Earth / Elizabeth Jolley / Alex Miller Lovesong
Austria (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/03/austria-the-art-of-concision/) Elias
Canetti The Torch in my Ear / Anna Kim Frozen Time / Thomas Bernhard Extinction / Stefan Zweig
/ Julya Rabinovich Splithead
Azerbaijan (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/14/azerbaijan-in-search-of-
identity/)Gioulzar Akhmedova Magnolia / Maksud Ibragimbekov / Anar Razayev / ? Ali and Nino
The Bahamas (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/29/bahamas-disputed-
territory/) Ian Strachan Gods Angry Babies / Garth Buckner Thine is the Kingdom
Bahrain (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/30/bahrain-why-translation-matters/)
Ali Al Saeed Quixotiq / Sarah A Al Sahfei Yummah
Bangladesh (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/11/bangladesh-the-point-of-book-
prizes/) Taslima Nasrin Shame / Tahmima Anam The Good Muslim / Humayun Ahmed To the
Woods Dark and Deep / Ekhlasuddin Ahmed When the Evening Darkens / Shawkat Osman The
Laughter of a Slave / Anwar Pasha Rifles Bread Women
Barbados (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/07/13/barbados-rum-and-water/) Karen
Lord Redemption in Indigo / Agymah Kamau Flickering Shadows; Pictures of a Dying Man /
Glenville Lovell Fire in the Canes; Song of Night; Too Beautiful to Die
Belarus (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/24/belarus-ghosts-of-christmas-past/)Artur
Klinov The Sun City of Dreams / Uladzimir Karatkievich King Stakhs Wild Hunt / Uladzimir
Bykau Sotnikau / Viktar Martsinovich Paranoia / Svetlana Alexievich Voices from Chernobyl
Belgium (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/04/belgium-pressing-issues/) Herg
The Adventures of Tintin / Peter Terrin The Guard / Stefan Brijs The Angel Maker / Francois
Emmanuel Invitation to a Voyage / Dimitri Verhulst The Misfortunates / Louis Paul Boon My Little
War / Paul Verhaeghen Omega Minor / Amlie Nothomb
Belize (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/31/belize-high-praise/) Zoila Ellis On Heroes,
Lizards and Passion
Benin (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/27/benin-knowing-your-place/)Gisle
Hountondji / Jean Pliya / Florent Couao-Zotti / Adelaide Fassinou / Rashidah
Ismaili Abubakr Stories We Tell Each Other
Bhutan (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/26/bhutan-what-goes-around/)Kunzang
Choden The Circle of Karma / Karma Ura The Hero with a Thousand Eyes / T Sangay Wangchuk
Seeing with the Third Eye / Dorji Penjore Bomena / Pema Euden Coming Home / Sonam Kinga
Bolivia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/09/13/bolivia-fresh-blood/)Jos Edmundo Paz-
Soldn / Vctor Montoya / Renato Prada Oropeza / Giovanna Rivero Sweet Blood / Juan de
Recacoechea American Visa
Bosnia and Herzegovina (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/02/28/bosnia-and-
herzegovina-out-of-the-mouths-of-babes/) Zlata Filipovic Zlatas Diary / Saa Stanii How the
Soldier Repairs the Gramophone / Aleksandar Hemon The Lazarus Project / Ivo Andric The Bridge on
the Drina / Mea Selimovi Death and the Dervish; Fortress
Botswana (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/11/botswana-mind-over-
matter/) Angus, Maisie and Travers McNeice The Lion Children / Bessie Head A Question of
Power / Unity Dow
Brazil (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/24/brazil-goethe-the-dirty-old-man/)
Joao Ubaldo Ribeiro House of the Fortunate Buddhas; An Invincible Memory / Clarice Lispector /
Rubem Fonseca / Paulo Freire / Clarice Lispector / Jorge Amado / Joo Guimares Rosa / Paulo
Coehlo / Machado de Assis Dom Casmurro
/ Chico Buarque Budapest
Brunei (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/09/27/brunei-reading-between-the-
lines/) Eva Maria Kershaw Dusun Folktales: A Collection of Eighty-eight Folktales in the Dusun
Language of Brunei with English Translations / Christopher Sun (aka Sun Tze Yun) Four Kings
Bulgaria (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/09/bulgaria-buzz-buzz/) Elias Canetti
The Tongue Set Free / Kalin Terziyski Is there Anybody to Love You? / Georgi Gospodinov Natural
Novel / Kapka Kassabova Street Without a Name / Anton Donchev Time of Parting / Milen Ruskov
Thrown into Nature / Emiliyan Stanev The Peach Thief
Burkina Faso (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/12/burkina-faso-true-lies/)Sarah
Bouyain / Frdric Pacr Titinga / Nobert Zongo The Parachute Drop
Burundi (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/03/burundi-diaspora-power/) Marie-
Therese Toyi Weep Not, Refugee
Cambodia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/12/cambodia-the-end-of-an-era/)U Sam
Oeur Crossing Three Wildernesses / Alice Pung Unpolished Gem / Vaddey Ratner In the Shadow of
the Banyan / Loung Ung / Haing S Ngor / Bree Lafreniere and Daran Kravanh Music Through Dark
Cameroon (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/27/cameroon-joking-aside/) Mongo
Beti La Pauvre Christ de Bomba (The Poor Christ of Bomba); Mission to Kala / Beatrice Fri
Bime Mystique: a collection of lake myths
Canada (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/03/canada-inside-story/)Robertson Davies /
Nicole Brossard Mauve Desert / Alice Munro / Lauren B Davis Our Daily Bread / Darcie Friesen
Hossack Mennonites Dont Dance / Anne Michaels Fugitive Pieces / Thomas King Green Grass,
Running Water / Elizabeth Hay Late Nights on Air / Michael Ondaatje In the Skin of a Lion
Cape Verde (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/27/cape-verde-where-theres-a-
will/) Germano Almeida The Last Will & Testament of Senhor da Silva Arajo
Central African Republic (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/29/central-african-
republic-tales-of-yore/) Bambot Dadas Travels from Ouadda to Bangui
Chad (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/17/chad/) Joseph Brahim Seid Told by
Starlight in Chad
Chile (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/03/chile-the-power-of-book-groups/)
Roberto Bolano The Savage Detectives / Alejandro Zambra The Private Lives of Trees; Bonsai / Isabel
Allende The House of the Spirits (trans. Magda Bodin) / Diamela Eltit / Alberto Fuguet / Mara Luisa
Bombal / Luis Seplveda / Antonio Skrmeta
China (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/29/china-one-in-1-3-billion/)Zhu Wen I Love
Dollars / Jian Rong Wolf Totem / Ma Jian Stick Out Your Tongue; Red Dust/ Cao Xuequin Dream of
the Red Chamber / Wu Chengen Journey to the West / Zhang Yueran / Chan Koonchung The Fat
Years (trans. Michael Duke) / Yan Lianke Dream of Ding Village / Mo Yan The Garlic Ballads; Shifu,
Youll Do Anything for a Laugh / Zhu Wen / Zhang Yueran / Han Dong Banished! / Yan Ge /
Xialou Guo Village of Stone / Mian Mian Candy / Wang Shuo Playing for Thrills / Chen Xiwo I Love
My Mum / Xu Zechen / Xue Xinran The Good Women of China; China Witness; Message from an
Unknown Chinese Mother
Colombia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/20/colombia-the-crazy-truth/)Evelio
Rosero The Armies / Pilar Quintana Tickles in the Tongue / Juan Gabriel Vasquez The Informers /
Eduardo Garcia Aguilar Boulevard of Heroes / Fernando Vallejo Our Lady of the Assassins / Hector
Abad Faciolince / Laura Restrepo / Fernando Vallejo
Comoros (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/25/comoros-beyond-
belief/) Mohammed Toihiri The Kafir of Karthala
Congo, Democratic Republic of (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/17/democratic-
republic-of-congo-bewitched/) Amba Bongo / Frederick Yamusangie Full Circle
Congo, Republic of (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/01/republic-of-congo-war-of-
words/) Emmanuel Dongala Johnny Mad Dog; Little Boys Come from the Stars / Sony Labou Tansi
The Antipeople
Costa Rica (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/14/costa-rica-hunting-
solutions/) Anacristina Rossi / Carmen Naranjo / Oscar Nunez Olivas Cadence of the Moon /
Anacristina Rossi The Madwoman of Gandoca / ed Barbara Ras Costa Rica: A Travelers Literary
Companion
Cte dIvoire (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/06/cote-divoire-if-you-are-easily-
offended-keep-reading/) Bernard Dadi Climbi / Ahmadou Kourouma Allah is not Obliged
Croatia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/07/09/croatia-from-our-own-
correspondent/) Miroslav Krlea On the Edge of Reason / Dubravka Ugrsic The Ministry of Pain;
In the Jaws of Life / Slavenka Drakulic A Guided Tour through the Museum of Communism / Marija
Juri Zagorka Daughter of the Lotrak; A Stone on the Road
Cuba (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/19/cuba-stellar-work/)Mayra Montero Dancing
to Almendra / Ena Lucia Portela One Hundred Bottles / Alejo Carpentier / Reinaldo Arenas / Antonio
Jos Ponte / Leonardo Padura / Reinaldo Arenas / Leonardo Padura Fuentes / Virgilio Piera / Jos
Lezama Lima / Severo Sarduy / Guillermo Cabrera Infante / Lydia Cabrera Afro-Cuban Tales
Cyprus (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/22/cyprus-double-vision/)Anna
Marangou/Andreas Coutas (trans. Xenia Andreou) Famagusta: the Story of the City / Eve Makis /
Christy Lefteri A Watermelon, a Fish and a Bible / Panos Ioannides Gregory and other stories / Elmos
Konis Magnette / Nora Nadjarian Ledra Street
Czech Republic (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/07/czech-republic-out-of-
bounds/)Bohumil Hrabal Too Loud a Solitude / Hana Demetz The House on Prague Street / Tom
Zmekal Love Letter in Cuneiform Script / Josef kvoreck The Engineer of Human Souls (trans.
Paul Wilson) / Jchym Topol The Devils Workshop
Denmark (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/05/denmark-office-politics/) Jakob
Ejersbo Exile: Book One of the African Trilogy / Morten Ramsland Dog Head / Christian Jungersen
The Exception / Louise Bugge Laermann Constanze Mozart
Djibouti (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/17/dijibouti-states-of-mind/)Abdourahman
Waberi In the United States of Africa; Passage of Tears
Dominica (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/22/dominica-myth-making/)Phyllis Shand
Allfrey The Orchid House / Elma Napier Black and White Sands / Jean Rhys / Pupils of Atkinson
School The Snake King of the Kalinago / Alick Lazare Pharcel / Various Home Again / Christborne
Shillingford Most Wanted: street stories from the Caribbean
Dominican Republic (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/31/dominican-republic-home-
and-away/)Juan Bosch / Arambilet Neguris Secret / Junot Diaz The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar
Wao / Pedro Mir When they Loved the Communal Land / Julia Alvarez
East Timor (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/09/east-timor-poetry-in-
motion/) Luis Cardoso The Crossing
Ecuador (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/19/ecuador-righteous-anger/)Jorge Icaza
Huasipungo
Egypt (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/12/egypt-breaking-boundaries/)Ahdaf Soueif
The Map of Love; Cairo: My City, Our Revolution / Sonallah Ibrahim Stealth / Mohamed Mansi
Qandil Moon Over Samarqand / Waguih Ghali Beer in the Snooker Club / Naguib Mahfouz Midaq
Alley; The Thief and the Dogs; Miramar; The Final Hour/ Alaa Al Aswany The Yacoubian Building /
Radwa Ashour / Nawal El Saadawi / May Telmissany Dunyazad / Salwa Bakr / ed. Marilyn Booth
My Grandmothers Cactus / Gamal al-Ghitani Zayni Barakat / Yusef Zeidan Azazil / Radwa Ashour
Granada / Ibrahim Abdel Meguid No One Sleeps in Alexandria / Bahar Tahir / Muhammad Bisati
El Salvador (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/10/el-salvador-true-dedication/)Horacio
Castellanos Moya Senselessness
Equatorial Guinea (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/24/equatorial-guinea-public-
service-announcement/)Juan Toms vila Laurel / Donato Ndongo Shadows of your Black Memory /
Maria Nsue Angue Ekomo
Eritrea (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/09/23/eritrea-heart-and-home/)Senait Mehari
Heart of Fire / Sulaiman Addonia The Consequences of Love
Estonia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/14/estonia-the-past-is-another-country/)Jaan
Kross Professor Martens Departure; Treading Air / Viivi Luik The Beauty of History
Ethiopia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/04/ethiopia-home-rule/)Maaza Mengiste
Beneath the Lions Gaze / Dinaw Mengestu Children of the Revolution / Abraham Verghese Cutting
for Stone
Fiji (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/20/fiji-no-man-is-an-island/) Peter Thomson
Kava in the Blood / Epeli Hauofa Kisses in the Nederends; Tales of the Tikongs / Mikaele M.K. Yasa
Of Baluka and Nibong Palm
Finland (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/10/finland-a-walk-on-the-wild-
side/) Arto Paasilinna The Year of the Hare / Mika Waltari The Egyptian / Johanna Sinisalo Troll: A
Love Story / Sofi Oksanen Purge
France (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/07/19/france-a-fine-line/) Alain-Fournier The
Wanderer / Marie NDiaye Rosie Carpe / Marie Darrieussecq My Phantom Husband / Colette Chri /
Faiza Guene Dreams from the Endz / Raymond Queneau Exercises in Style (trans. Barbara Wright)
/ Georges Perec Life:a Users Manual (trans. David Bellos) / Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio
Wandering Star / Jean Echenoz Lightning / Delphine de Vigan Underground Time / Faza
Gune Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow / Alexis Jenni The French Art of War / Laurence Coss A Novel
Bookstore / Hlne Grmillon The Confidant / Jrme Ferrari Where I Left My Soul
Gabon (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/08/gabon-mother-courage/) Daniel
Mengara Mema
The Gambia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/06/the-gambia-a-clamour-of-
voices/) Dayo Forster Reading the Ceiling / Dembo Fanta Bojang & Sukai Mbye Bojang Folk Tales
and Fables from The Gambia
Georgia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/10/georgia-new-horizons/)Sana Krasikov
One More Year / ed Elizabeth Heighway Contemporary Georgian Fiction
Germany (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/15/germany-now-and-then/)Jenny
Erpenbeck Visitation / Gnter Grass The Tin Drum / Christa Wolf / Heinrich Bll The Lost Honour
of Katharina Blum / Emine Sevgi zdamar Bridge of the Golden Horn / Walter Benjamin
Illuminations (trans. Harry Zohn) / Clemens Meyer All the Lights / Christa Wolf Medea / Franz
Fhmann / Inka Parei The Shadow-Boxing Girl / Hans Fallada Alone in Berlin / Jurek Becker Jacob
the Liar / Herman Hesse Siddhartha
Ghana (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/19/ghana-a-new-conquest/)Ayi Kwei Armah
The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born / Isaac Neequaye / Ama Ata Aidoo / Jo de Graft
Hanson Amanfis Gold / Gheysika Adombire Agambila Journey / Various Anansi Stories
Greece (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/12/greece-childs-play/) Kostas
Hatziantoniou The Black Book of Bile; Agrigento / Margarita Karapanou Kassandra and the Wolf /
Panos Karnezis / Nikos Kazantzakis Freedom or Death; The Last Temptation
Grenada (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/03/grenada-a-class-act/)Tobias Buckell /
Merle Collins The Ladies are Upstairs
Guatemala (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/02/20/guatemala-divide-and-rule/)
Miguel Angel Asturias The President / Rodrigo Rey Rosa
Guinea (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/09/07/guinea-history-reclaimed/)Camara Laye
The Radiance of the King; The Guardian of the Word
Guinea Bissau (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/09/guinea-bissau-unheard-
voices/) Amilcar Cabral Unity and Struggle
Guyana (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/02/05/guyana-sex-and-how-to-do-it/)
Oonya Kempadoo Buxton Spice
Haiti (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/05/haiti-am-i-being-stupid/)Marvin Victor /
Lyonel Trouillot Children of Heroes / Dany Laferriere How to Make Love to a Negro without Getting
Tired; I am a Japanese Writer/ Louis-Philppe Dalembert / Edwidge Danticat The Farming of the Bones
/ Franketienne / Gary Klang / Josaphat-Robert Large
Honduras (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/07/honduras-the-look-of-
love/) Augusto Monterroso / Guillermo Yuscaran / Ramn Amaya Amador
Hungary (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/11/hungary-lost-in-transit/)Sndor Mrai
Embers / Dezs Kosztolnyi Skylark / Zsigmond Mricz Be Faithful Unto Death / Antal Szerb
Journey by Moonlight / Peter Esterharzy Not Art / Tibor Fischer Under the Frog / Antal Szerb The
Pendragon Legend / Lszl Krasznahorkai War and War (trans. George Szirtes) / Ferenc
Karinthy Metropole / Imre Kertsz Fatelessness / Albert Wass / Rejt Jen
Iceland (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/24/iceland-literary-
landscape/) Arnaldur Indridason Jar City / Halldr Laxness The Atom Station / feigur Sigursson
/ Gyrir Eliasson Stone Tree / Auur A lafsdttir The Greenhouse
India (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/18/india-an-impossible-choice/)Suketu Mehta
Maximum City / Rohinton Mistry Family Matters; A Fine Balance / Premchand / Rahul
Bhattacharya The Sly Company of People who Care / Amitav Ghosh River of Smoke / Tabish Khair
The Thing about Thugs / Aman Sathi A Free Man / Sunetra Gupta / Omair Ahmad Jimmy the
Terrorist / UR Ananthamurthy Bharathipura / Chandrakanta A Street in Srinagar / Siddharth
Chowdhury Day Scholar / Kishwar Desai Witness the Night / Namita Devidayal Aftertaste / Manu
Joseph Serious Men / Kavery Nambisan: The Story that Must Not Be Told / Kalpish Ratna The
Quarantine Papers / Uppamanyu Chattergee Way to go / Chandrahas Choudhury Arzee the Dwarf /
Manju Kapur The Immigrant / Neel Mukherjee The Immigrant / Mani Sankar Mukherji The
Middleman / I. Allan Sealy The Trotter Nama / Shashi Warrier / Aniruddha Bahal / Vikram
Chandra / M T Vasudevan Nair Mist; The Legacy; The Demon Seed; Second Turn / Asha Poorna
Devi / Ruskin Bond / Gurcharan Das India Unbound / Mark Tully / Shashi Tharoor The Great Indian
Novel / Mahasweta Devi Imaginary Maps; Bitter Soil; Hajar Churashir Maa / RK Narayan Malgudi
Days / Jhaverchand Meghani / Kushwant Singh Train to Pakistan; The Portrait of a Lady / ed
Rakesh Khanna The Blaft Anthology of Tamil Pulp Fiction / Shivaji Sawant Mrityunjay / OV
Vijayan / Govardhanram Tripathi Saraswatichandra / Satyajit Ray Feluda series / Sunil
Gangopadhyay Those Days
/ Rabindranath Tagore / Sashi Deshpande / Kiran Nagarkar Cuckold; Seven Sixes are Forty-Three /
Charu Nivedita Zero Degree / Tarun Tejpal Alchemy of Desire / Manoshi Bhattacharya Chittagong
Summer of 1930 / Sankar Chowringhee
Indonesia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/18/indonesia-talking-about-
revolution/) Yusuf Bilyarta Mangunwijaya Durga Umayi / Ayu Utami / Mochtar Lubis
/ Pramoedya Ananta Toer
Iran (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/07/30/iran-gender-politics/) Akbar Golrang
Parpin Flowers /Nasrin Alavi We are Iran / Shahrnush Parsipur Touba and the Meaning of Night /
Mahmoud Dowlatabadi The Colonel (trans. Tom Patterdale) / Adnan-Ahmed
Iraq (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/21/iraq-getting-a-perspective/) Samuel
Shimon An Iraqi in Paris / Ali Bader The Tobacco Keeper / Hassan Blasim The Madman of Freedom
Square / Rodaan Al Galidi Thirsty River / Samira Al-Mana / Wafaa Abed Al Razzaq / A Alwan The
Sheikhs Detective / Fuad al-Takarli The Long Way Back
Ireland (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/09/11/ireland-the-big-one/)James Joyce Ulysses /
Maria Edgeworth Castle Rackrent / William Trevor / Sebastian Barry The Secret Scripture / Flann
OBrien The Third Policeman
Israel (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/27/israel-war-wounds/) David Grossman
Falling Out of Time; To the End of the Land / Amos Oz A Tale of Love and Darkness (trans. Nicholas
de Lange) / Savyon Liebrecht / AB Yehoshua / Ronit Matalon / Alex Epstein / Aharon Appelfeld
Blooms of Darkness / Sara Shilo The Falafel King is Dead / Etgar Keret / Yehoshua Kenaz
Italy (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/08/italy-beyond-the-stopkony-effect/)
Roberto Saviano Gomorrah / Leonardo Sciascia The Day of the Owl (trans. Archibald Colquhoun) /
Fabio Geda In the Sea there are Crocodiles (trans. Howard Curtis) / Elena Ferrante The Lost Daughter
/ Antonio Tabucchi Pereira Maintains / Diego Marani New Finnish Grammar / Alessandro
Baricco Ocean Sea; Mr Gwyn
Jamaica (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/13/jamaica-divine-retribution/)Kei Miller /
Lindsay Barrett / Margaret Cezair-Thompson The Pirates Daughter / Colin Channer / Brian Meeks
Paint the Town Red / Patricia Powell / Victor Stafford Reid / Vanessa Spence / Marlon James John
Crows Devil
Japan (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/29/japan-strange-coincidences/)Haruki
Murakami Kafka on the Shore; 1Q84 / Natsume Sseki The Miner; I am a Cat/ Michitsuna no Haha
(Michitsunas mother) The Kagero Diary (trans. Sonja Arntzen) / Yukio Mishima Death in
Midsummer (trans. Seidensticker, Keene, Morris, Sargent) / Hiromi Kawakami Manazuru / Shiba
Ryotaro / Yoko Ogawa / Yoriko Shono / Yumiko Kurahashi / Yoko Tawada / Yasunari Kawabata
Snow Country
Jordan (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/27/jordan-winds-of-change/)Ibrahim
Nasrallah The Time of White Horses
Kazakhstan (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/20/kazakhstan-an-epic-struggle/)Rollan
Seisenbayev The Day the World Collapsed / Mukhamet Shayakhmetov The Silent Steppe: The Story
of a Kazakh Nomad Under Stalin / Nursultan Nazarbayev My Life, My Times and the Future / Ilyas
Esenberlin Nomads
Kenya (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/16/kenya-a-momentous-proposal/)Binyavanga
Wainaina One Day I Will Write About This Place / Ngg wa Thiongo A Grain of Wheat; Wizard of
the Crow / Philo Ikonya Kenya, Will You Marry Me?
Kiribati (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/16/kiribati-crossing-
boundaries/) Teweiariki Teaero Waa in Storms
Kuwait (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/19/kuwait-the-icing-on-the-cake/) Saif
Marzooq al-Shamlan Pearling in the Arabian Gulf / Jehan S Rajab Invasion Kuwait / Haya al-
Mughni Women in Kuwait / Danderma The Chronicles of Dathra, a Dowdy Girl from Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/28/kyrgyzstan-a-lonely-road/)Chinghiz
Aitmatov Jamilia; The Place of the Skull
Laos (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/07/laos-a-helping-hand/) Outhine Bounyavong
Mothers Beloved
Latvia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/02/latvia-living-with-the-enemy/) David
Bezmozgis The Free World / Agate Nesaule A Woman in Amber / Inga Zolude A Solace for Adams
Tree / Sandra Kalniete With Dance Shoes in Siberian Snows
Lebanon (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/15/lebanon-the-greatest-story-ever-
told/)Joumana Haddad I Killed Scheherazade / Elias Khoury Yalo; Gate of the Sun / Hanan al-
Shaykh One Thousand and One Nights; The Locust and the Bird / Jabbour Douhaiy June Rain /
Alexandra Chreiteh Always Coca-Cola / Iman Humaydan Wild Mulberries / Amin Maalouf
Samarkand; Leo the African / Rashid al-Daif Dear Mr Kawabata / Amin al Rihani / Gibran Khalil
Gibran
Lesotho (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/22/lesotho-womens-rites/) Thomas
Mofolo Chaka / AS Mopeli-Paulus Blanket Boys Moon; The World and the Cattle / Morabo
Morojele How We Buried Puso / Various Basali! Stories by and about women in Lesotho
Liberia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/07/28/liberia-breaking-the-taboos/)Helene
Cooper The House at Sugar Beach / Ellen Johnson Sirleaf This Child Will Be Great / Mardia
Stone Konkai: Living Between Two Worlds
Libya (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/19/libya-desert-life/) Hisham Matar In the
Country of Men; Anatomy of a Disappearance / Ibrahim Al-Khoni Anubius: A Desert Novel; Gold
Dust; The Animists; The Bleeding of the Stone; The Puppet; The Seven Veils of Seth / Ahmed Fagi
Homeless Rats; 30 Short Stories
Liechtenstein (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/24/liechtenstein-the-long-way-
round/)Iren Nigg / Stefan Sprenger / Heinrich Harrer Seven Years in Tibet / CC Bergius The Noble
Forger
Lithuania (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/02/04/lithuania-womens-work/) Laura
Sintija erniauskait / Various No Men, No Cry (Collective Series) / Ricardas Gavelis Vilnius Poker
/ Jonas Mekas / Juozas Baltusis / Andrius Tapinas Hour of the Wolf / Balys Sruoga Forest of the Gods
Luxembourg (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/30/luxembourg-a-mission-and-a-
half/)Jean Back Amateur / Robi Gottlieb-Cahen Minute Stories
Macedonia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/23/macedonia-web-of-
associations/)Rumena Buarovska Scribbles; Wisdom Tooth / Goce Smilevski Sigmund Freuds
Sister; Conversation with Spinoza/ Elizabeta Bakovska On the way to Damascus
Madagascar (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/21/madagascar-over-to-you/) ed.
Jacques Bourgeacq and Liliane Ramarosoa Voices from Madagascar
Malawi (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/12/malawi-a-story-from-the-fourth-
world/) Samson Kambalu The Jive Talker / Aubrey Kachingwe No Easy Task
Malaysia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/14/malaysia-the-world-wide-web/)
Shih-Li Kow Ripples and Other Stories / A Samad Said
Maldives (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/06/maldives-free-books/) Abdullah
Sadiq Dhon Hiyala and Ali Fulhu
Mali (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/09/25/mali-truth-to-tell/)Amadou Hampt B The
Strange Destiny of Wangrin / Yambo Ouloguem Bound to Violence
Malta (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/13/malta-a-mixed-bag/)Immanuel
Mifsud Happy Weekend / Pierre Mejlak / Simon Bartolo
Marshall Islands (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/12/marshall-islands-telling-
tales/) Ed Daniel Kelin Marshall Islands Legends and Stories / Marshallese school students (the
Unbound Bookmaker Project) The Important Book about Majuro / Jack Niedenthal For the Good of
Mankind / Bob Barclay In Melal: A Novel of the Pacific / Dirk R Spennemann Bwebwenatoon etto: a
collection of Marshallese legends and traditions
Mauritania (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/12/mauritania-language-
barriers/) Mohamed Bouya Bamba Angels of Mauritania and the Curse of the Language
Mauritius (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/07/06/mauritius-travellers-
tales/) Anand Mulloo Watch Them Go Down / Barlen Pyamootoo Benares
Mexico (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/10/mexico-food-for-thought/) Juan
Pablo Villalobos Down the Rabbit Hole / Octavio Paz The Labyrinth of Solitude (trans. Lysander
Kemp) / Laura Esquivel Like Water for Chocolate (trans. Carol Christensen and Thomas Christensen)
/ Martn Solares The Black Minutes / Carlos Fuentes / Jorge Volpi / Rosario Castellanos / Carmen
Boullosa / Sandra Cisneros / Mario Bellatn / Elena Garro / Juan Rulfo / Elena Poniatowska / Sergio
Pitol / Juan Rulfo Pedro Paramo
Micronesia, Federated States of (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/04/federated-
states-of-micronesia-his-story/) Luelen Bernart The Book of Luelen
Moldova (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/24/moldova-nail-biting-stuff/)Ion Drutse
Moldavian Autumn; The Story of an Ant
Monaco (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/23/monaco-grace-and-beauty/) ed.
Richard and Danae Projetti Grace Kelly: Princesse du Cinema
Mongolia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/27/mongolia-a-high-point/) Galsan
Tschinag The Blue Sky
Montenegro (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/07/24/montenegro-home-
truths/) Petar II Petrovi-Njego The Mountain Wreath / Andrej Nikolaidis / Xenia Popovich A
Lullaby for No Mans Wolf
Morocco (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/09/28/morocco-feminine-endings/) Diss
Chrabi Heirs to the Past; Le Pass Simple (The Simple Past) / Tahar Ben Jelloun The Sacred Night;
This Blinding Absence of Light (trans. Linda Coverdale); A Palace in the Old Village (trans. Linda
Coverdale) / Bensalem Himmich The Polymath / Mohammed Achaari The Arch and the Butterfly /
Fatima Mernissi / Muhammad Shukri For Bread Alone / Muhammad Barrada The Game of
Forgetting
Mozambique (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/22/mozambique-uncharted-
territory/)Mia Couto The Sleepwalking Land; Under the Frangipani / Paulina Chiziane
Niketche / Ungulani Ba Ka Khosa Ualalapi / Luis Bernardo Honwana We Killed Mangy Dog
Myanmar (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/26/myanmar-all-that-glitters/)Cho Tu Zaw
/ Ma Thida / Nu Nu Yi Inwa Smile as they Bow
Namibia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/07/21/namibia-marital-ties/) Joseph
Diescho Troubled Waters / Neshani Andreas The Purple Violet of Oshaantu
Nauru (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/07/26/nauru-small-triumphs/) Timothy
Detudamo Legends, Traditions and Tales of Nauru / Ben Bam Solomon et al Stories from Nauru
Nepal (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/31/nepal-tall-tales/) Samrat Upadhyay
Buddhas Orphans / Ajit Baral The Lazy Conman and Other Stories / Parijat Blue Mimosa
Netherlands (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/01/netherlands-the-devil-in-the-
detail/)Harry Mulisch The Discovery of Heaven / Cees Noteboom Lost Paradise; All Souls
Day; Rituals / Tessa de Loo / Gerbrand Bakker The Twin / Kader Abdolah The House of the Mosque
/ Abdelkader Benali / Jan van Mersbergen Tomorrow Pamplona / Arthur Japin The Two Hearts of
Kwasi Boachi / Tommy Wieringa Little Caesar / Bernlef Out of Mind / Jan Wolkers Turkish Delight /
WF Hermans The Darkroom of Damocles / Arnon Grunberg Tirza; Skin and Hair
New Zealand (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/30/new-zealand-cultural-
values/) Charlotte Grimshaw Singularity / Maurice Shadbolt Season of the Jew / Keri Hulme The
Bone People / Lloyd Jones Mr Pip / Alan Duff Once Were Warriors / Witi Ihimaera Tangi / Janet
Frame
Nicaragua (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/19/nicaragua-in-the-beginning/) Gioconda
Belli Infinity in the Palm of her Hand
Niger (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/01/niger-a-great-saga/) recounted by
Nouhou Malio The Epic of Askia Mohammed
Nigeria (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/02/24/nigeria-family-matters/) Wole
Soyinka The Interpreters; Season of Anomy / Toyin Falola A Mouth Sweeter than Salt / Lola
Shoneyin The Secret Lives of Baba Segis Wives / Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Americanah / Chinua
Achebe Things Fall Apart
North Korea (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/09/north-korea-keeping-the-faith/)Ri In
Mo My Life and Faith / Kye Wol Hyang
Norway (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/02/02/norway-reality-bites/) Karl Ove
Knausgaard My Struggle / Per Petterson To Siberia; Out Stealing Horses (trans. Ann Born) / Knut
Hamsun Hunger / Lars Saabye Christensen The Half Brother / Jan Wiese The Naked Madonna / Linn
Ullmann Before You Sleep / Agnar Mykle Lasso Round the Moon / Gerd Brantenberg Egalias
Daughters
Oman (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/09/09/oman-a-rare-treat/)Ibrahim Farghali Smiles
of Saints / Khadija bint Alawi Al-Dhahab My Grandmothers Stories / Unni Wikan Behind the Veil
in Arabia: Women in Oman / Abdulaziz Al Farsi Earth Weeps, Saturn Laughs
Pakistan (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/24/pakistan-the-long-view/) Mohsin
Hamid Moth Smoke; The Reluctant Fundamentalist / Sara Suleri Meatless Days / Bapsi Sidhwa Ice
Candy Man; An American Brat; The Pakistani Bride / Bina Shah A Season for Martyrs; Slum Child /
Jamil Ahmad The Wandering Falcon / Daniyal Mueenuddin In Other Rooms, Other Wonders / HM
Naqvi Home Boy / Uzma Aslam Khan / Musharraf Ali Farooqi The Story of a Widow; Between Clay
and Dust / Ali Sethi The Wish Maker / Kamila Shamsie Kartography; Broken Verses; Burnt Shadows /
Mohammed Hanif
Palau (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/26/palau-a-world-apart/) Susan
Kloulechad Spirits Tides
Palestine (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/09/04/palestine-shifting-
boundaries/) Ibtisam Barakat Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood / Sahar Khalifeh Wild
Thorns / Susan Abulhawa Mornings in Jenin / Mahmoud Shukair Mordechais Moustache and his
Wifes Cats, and other stories
Panama (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/09/panama-going-with-the-flow/) Juan
David Morgan The Golden Horse / Carlos Russell
Papua New Guinea (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/14/papua-new-guinea-
novel-techniques/) Russell Soaba Maiba / Regis Stella Gutsini Posa / Russell
Soaba Maiba / Bernard Narokobi Two Seasons / Vincent Eri The Crocodile / Nash Sorariba / Michael
Somare Sana /
Paraguay (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/14/paraguay-remembrance-of-things-
past/) Augusto Roa Bastos The Prosecutor
Peru (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/02/10/peru-dizzy-heights/) Mario Vargas
Llosa Death in the Andes; Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter (trans. Ursule Molinaro, Hedwig Rappolt)
/ Jaime Bayly / Jos Mara Arguedas / Santiago Roncagliolo
Philippines (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/06/philippines-the-real-story/)Charlson
Ong / Joel Toledo / Miguel Syjuco Illustrado / F Sionil Jos / Jessica Hagedorn Dogeaters / Bino
Realuyo The Umbrella Country / Ninotchka Rosca State of War
Poland (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/03/poland-big-decisions/)Stanislaw Lem /
Olga Tokarczuk Primeval and Other Times; House of Day, House of Night / Pawel Huelle Cold Sea
Tales; Castorp; The Last Supper; Mercedes Benz/ Zygmunt Miloszewski Entanglement; A Grain of
Truth/ Witold Gombrowicz Pornografia / Wiesaw Myliwski Stone upon Stone / Magdalena Tulli In
Red / Dorota Maslowska Snow White and Russian Red / Marek Krajewski The Eberhard Mock
books / Grazyna Plebanek Illegal Liaisons / Antoni Libera Madame / Andrzej Stasiuk On the Road
to Babadag; Dukla; Fado; Nine; White Raven / Stefan Chwin Death in Danzig / Michal Witkowski
Lovetown / Jacek Hugo-Bader White Fever / Wojciech Jagielski The Night Wanderers / Kazimierz
Moczarski Conversations with an Executioner / Wojciech Tochman Like Eating a Stone
Portugal (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/07/portugal-a-moral-dilemma/) Eca
de Queiroz The Mandarin and Other Stories / Jos Saramago Blindness; The Year of the Death of
Ricardo Reis; The Gospel According to Jesus Christ / Fernando Pessoa / Pero Vaz de Caminha Carta
de Pro Vaz de Caminha
Qatar (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/07/qatar-brits-abroad/) Mohammed
Ali Victory over Abu Derya: The Quest for Pearls in the Arabian Gulf / Abdul Aziz Al Mahmoud The
Corsair
Romania (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/05/romania-he-aint-heavy/)Herta
Mller The Passport / Filip and Matei Florian The Baiut Alley Lads / Mircea Cartarescu / Mircea
Eliade
Russia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/24/russia-cold-comfort/) Alina Bronsky
The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine / Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn One Day in the Life of Ivan
Denisovich (trans. Ralph Parker) / Vladimir Sorokin Day of the Oprichnik / Mikhail Lermontov A
Hero of Our Time / Mikhail Bulgakov The Master and Margarita (trans. Michael Glenny) / Roman
Senchin MINUS / Alan Cherchesov Requiem for the Living /Off the Beaten Tracks: Stories by
Russian Hitchhikers / Oleg Zaionchkovski Happiness is Possible / PD Ouspensky Strange Life of
Ivan Osokin
Rwanda (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/16/rwanda-the-meaning-of-fate/)Philip
Gourevitch We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with our Families / Jean
Hatzfeld Into the Quick of Life / Barassa Teta / John Rusimbi By the Time She Returned / Gilbert
Gatore The Past Ahead
Saint Kitts and Nevis (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/01/st-kitts-nevis-deep-
roots/)Caryl Phillips / Bertram Roach Only God Can Make a Tree
Saint Lucia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/09/02/saint-lucia-a-formidable-
legacy/)Derek Walcott Omeros / Garth St Omer A Room on the Hill; Shades of Grey; Nor Any
Country; J-, Black Bam and the Masqueraders / Dr Earl Long Consolation; Voices from a Drum /
McDonald Dixon Season of Mist / Michael Aubertin Neg Maron
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/09/st-
vincent-the-grenadines-journeys/) H Nigel Thomas Spirits in the Dark; Behind the Face of
Winter; Return to Arcadia / George Thomas Ruler in Hairoona / Cecil Browne The Moon is
Following Me / Richard Byron-Cox Were Mamas Tears in Vain? / Marcia King-Gamble / Trish St
Hill / Nickie Williams /
Samoa (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/22/samoa-myth-fits/)Misa Telefoni Retzlaff
Love and Money / Lani Wendt Young Telesa / Albert Wendt The Adventures of Vela; Sons for the
Return Home; Pouliuli / Sia Figiel Where We Once Belonged; The Girl in the Moon Circle; They Who
do not Grieve
San Marino (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/03/san-marino-castles-in-the-
air/) Giuseppe Rossi The Republic of San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/16/sao-tome-and-
principe-a-team-effort/) Olinda Beja The Shepherds House
Saudi Arabia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/22/saudi-arabia-girl-power/)
Rajaa Al-Sanea Girls of Riyadh / Raja Alem My Thousand and One Nights: A Novel of Mecca / Abdul
Rahman Munif Endings; Cities of Salt; The Trench; Variations on Night and Day / ed. Abubaker
Bagader Voices of Change / Ghazi Abdul Rahman Al Gosaibi
Senegal (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/02/15/senegal-the-other-woman/)
Mariama B Une Si Longue Lettre (So Long a Letter) / Ken Bugul Riwan ou Le Chemin de Sable
(Riwan or The Path of Sand)
Serbia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/08/serbia-cultural-exchange/)Ivo Andric Bridge
in the River Drina / Milos Crnjanski A Novel About London; Migrations / Danilo Ki / David
Albahari Bait / Milorad Pavic Dictionary of the Khazars / Srdjan Valjarevic Lake Como / Zoran
ivkovi
Seychelles (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/15/seychelles-home-from-
home/) Glynn Burridge Voices / William Travis Beyond the Reefs; Shark for Sale
Sierra Leone (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/01/sierra-leone-hearts-and-
minds/)Aminatta Forna The Memory of Love / Ishmael Beah A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of Boy
Soldier
Singapore (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/24/singapore/)Su-Chen Christine Lim
Fistful of Colours
Slovakia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/09/17/slovakia-the-other-side/)Pavol Rankov
/ Peter Pistanek Rivers of Babylon / Daniela Kapitnov Samko Tales Cemetery Book
Slovenia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/05/slovenia-expect-the-
unexpected/) Slavoj iek / Nataa Kramberger Heaven in a Blackberry Bush, a Novel in Stories /
Andrej Blatnik You do Understand / Andrej Skubic Fuine Blues / Miha Mazzini The German
Lottery / Vladimir Bartol Alamut
Solomon Islands (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/07/03/solomon-islands-
between-two-worlds/) John Saunana The Alternative / ed. Alice Aruheeta Pollard and Marilyn J.
Waring Being the First: Storis Blong Oloketa Mere lo Solomon Aelan / Celo Kulagoe
Somalia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/09/22/somalia-digging-deep/)Nuruddin Farah
Secrets; Sweet and Sour Milk
South Africa (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/21/south-africa-getting-a-
perspective/)Gavin Evans Dancing Shoes is Dead / Ingrid Winterbach The Book of Happenstance /
Damon Galgut The Quarry / Kgebetli Moele The Book of the Dead / Diane Awerbuck Cabin
Fever / Siphiwo Mahala African Delights / Henrietta Rose-Innes Nineveh / Ivan Vladislavic The Loss
Library / Nelson Mandela The Long Walk to Freedom / Alan Paton Cry, the Beloved Country / Bryce
Courtenay The Power of One / Dalene Matthee Fielas Child; Circles in the Forest
South Korea (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/02/27/south-korea-telling-tales/)
Hwang Sok-yong The Guest; The Old Garden / Lee Hye-Kyung A House on the Road / Shin Kyung-
Sook Please Look After Mom
South Sudan (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/01/south-sudan-the-first-new-
year/) Julia Duany To Forgive is Divine not Human
Spain (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/17/spain-the-world-to-come/)Miguel Delibes
Five Hours with Mario / Javier Cercas Soldiers of Salamis; The Anatomy of a Moment (trans. Anne
McClean) / Alberto Mendez The Blind Sunflowers / Miguel de Cervantes Don Quixote (trans. Edith
Grossman) / Carlos Ruiz Zafon The Shadow of the Wind / Enrique Vila-Matas Dublinesque / Juan
Goytisolo Exiled from Almost Everywhere / Antonio Muoz Molina Sefarad
Sri Lanka (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/03/sri-lanka-seismic-shifts/)Romesh
Gunesekera Reef / Carl Muller The Jam Fruit Tree / Shehan Karunatilaka Chinaman / Ru Freeman A
Disobedient Girl / Siri Gunasinghe The Shadow / Kathleen Jayawardena Circles of Fire / S
Ponnuthurai Ritual / Sunethra Rajakarunanayake Metta / Keerthi Welisarage The Doomed / Martin
Wickramasinghe
Sudan (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/09/16/sudan-the-outsider/)Amir Tag Elsir The
Grub Hunter / Tarek Eltayeb The Palm House / Tayeb Salih Season of Migration to the North / Leila
Aboulela Minaret
Suriname (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/26/suriname-the-ties-that-bind/)Cynthia
Mcleod The Cost of Sugar; The Free Negress
Swaziland (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/07/14/swaziland-teenage-
rebellion/) Sarah Mkhonza Weeding the Flowerbeds
Sweden (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/21/sweden-fellow-globetrotters/)Henning
Mankell Chronicler of the Winds / Per Olov Enquist The March of the Musicians (trans. Joan Tate);
The Story of Blanche and Marie / Jens Lapidus Easy Money / Karin Altenberg Island of Wings / Jonas
Hassen Khemiri Montecore / / Hjalmar Soderberg Doctor Glas / Lotta Lotass / Amelie Posse / John
Ajvide Lindqvist Let the Right One In
Switzerland (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/13/switzerland-a-secret-recipe/)Friedrich
Drrenmatt The Pledge / Hansjrg Schertenlieb A Happy Man / Gottfried Keller A Village Romeo
and Juliet / Annemarie Schwarzenbach / Friedrich Glauser In Mattos Realm / Peter
Bichsel Childrens Stories / Aglaja Veteranyi Why the Child is Cooking in the Polenta / Hugo
Loetscher Noah / Gerhard Meier Isle of the Dead
Syria (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/05/syria-the-power-of-words/) Fadi
Azzam Sarmada / Zakaria Tamer Breaking Knees / Ghadda Samman / Rafik Schami Damascus
Nights / Hassan Bahri / Hanna Mina Sun on a Cloudy Day / Khaled Khalifa In Praise of Hatred
Taiwan (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/09/taiwan-living-on-the-edge/) Su Wei-
chen / Pai Hsien-yung Crystal Boys
Tajikistan (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/02/17/tajikistan-imagine/) Andrei Volos
Hurramabad
Tanzania (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/11/tanzania-family-politics/)Muhammed
Said Abdulla / Abdulrazak Gurnah Desertion / Edwin Semzaba / Ismael Mbise Blood on Our
Land / Agoro Anduru / Adam Shafi / Bethsaida Orphan Girls Secondary School Their Voices, Their
Stories / Sophia Mustafa Broken Reed / Tengio Urrio The Girl from Uganda / S Ndunguru The Lion
of Yola / Ronny Mintjens More Than a Game
Thailand (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/07/11/thailand-watching-the-
watchers/) Chart Korbjitti The Judgement; No Way Out; Time; Mad Dogs & Co / Kukrit Pramoj
/ Kampoon Boontawee A Child of the Northeast
Togo (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/01/togo-the-writer-id-most-like-to-
meet/) Jeanette D Ahonsou / Pyabelo Chaold Kouly / Tt-Michel Kpomassie An African in
Greenland
Tonga (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/08/tonga-empire-line/)Joshua Taumoefolau A
Providence of War / Epeli Hauofa Tales of the Tikongs
Trinidad and Tobago (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/09/19/trinidad-and-tobago-
relative-values/) VS Naipaul A House for Mr Biswas; In a Free State / Monique Roffey The White
Woman on the Green Bicycle / Robert Antoni / Keith Jardim Near Open Water / Earl Lovelace Is Just a
Movie / Vahni Capildeo One Scattered Skeleton / Errol John Moon on a Rainbow Shawl
Tunisia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/16/tunisia-maze-of-discovery/)Habib Selmi
The Scents of Marie-Claire / Abdelwahab Meddeb Talismano / Hassouna Mosbahi A Tunisian
Tale / Ali Douagi / Mahmoud Messadi
Turkey (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/01/29/turkey-mystic-union/) Orhan
Pamuk Snow / Latife Tekin Dear Shameless Death / Elif Shafak The Forty Rules of Love / Erendiz
Atasu The Other Side of the Mountain / Murathan Mungan / Orhan Kemal / Halide Edip Advar
/ Reat Nuri Gntekin / Refik Halit Karay / Sabahattin Ali / Yaar Kemal / Kemal Tahir / Fakir
Baykurt / Sait Faik Abasyank / Gneli Gn On the Road to Baghdad
Turkmenistan (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/20/turkmenistan-a-ghosts-
revenge/)John Kropf Unknown Sands / Ak Welsapar The Tale of Aypi; Cobra
Tuvalu (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/11/17/tuvalu-how-to-make-it-
rain/) Various Tuvalu: a history
Uganda (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/02/uganda-tough-choices/)Okot
pBitek Song of Lawino / Moses Isegawa Abyssinian Chronicles; Snakepit / Doreen Baingan Tropical
Fish: Stories Out Of Entebbe
Ukraine (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/17/ukraine-killer-punchlines/)Andrey
Kurkov Death and the Penguin / Theodore Odrach Wave of Terror
United Arab Emirates (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/10/29/united-arab-
emirates-on-the-money/) Qais Sedki Gold Ring / Maha Gargash The Sand Fish / Ameera Al
Hakawati Desperate in Dubai / Mohammad Al Murr The Wink of the Mona Lisa; Dubai Tales
United Kingdom (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/12/31/united-kingdom-coming-
home/)Angus MacLellan Stories from South Uist / Christina Hall To the Edge of the Sea / Deborah
Levy Swimming Home / Sin Melangell Dafydd Y Trydydd Peth / Vanessa Gebbie / Caryl
Lewis Martha, Jack and Shanco
United States of America (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/16/united-states-
supersize-gods/) Neil Gaiman American Gods / Sean Murphy The Time of New Weather / Norton
Juster The Phantom Tollbooth / Michael Shaara The Killer Angels / Barbara Kingsolver The
Poisonwood Bible / Cormac Mccarthy All the Pretty Horses / Eliot Weinberger / Jhumpa Lahiri
/ Amy Tan
Uruguay (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/01/uruguay-losing-your-head/)Juan Carlos
Onetti The Shipyard; The Pit and Tonight / Felisberto Hernndez Lands of Memory / Rafael
Courtoisie / Cristina Peri Rossi /Eduardo Galeano / Mario Benedetti / Horacio Quiroga The
Decapitated Chicken
Uzbekistan (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/04/28/uzbekistan-banned-books/)Sabit
Madaliev / Hamid Ismailov The Railway / Bibish The Dancer from Khiva: One Muslim Womans
Quest for Freedom
Vanuatu (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/08/06/vanuatu-a-global-village/) Sethy
Regenvau Laef Blong Mi: From Village to Nation
Vatican City (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/23/vatican-city-gospel-
truth/) Luigi Marinello & The Millenari Shroud of Secrecy or Gone with the Wind in the Vatican
Venezuela (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/28/venezuela-the-best-medicine/)
Francisco Suniaga / Alberto Barrera Tyszka The Sickness / Ana Teresa Torres / Romulo Gallegos
/ Federico Vegas Falke
Vietnam (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/07/05/vietnam-war-of-words/)Phan Hon
Nhien The Joker; Cold Eyes; Left Wing / Bao Ninh The Sorrow of War (trans. Frank Palmos, Phan
Thanh Hao) / Nguyen Nhat Anh
Yemen (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/07/17/yemen-the-past-is-another-
country/) Wajdi al-Ahdal A Land without Jasmine / Zayd Mutee Dammaj The Hostage
Zambia (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/06/29/zambia-what-price-education/)Gaile
Parkin Baking Cakes in Kigali / Field Ruwe / Binwell Sinyangwe A Cowrie of Hope
Zimbabwe (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/05/07/zimbabwe-cut-and-dried/)Petinah
Gappah An Elegy for Easterly / Tsitsi Dangarembga Nervous Conditions / Brian Chikwava Harare
North / Tendai Huchu The Hairdresser of Harare / Shimmer Chinodya Chioniso and Other Stories /
Stephen Lungu Out of the Black Shadows
452 Responses to The list
1. Kirsty Morgan said
October 26, 2011 at 10:46 pm
Spain: Miguel Delibes, Cinco Horas con Mario (Five Hours with Mario), published in 1966, in
which a widow watches over the body of her husband in a provincial town and recalls their life
together. I havent read this particular novel but it is one of his most popular and gives an insight
into post-war Spain. His short stories are fantastic too.
Reply
londonchoirgirl said
October 27, 2011 at 10:02 am
Thanks Kirsty. Sounds great Ill add it to the list
Reply
Sabina said
July 28, 2013 at 7:16 pm
you should read also this one: The Dervish and Death (1974) Bosnia and Hercegovina.
August 2, 2013 at 3:15 pm
Thanks sounds intriguing!
Daniel Martinage said
December 29, 2013 at 3:53 pm
What a gift! Thank you.
Thanks youre very welcome
affascinailtuocuore said
January 19, 2014 at 3:43 pm
brilliant idea for a blog on reading! Ive found Gomorrah by Saviano in the list, Great book,
interesting movie. Zero,Zero,Zero, by the same author keeps on showing the evils of our
modern world, addicted to cocaineboth reviews on my blog.
Thanks
Ornella
Reply
Thanks Ornella. Yes, Saviano is excellent, isnt he? Best of luck with your blog
affascinailtuocuore said
tks a lot! same with yours..cheers
Sid said
March 19, 2014 at 7:52 am
What a great job youve done ! I bet you have seen lots of epic things around woirld although
you just sit in your chair~ As a Chinese, I am very glad to see many fictions I loved are listed,
hoping you love them as well !
Reply
March 27, 2014 at 9:08 am
Thanks very much. Yes it was quite a journey! Glad you like my Chinese suggestions.
2. trailblzrwoman said
November 15, 2011 at 5:11 pm
Good luck with the big read!
Best wishes
Maria
Reply
3. TRStorey said
Love the idea, and best wishes with getting through it we are trying to offer a worldwide overview
of books by country on our site http://www.theculturetrip.com might come in handy for your
project!
Reply
4. natashashenry said
November 25, 2011 at 1:03 am
I think this is a fab idea and I wish you the best of luck.
Natasha
Reply
Thanks Natasha. Ill certainly need the luck
Reply
natashashenry said
I wish I had the time to read that many books these days. I will try to live vicariously
through you
5. Mira said
I can suggest a few from Serbia and from Bosnia. Also Try Ivo Andric (he is a Nobel prize winner
for literature in 1961 and donated his money to libraries of Bosnia and Herzegovina.) He was a true
Yugoslav, born to Croatian parents in Bosnia but lived his adult life in Serbia and considered
himself a Serb. You should try reading the Bridge in the River Drina, but there are also shorter
novels.
There is a Serb, Milos Crnjanski (or Trzrnjanski in some translations.) He lived in London and has
written A Novel About London that you might find. I will enquire to my Macedonian friend of any
Macedonian writer in translation.
For Montenegro you might be able to obtain in English something by Petar II Petrovi-Njego, he
was a Prince-Bishop (and apparently very handsome). He wrote a lot but the best known is his
poem-novel The Mountain Wreath.
Good luck.
Mira
Reply
December 2, 2011 at 11:54 am
Brilliant, thanks Mira. Im excluding writers Ive read before, which knocks Marquez and
Atwood off, but the others are all new to me so I will add them to the list. Thanks so much for
your help.
Reply
6. Mira said
here I found this on Crnjanski:
Migrations has been translated into English (Harvill 1994, ISBN 0002730049), but with the authors
name transliterated as Milos Tsernianski.
Just remembered another Serbian that I did buy in English. Danilo Kis. Loads of his stuff in English
and some are very short. ; )
Reply
7. Mira said
Columbia Anything by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Peru Mario Vargas Llosa
Turkey Orhan Pamuk
Slovenia Zizek, a philosopher translated in English, (small work)
Canada The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood, or anything by Robertson Davis.
Reply
Tavo said
July 15, 2013 at 2:50 pm
Hola Mira!
Just a correction, you spelled worng Colombia (its with an O)
Reply
Tavo said
July 15, 2013 at 2:51 pm
Oh I spelled wrong wrong! HAHAHA! (^_^)
Cheers!
Mike New said
October 1, 2013 at 2:24 am
Also, its Robertson Davies. Misspelled in the list, too!
Reply
Thanks Mike Ill sort that out.
8. Help Ann Morgan: A Year of Reading (the Arabic-writing) World | Arabic Literature (in English)
said
[...] that must be going well, since shes decided to make 2012 A Year of Reading the World, one
book per [...]
Reply
9. Mira said
For Bulgaria you should try Elias Canetti. He was born in Bulgaria to Shepardi Jewish family who
were expelled from Spain in 15C. He also won Nobel prize for literature in 1981. He wrote Auto da
Fe which was very popular in the 70s but his best work is his autobiography in 3 volumes . (he
did write in German so it may not qualify but I think it should as his writing is amazing and you
will not find anything better from Bulgaria.). In any case, I recommend that anyone reads this as
there is nothing like that that Ive read.
By the way, do you speak any other languages?
All the best
Mira
Reply
Now this is interesting. Translator Ruth Martin recommended Canettis The Torch in My Ear for
Austria. By the sounds of it, Canettis books could be in the running for four or five countries. I
wonder how many other writers Ill stumble across in this category
I do read French and German and originally thought I would read some books in those
languages for this project, but having talked about it and thought about it Ive decided to stick
to reading in English. The reason is that I want this project to be about finding out how easy (or
hard) it is for one person in London to access the literature of the world and a lot of that comes
down to the availability (or not) of translations. Reading in other languages would sidestep that
issue.
Reply
Mira said
The Torch in my Ear is the second volume of his three-volume autobiography followed by
The Play of The Eyes. But he starts with The Tongue Set Free which is exceptional. In fact
this has reminded me to read it again.
I think you might find Che Guevara could be claimed by a few SA countries as their own
not excluding Cuba of course.
May I second the choice for France of Alain-Furnier. The Wanderer was the name given in
US but here in UK, it was published under its original title Le Grand Meaulnes.
I see that you have not filled in the Croatian entry. The best choice here would be Miroslav
Krleza. His book On The Edge or Reason has been translated into English I have a copy,
but there could be others. He really is very good and worth a read. Of you fancy something
more modern, I can suggest Dubravka Ugresic. She wrote a lot after the break up of
Yugoslavia and emigrated to Holland. I personally did not read anything of hers but she did
win some prizes in Europe for her supposedly antiwar stance.
Have you started reading yet? I could loan you some of the books Ive mentionedif you like.
All the best
Mira
Thanks Mira. Ive put The Tongue Set Free on the list for Bulgaria and will add on your
Croatia suggestions too.
I havent started reading yet Im sticking to the 2012 limit, so will only be able to turn the
first page on 1 January. At the moment Im just trying to gather as many good
recommendations as possible, although I will try to get hold of some books before the start of
the year so that Im all set when the clock strikes 12.
If you are able to lend me some of the books, that would be a great help.
Thanks again for your excellent suggestions
Ann
10. Reading the world | Debika Ray said
[...] journo Ann Morgan is embarking on an ambitious project next year. She plans to make next
year a year of reading the world that is, she is planning to read a book from every [...]
Reply
11. Ibtisam Barakat said
Tasting the Sky, a Palestinian Childhood (Macmillan, 2007) by Ibtisam Barakat for Palestine The
book won many awards and is in several languages. Reviewers called it astonishingly beautiful
and a masterpiece.
Reply
12. N Mercury said
From North Korea, I highly recommend, My Life and Faith, by Ri In Mo, an autobiography
from one of the worlds longest serving political prisoners. A triumph of the human spirit,
representing a point of view virtually unknown in the Western World.
http://www.north-korea-books.com/servlet/the-196/my-life-and-faith/Detail
Reply
13. Elie said
This looks like a wonderful idea and I wish you best of luck with it reading works from all 196
countries is a true challenge!
I note youre missing a few European countries if youre short of ideas you might like to check out
the Dalkey Archives Best European Fiction series
http://www.dalkeyarchive.com/collections/besteuropeanfiction/ which contains stories from across
Europe and would cover off the Ukraine, Slovakia, Liechtenstein, Macedonia and Lithuania
depending on which years anthology you bought. 2011 looks to be the most comprehensive.
Nothing from Andorra or San Marino in any of them, though, disappointingly.
Reply
Brilliant, thanks Elie. I shall definitely look into this.
Reply
14. Leeswammes said
I see that you have nothing for the Netherlands yet. Maybe look at irisonbooks blog. She did a
month of Dutch literature, http://irisonbooks.wordpress.com/tag/a-month-of-dutch-literature/ Im
sure there will be something you might like to read.
Reply
Thanks great suggestion. Ill have look.
Reply
15. Chakriya said
I can help out with the Pacific countries BUT most will be locally published and need to be sourced
from the University of the South Pacific, and you need to think carefully about the difference
between Pacific authors and books about the Pacific (does Robert Louis Stevenson count as a
Samoan author? I say no try Misa Telefoni instead, although his writing is less literature and more
bodice ripper).
So happy to help if you want to persevere with Tuvalu, but note I leave in April so needs to be done
soon.
Reply
Thanks Chakriya. Id really appreciate any help you can give me. I agree with you about Robert
Louis Stevenson; while I am accepting books by writers of other nationalities for some countries,
there has to be a strong connection between the writer and the place for it to count. In general,
though, I am keen to get as close as I can to writing that is from rather than simply about each
sovereign state. Misa Telefoni sounds great the books dont all have to be high literature in
fact the more variety the more interesting the project will be.
Reply
16. sally m milan said
Stunning list interested in the Private Lives of Trees. I attempted the Secret Lives of Plants
once.intense.and recently saw the Secret Lives of Lobsters. Youd have to google the author?!
Amazing project!
Reply
Thanks Sally Happy New Year!
Reply
17. schietree said
Just to let you know, Im linking to you on my blog. Loving your reviews so far!
Reply
Thanks Helen. Im returning the compliment. Congratulations on your Unbound Press Best
Novel Award.
By the way, I see you lived in NYC for a while. Im here for the next week. If you have any
suggestions of must dos, it would be great to have them I know the city quite well and have
done all the major touristy things on previous trips so it would be good to have some inside
recommendations
Reply
schietree said
Thanks so much! Well, McNally Jackson is an excellent bookshop that hosts reading events
and has one of those Espresso machines (instant book printing) which is entrancing to watch
and leads to a pile of interesting self-pubbed poetry being available in the shop.
http://mcnallyjackson.com/ It also has a pleasant cafe where you can warm up and pour
over your findings. There is also http://bluestockings.com/ for books and events with a
feminist/LGBTQ flair.
Most of what I got up to in NYC was eating tasty things, writing and visiting the Met over
and over (youve probably been there, though if you havent a good tip is its suggested
donation, so you dont have to pay $20 unless you feel like you want to).
Koreantown is a great destination if you are hungry for hearty food and generally nicer
waiters (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/nyregion/07koreatown.html), although that
depends if Korean food is to your taste (I may have a slight obsession with it).
Feel free to ask for any other more specific recommendations my father-in-law lives in
NYC and is a great source of up to date info which I can pass on.
Brilliant thanks for that. My next post is going to be on a book I picked up in McNally
Jackson the other day! Its great and the staff are so nice. They didnt seem to mind us
pulling most of their world literature on to the floor and rifling through it making copious
notes
Korean town sounds intriguing. We will give it a look. Have a great weekend.
18. Fay said
January 13, 2012 at 5:11 am
Best wishes for a great reading year. I just updated my blogroll to switch to your new project. It
looks like you have some armchair adventures ahead of you. Having just finished eleven of the
novels on the Man Asian Lit Prize longlist, I am especially interested in the books youve chosen
from that region.
Reply
January 13, 2012 at 12:02 pm
Thanks Fay are there any among the books you have recently read that you would
recommend I add to the list?
Reply
Fay said
My personal shortlist for the Man Asian Lit Prize included:
The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmad (Pakistan).
The Good Muslim by Tahmina Anam (Bangladesh).
The Sly Company of People Who Care by Rahul Bhattacharya (India).
River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh (India).
Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Sook Shin (S. Korea).
Dream of Ding Village by Yan Lianke (China).
The judges chose seven books this year, and five of my six choices coincided with theirs. My
miss was The Good Muslim. They chose two other books that I skipped.
Hope you find something here that looks good. I liked them all.
Brilliant thanks!
19. Sue George said
January 29, 2012 at 11:06 pm
I see that, so far, you have nothing on your list for St Kitts. Quite a well-known writer born there
(parents emigrated to the UK, went to Oxford, now teaches at Yale) is Caryl Phillips. Hes written
fiction, non-fiction, film scripts etc etc. His books should be easy enough to find.
http://www.carylphillips.com/fiction.html
Reply
Thanks Sue Caryl Philips sounds ideal. I shall look him up
Reply
20. CarolS said
February 14, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Just discovered your project.
A book group I belong to started off reading around the world.
After some years we diversified but made major discoveries along the way including Kadare and:
Amin Maalouf Lebanese author writing in French from France covers other countries too, excellent
and well translated.
Some of us have read and enjoyed Leonardo Padura from Cuba superb conveyer of atmosphere
writer of literary detective fiction, very good on Hemingway and currently writing on the Cuban
who killed Trotsky. Translated into English by lecturer from London Met Uni..
A marvellous project.
I could unearth a list if you like!?
Reply
Many thanks Carol that Padura and Maalouf sound intriguing. And yes, it would be great to
have a look at your list if its not too much trouble to dig it out! Thanks again. Ann
Reply
21. CarolS said
PS another Guardian contributor Kapka Kassabova writes of other cultures including her parents:
Bulgarian + New Zealand.. Poetry and prose.
Reply
Ah, interesting I shall explore. Thanks
Reply
22. CarolS said
OK but prob too too long to post here?? Id also be tempted to add comments especially re those I
disliked (some of those youve listed as intentions to read above!). We didnt all like Kadare while I
found his style perfect for the madness that is Albania.
Reply
Its fine to email it through my website address if you like annatannmorgan.me. But please
feel free to post your comments about those you disliked here the list above is very much work
in progress and consists simply of valid suggestions Ive had so far. Many countries are far from
decided yet. Its always good to get a bit of healthy debate going
Reply
23. CarolS said
OK! From your list above I really disliked the writing by numbers of, and the dishonesty of the Kite
Runner, shameful. A controversial response.
Andrew McGahan is a very interesting Australian novelist, his novel: The White Earth is about a
mans great passion for his land that overrides any humanitarian sympathies. He tries to dominate
a boy into inheriting his mad ambition, nearly succeeding. Powerful, moving.
Elizabeth Jolley is a unique fabulous writer, English born, lived in Scotland too but emigrated to
Australia, wrote much from there.
Alice Munro is a great Canadian writer.
Ngugi is on your list for Kenya, very strong meat and GREAT too.
Ive read a lot of African authors, he is one of the best.
Ill stop now Im adding too much.
Im not sure how to email you via the website unless this is it? Ive roughly annotated our book
group list now. I could paste it in here but seems unfair?
Reply
February 15, 2012 at 11:00 am
Thanks Carol interesting food for thought here.
Reply
24. Mira said
Interesting comments from CarolS. Literature is SO subjective. Like looking at paintings. I agree
with her re Kite Runner too melodramatic for a start. I couldnt go on past 50 pages. Same goes
for Asne Seierstads Bookseller of Kabul. But then is any book NOT worth looking at? How is fiction
ever going to compete with non fiction? But then Hillary Mantel comes up with Wolf Hall and one
thinkshmmmm. But then its all about the pleasure of meeting the story teller! Good luck the
Choir Girl. Keep reading. x
Reply
Thanks Mira yes, the line between fiction and non-fiction gets blurrier the more you look at it
doesnt it? Ill do my best!
Reply
25. CarolS said
Hurray for this project! Ive almost finished reading Abraham Vergheses Cutting for
Stone.ETHIOPIA/ERITREA, USA too. Its been on my TBR mountain for ages. After a tough badly
structured maybe over long?? first segment it has become momentous, unputdownable, marvellous
and so worth persevering with through the beginning vital to the novel. Its taken me to a land I
hadnt met in literature before and to the true love of and for medicine and surgery. Ive learnt an
enormous amount from it.
Reply
Bradley said
Im currently reading Beneath the Lions Gaze (Mengiste) for my Ethiopian title, really enjoying
it! Recommended, if you havent chosen for Ethiopia yet.
Bradley
Reply
Bradley, you may have read my mind. Finished the Mengiste yesterday. Post coming
soon
Bradley said
Great minds (haha).
Id just like to say Im overwhelmed with admiration for your project, especially that youre
doing it in a year (you must be a speed reader?) itll take me many years. AND you write
such great reviews for them all (AND work AND keep up with your correspondence.) Do
you have time for breakfast too? Congratulations on the fantastic job!
Bradley
Thanks Bradley. Its been a bit of a crazy year, but a fantastic experience! Eating breakfast
as I type
26. Miguel said
A few suggestions:
Mozambique: Niketche (Paulina Chiziane); because its a clich to only read Mia Couto and she
needs more attention
Angola: The Return of the Water Spirit (Pepetela), Good Morning Comrades (Ondjaki)
Uruguay: The Decapitated Chicken (Horcio Quiroga): a great collection of unsettling, morbid
short-stories.
Reply
Excellent, thanks Miguel Ill look into these. Highlighting writers who deserve more
international attention is a big part of what Im trying to do here, so its great to have
suggestions for less obvious choices
Reply
Hi again Miguel. Ive looked into Paulina Chizianes Nikethce, which sounds great. Only
problem is that the publisher that was going to publish the translation went bust before the book
was finished do you know of any other translations of Chizianes work?
Reply
27. mochagirlsread said
This is such a wonderful idea. I know a few people that can help you fill in your African countries.
Wendy at http://fabulosityreads.blogspot.com/ and check out Sidne reading challenge at
http://vrc2012.blogspot.com/
Good Luck and I will be following along.
Reply
Thanks very much Ill check these out.
Reply
28. Soledat said
March 4, 2012 at 5:58 pm
Wonderful work youre doing but I see that you put a book from Andorra as you know,
Andorra is a tiny country in the Pirenees mountains, and they speak Catalan. Catalonia is not a
country -well, it is in the way of Scotland :-))) and has a wonderful literature. Some books are
translated into English -starting with the medieval Tirant lo Blanch, that Cervantes itself considered
a wonderful book- Could i suggest you to visit the website of Institut Ramon Llull? It takes care os
spanding Catalan literature abroad:
http://www.llull.cat
or the english version of the website:
http://www.llull.cat/_eng/_home/index.cfm?seccio=inici&ampsubseccio=1
All my best,
Reply
March 4, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Thanks very much. The links sound great. Yes, I read a book by Catalan language writer Albert
Salvado for Andorra.
Sadly, with 196 books to get through this year I dont have time to read more than one book per
country, but I will check out those links and add more titles to the list where I can so that other
visitors to this site can read them. Thanks very much for taking the time to comment.
Reply
29. Laura said
March 5, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Glad to see that you have included Uruguay, my native country. You can read several
contemporary Uruguayan women writers (poets and short-story writers) here:
http://www.pulsamerica.co.uk/literature/
Good luck with your reading!
Reply
March 5, 2012 at 9:08 pm
Thanks Laura Ill look into this. If you have any other suggestions for Uruguayan writers, Id
love to hear them too.
Reply
30. movingcentral said
March 8, 2012 at 3:14 pm
Oooh from Serbia you should read The Tigers Wife by Tea Obreht a wonderful book and the
author is one of the New York Times best authors under 40 (she is 27).
I will be researching the best books by Honduran authors and let you know what I find
Reply
March 8, 2012 at 3:16 pm
Ah yes, the Tigers Wife. I read it last year for my A Year of Reading Women, otherwise it would
be a great suggestion. Honduras thoughts would be great
Reply
31. Vidushi Khera said
March 12, 2012 at 8:28 am
You should go through the 2011 and 2012 DSC Prize Longlists and Shortlists for some reading
material.
My recommendations
- The Patience Stone Atiq Rahimi Longlisted 2012
- In other rooms, other wonders Daniyal Mueenuddin Shortlisted 2011
- Home Boy HM Naqvi Winner 2011
- The Thing About Thugs Tabish Khair Shortlisted 2012
And if youre looking for any non-fiction do get your hands on Aman Sethis A Free Man
Reply
March 12, 2012 at 10:21 am
Thats an excellent suggestion Vidushi. Thanks so much. I was not aware of the DSC Prize I
will check it out later today. Thanks for your top tips too.
Reply
32. Paula said
March 16, 2012 at 6:13 pm
Wow this is an impressive list how many hours will you put into it?
I come from Croatia and I am thinking that you could try In the jaws of life by Dubravka
Ugrei instead of the Ministry of pain, but is just my person preference
Good luck!
Reply
March 16, 2012 at 6:18 pm
Thanks Paula. Im not sure how many hours it will take me, but Im planning to get through
one book from every country by the end of the year. Thanks for your suggestion Ill add it to
the list.
Reply
33. MarinaSofia said
March 18, 2012 at 9:16 am
Although I love Herta Muller, I am not sure if she is fully representative of Romanian literature
mainly because she writes (and has always written in German). For a good feel for contemporary
Romanian style of writing, I would recommend Mircea Cartarescu, poet, novelist and essayist.
Unfortunately, he has been translated far more in German and French rather than in English the
only volume of his I have been able to find is Bebop Baby, poetry translated by Adam J. Sorkin,
published in NY.
Reply
March 18, 2012 at 6:08 pm
Thanks very much. Cartarescu sounds interesting. Perhaps Ill have to put him on my list for
2013 as Im only reading prose for this project and although I can read French and German
(slowly), Im sticking to English translations. Ill add his name to the list though so that people
can check him out.
Reply
34. mdaread said
March 18, 2012 at 9:28 am
Hi there, just followed a link from a comment you left on the Guardian books site. Looks like an
interesting project. I thought Id take a look at your list and see if I could recommend anything.
Laos looked an interesting bet so I did a bit of research and I reckon you should try Mothers
Beloved by Outhine Bounyavong. Its a collection of short stories (are you reading them too, or only
novels?) that looks interesting.
To be honest, theres not much choice when it comes to Laos. Many of the Lao authors I could find
were Lao-American and writing in English, which doesnt really count does it? Looking forward to
seeing what you think of it, if you choose to read it..
Reply
March 18, 2012 at 6:00 pm
Thanks very much. I really appreciate you taking the time to do some research on my behalf. Ill
add it to the list.
I agree, for the purposes of this project Laos-American authors writing in English arent as
interesting as authors writing in Lao, so its great to have a translation to consider.
Thanks again
Reply
35. Ana said
March 20, 2012 at 3:51 am
How is the reading going? Telesa : The covenant Keeper by Lani Wendt Young is available for e-
download for the next 24 hours if you havent already purchased it for the list
Telesa The Covenant Keeper (The Telesa Series)
Happy reading!
Reply
March 20, 2012 at 7:21 am
Great tip thanks Ana. Ill check it out.
The reading is going well. Nearly at the three-month mark and so far Im on target The
challenge is going to be be tracking down books from some of the harder to reach places in
time. But many people, like you, are being very generous with their time and knowledge and
every day brings a new contact with someone willing to help, so its lots of fun.
Thanks again
Reply
Ana said
March 21, 2012 at 10:21 am
Youre welcome
36. simonlitton said
March 21, 2012 at 10:15 am
Hi,
I just noticed you dont yet have a book for Mauritius. You could try something by Carl De Souza.
My reviews here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6414623-la-maison-qui-marchait-vers-le-
large
But now that I do a search, it seems that none of his stuff has been translated into English. I dont
suppose you read French?
Reply
March 21, 2012 at 10:24 am
Thanks very much. I do read French, but for the purposes of this project, I am only reading
books in English translation. The aim is to see whether its possible for one person in London to
access all of world literature, so it seemed to make sense to stick to that. Any other Mauritian
suggestions would be fab though
Reply
37. Kalin said
April 1, 2012 at 5:50 pm
For Bulgarian books: I see you already read _Natural Novel_, Id recommend _Time of Parting_
(http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3788317-time-of-parting), a powerful, philosophical and
(word of warning) quite violent novel that captures the clash of opposing worldviews. I wouldnt
read it so much as a historical novel but as a sample of contemporary mythopoeia, very poetic too.
(I wonder, however, how well the translation preserved the often metric prose of the original.)
Great project keep it up!
Reply
April 1, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Thanks Kalin sounds great. Ill add it to the list (and to my expanding list for after this project.
Translation is a real art, isnt it? World literature lives or dies by the skill of the people who relay
it from one language to another.
Thanks for stopping by
Reply
38. Kalin said
April 1, 2012 at 6:52 pm
Youre welcome.
I was part of the team that translated _The Last Unicorn_ into Bulgarian; it took a long, long time
and it taught us that translation is equal parts art and perseverance. (And, ah, there were more
ingredients in the magic potion, but now my memory refuses to reveal them. :D)
To art and perseverance, then!
Reply
April 1, 2012 at 6:58 pm
Hear hear!
Reply
39. Ieva said
April 2, 2012 at 10:54 am
Hi,
Here is a link to some Lithuanian books in English
http://www.lnb.lt/parodos/5/anglu_k.htm
I also strongly recommend books by Jurga Ivanauskaite.
Happy reading!
Reply
April 2, 2012 at 11:14 am
Thanks very much Ieva
Reply
40. Lucia Bonilla Lara said
April 3, 2012 at 1:15 pm
Hi,
Greetings from Ecuador! I am very happy to hear about this amazing initiative. I am sure that if
everyone would do this, our knowledge of the other would be so different.
I noticed that for Ecuador you still dont have a book. I recommend Huasipungo from Jorge
Icaza. It is an amazing story, very contextual to the history of my country.
Another great author is Benjamin Carrion, Cartas al Ecuador is one of the greatest books Ive
read.
Enjoy!!
Reply
April 3, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Thanks Lucia youve made my day. These sound great. Ill check them out and add them to
the list.
All the best from London
Ann
Reply
41. Rajdeep Pathak said
April 10, 2012 at 10:33 pm
Hello, I am an Indian and Id like to recommend a few books to know the country more. All of these
are Men Booker Prize winners
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Midnights Children by Salman Rushdie
Reply
April 11, 2012 at 5:51 am
Thanks Rajdeep theyre great books arent they? I really enjoyed them when I read them too.
These books are very famous in the UK as well. However, Im quite keen to find an Indian book
that Indian readers admire but which may not be very well known outside the country. If you
can suggest anything, Id love to hear about it.
Reply
42. Fredrika said
April 11, 2012 at 8:53 pm
Hello from Sweden! I just found this blog and will definitely bee following it in the future. I started a
similar project in november last year, but youre keeping a much better pace than me
I hope you dont mind me borrowing your book suggestion for Andorra it sounds much better
than the one I had found. Ive compiled a list of most of the books Im going to read which might be
of some help to you. Its at:
http://varldsbokbloggen.blogspot.se/2012/03/den-stora-laslistan.html
(Most of the book titles are in english, but the country names are in swedish. You should be able to
guess most of them, but to make it a bit easier: Austria: sterrike, East Timor: sttimor, Lettland:
Latvia and many of the ones that start with C in english start with K in swedish) .
And I cant resist making a suggestion for Sweden, even if you already have a few books for the
country: Montecore, by Jonas Hassen Khemiri is a really interesting book about tunisian
immigrants in Sweden that has recently been translated to english.
Reply
April 13, 2012 at 6:27 am
Hi Fredrika
Thanks very much for getting in touch. Feel free to borrow The Teacher of Cheops. Its well
worth a read.
I look forward to studying your list. Thanks very much for your Swedish suggestion. Its going
on the list
Best wishes
Ann
Reply
43. ealexp said
April 21, 2012 at 7:43 pm
Hi Ann,
I know youve ticked Portugal and Italy off your list but I simply have to recommend Pereira
Maintains, set in 1930s Lisbon but by Italian novelist Antonio Tabucchi. Its an all-too-brief political
thriller, by one definition, and manages to be morally confronting and charming at the same time.
Im still sad that Ive finished it.
Other recent favourites include The Tigers Wife by Ta Obreht which is really Serbian but could
probably be classified as Bosnian or even American. Blends an enganing contemporary story with
wonderful fables.
And New Finnish Grammar by Diego Marani which, despite the intriguing title, is a novel about
a sailor who loses his memory. And although its mostly set in Finland is written by an Italian.
North Korea Its a shame that Escape From Camp 14, the true story of a lad who lived through
unimaginable torments in a prison camp and eventually escaped, is written by a US journalist so
doesnt fit your criteria. Ive not read the book yet but have heard Shin Dong-hyuk tell his story.
Astonishing.
Elizabeth
Reply
April 21, 2012 at 8:21 pm
Thanks Elizabeth
Excellent recommendations. Pereira Maintains sounds great. It is already on my list only sorry
I cant read more than one book for each country. Ill have to try it next year.
I read the Tigers Wife last year for my A Year of Reading Women blog a very interesting
book as you say.
New Finnish Grammar also sounds good I heard Boyd Tonkin talking about it at the London
Book Fair this week another on for next year I think!
Escape from Camp 14 does sound interesting have you read Nothing to Envy by Barbara
Demmick? I was very interested by my North Korean book, My Life and Faith by Ri In Mo a
memoir by a North Korean patriot. While I couldnt agree with its fundamental ideology, it was
very thought-provoking and told a side of the story we rarely hear.
Thanks very much for stopping by
All the best
Ann
Reply
44. winstonsdad said
April 23, 2012 at 1:14 pm
Hi just read guardian piece and check list think couple your blanks may have I ve cover 81
countries so far on my blog I specialise in translated fiction and other world lit will add your blog to
my reader
Reply
April 23, 2012 at 2:11 pm
Great stuff will have to check out your list. Thanks very much
Reply
45. The Modern Novel said
April 23, 2012 at 9:31 pm
Gaps:
CAR: Pierre Makombo Bambot: Princesse Mandapu
(http://www.themodernnovel.com/car/bambote/princesse.htm) (not translated)
Chad: Nimrod: Les jambes dAlice (not translated)
East Timor: Cardoso, Lus: The Crossing
Guinea-Bissau: Abdulai Sila: A ltima Tragdia (not translated into English but translated into
French (http://www.themodernnovel.com/guineabissau/sila/tragedia.htm)
Lesotho: Thomas Mofolo: Chaka (http://www.themodernnovel.com/lesotho/mofolo/chaka.htm)
Mauritania: Moussa Ould Ebnou: Lamour impossible
(http://www.themodernnovel.com/mauritanian/ebnou/amour.htm) (not translated)
Mauritius: Anand Mulloo: Watch Them Go Down
(http://www.themodernnovel.com/mauritian/mulloo/watch.htm)
Moldova:Druta, Ion: Moldavian Autumn
Mongolia: Lodoidamba, Tschadraawalyn: Der durchsichtige Tamir (only available in German)
Namibia: Joseph Diescho: Troubled Waters
(http://www.themodernnovel.com/namibian/diescho/troubled.htm)
Niger: Abdoulaye Mamani: Sarraounia
(http://www.themodernnovel.com/nigerien/mamani/sarraounia.htm) (not translated)
Panama: Rogelio Sinn: Plenilunio
(http://www.themodernnovel.com/panamanian/sinan/plenilunio.htm) (not translated)
Paupa New Guinea: Epeli Hauofa: Kisses in the Nederends
(http://www.themodernnovel.com/papuan/hauofa/nederends.htm); Russell Soaba: Maiba
(http://www.themodernnovel.com/papuan/soaba/maiba.htm); Regis Stella: Gutsini Posa (Rough
Seas) (http://www.themodernnovel.com/papuan/stella/rough.htm)
Solomon Islands: John Saunana: The Alternative
(http://www.themodernnovel.com/solomon/saunana/alternative.htm)
Swaziland: Mkhonza, Sarah: Weeding the Flowerbeds
Reply
April 24, 2012 at 7:56 am
Thanks very much lots to go on here. I do read French and German, but for this project Ive
decided to stick to English as its about seeing if its possible for someone in the UK to access all
of world literature in a year. I will look into your suggestions though who knows, someone
may have an unpublished translation up their sleeves or suggestions of other related books
I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. All the best.
Reply
46. M Ozkan said
April 23, 2012 at 11:07 pm
I would read Murathan Mungan from Turkey!
http://nimetseker.wordpress.com/english/murathan-mungan/
Reply
April 24, 2012 at 6:54 am
Thanks very much Ive covered Turkey already but Ill add him to the list so others can check
him out
Reply
47. Ela said
April 24, 2012 at 9:44 am
Wow, great project!
Im not sure if its not too late but a I have some more suggestions
Germany: WG Sebald, Rings of Saturn an excellently written collection of essays on topic varying
from the life of Joseph Conrad to the tragic fate of Roger Casement (the same whom Mario Vargas
Llosa dedicated his latest book The Dream of the Celt), to Holocaust. All inspired by Sebalds
walking tour around Suffolk.
Norway: Lars Saabye Christensen, The Half Brother winner of the Nordic Council Literature
Prize in 2002. A very poignant psychological novel, showing the history of post-war Norway
through the lives of a few generations in one family.
Sweden: I know youve already picked Per Olov Enquists The March of the Musicians but Id
recommend The Story of Blanche and Marie. Inspired by real events, its a feminist story of the lives
of three real women, Marie Curie among them. Its a book about the development of science in the
beginning of the 20th century and the abuse of women for so-called scientific reasons, but also
about love and friendship. Apart from being beautifully written, its also very informative.
Im also very happy that for the Polish sections youve chosen Olga Tokarczuk and Pawel Huelle.
This are really great authors (one of my favourites) and Im sure youre going to enjoy their books.
Good luck!
Reply
April 24, 2012 at 10:37 am
Thanks very much Ela
Ive already covered some of these countries, but Ill add your Swedish and Norwegian picks to
the list so that other visitors can check them out.
The Sebald sounds very interesting. Im not doing essays this year but Ill have to put them on
my list for 2013.
All the best
Ann
Reply
48. willettk said
April 27, 2012 at 4:06 am
Madagascar has little literature in translation (although Claude Simon, Nobel laureate, was born in
Madagascar when it was still a French colony). My recommendation is Jean-Joseph Rabearivelo,
one of colonial Africas first poets. Translated from the Night is available in English. For fiction,
Voices from Madagascar is an anthology with translated stories from more modern Malagasy
authors.
Reply
April 27, 2012 at 7:02 am
Thanks very much Ill look into the anthology.
Reply
49. Genevieve DeGuzman (Night Owls Press) said
May 1, 2012 at 4:48 pm
I noticed that you have the Philippines on your travel list but no books listed. Enjoy Dogeaters by
Jessica Hagedorn and the Rosales Saga novels (there are 5) by F. Sionil Jos. Cheers!
Reply
May 2, 2012 at 7:21 am
Thanks Genevieve Ill add them to the list. Thanks very much for stopping by.
Reply
50. RONBC said
May 23, 2012 at 4:33 pm
Your reading project is impressive and clearly brings you much joy. As Conrad was fond of
writing, Ah, Youth!
Reply
51. J. Blair Sanders said
May 25, 2012 at 9:41 pm
This is pretty cool! It makes my reading list of classics minuscule. Good luck with this project, and
congratulations on the work that you have already completed!
Reply
May 25, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Thanks very much. Its been a lot of fun so far.
Reply
52. Nadine Millar said
June 9, 2012 at 6:29 pm
From New Zealand, much debate in the house right now. Maurice Shadbolts Season of the Jew
is a strong contender for historical fiction. Of course you cant go past the booker-prize winning but
extremely polarising The Bone People by Keri Hulme, significant if only because its the only time
weve ever won that prize (1984 from memory). Last years Mr Pip by Lloyd Jones was the closest
weve come since, but thats set in Bougainville. Of course many might say the New Zealand book
to read is Once Were Warriors by Alan Duff. It was made into a chilling film in the mid-nineties
that had a ripple effect on the country that we still feel today. And for all of that the film wasnt a
patch on the book, written in a kind of vernacular. But if you read Once Were Warriors, you would
have to read Tangi, by Witi Ihimaera (of Whale Rider fame) lest you be left with a completely
skewed impression of our indigenous heritage. This compact novel was the first published by a
Maori in 1973, and my own first edition copy takes pride of place on my bookshelf. And for all of
this, with a little research, you will see there is a clear bias in my recommendations. I will send this
link to my MIL who will no doubt suggest some of our great names in classical literature such as
Janet Frame, Katherine Mansfield. Good luck and I look forward to more reviews!
Reply
June 9, 2012 at 9:12 pm
Great, thanks Nadine. Ill look into these and look forward to any further suggestions too.
Thanks for stopping by
Reply
53. Shoshana said
June 17, 2012 at 5:32 pm
Nice list! Mine is at http://shoshana-world.livejournal.com/ . We overlap a fair amount, but not
entirely.
Reply
June 17, 2012 at 6:03 pm
Great stuff. Good to hear from a fellow literary globetrotter. How long did it take you to get
round?
Reply
Shoshana said
I finished yesterday, so around 4.5 years. Id read some before I started. Please let me know if
I can be helpful with any countriesIm now going to go back through to find and read
better/more representative books for some countries, as well as some significant non-
countries like Hong Kong.
Congratulations. Im finishing this week too. All the best
54. Tim Pieraccini said
June 20, 2012 at 3:13 pm
Should you by any chance be looking for more books from Finland, there is (more accurately was)
a writer of historical fiction called Mika Waltari, who was popular enough mid 20th C for a few of
his translated works to be kicking around English second hand shops and to be easly available via
Amazon. Although I guess reading a book about Ancient Egypt by a Finn might not be the best
way to get to know either culture
Reply
June 20, 2012 at 3:56 pm
Excellent, thanks. Ill add it to the list so that other readers can check out. I dont know, I reckon
reading a book on Ancient Egypt by a Finn could be very interesting. My Andorran book was
actually on that topic. Thanks very much for your comment
Reply
55. Stewart said
June 28, 2012 at 8:49 pm
An interesting endeavour. I know of someone that tried to do this for the Beijing Olympics. Her list
can be viewed here. As youll see, for some of the countries where you have yet to gain a
suggestion, she had to make compromises (see: Palau).
Looking at your suggested reads or those that you went ahead and read Im delighted you
didnt bother with Khaled Hosseini (truly rubbish, he is) and went for Atiq Rahimi. Like Hosseini,
he may no longer live in Afghanistan but his fiction tells more of the country rather than seek to tug
at heartstrings.
Would add that Sofi Oksanen is Finnish (you have her under Estonia) and Tibor Fischer is British
(you have him under Hungary). On the subject of Hungary, may I also suggest Metropole by
Ferenc Karinthy? I reviewed it a number of years back on my old blog (see here).
Pleased to see you have Augusto Monterroso pencilled in for Guatemala. Youll zip through his
stories in no time; hes master of brevity.
Wish Id paid more attention to the blogosphere in recent months, otherwise I wouldnt just be
finding your site nowand would have recommended The Invention Of Morel by Adolfo Bioy
Casares for Argentina before youd paid it a literary visit. Or Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo, for
Mexico, which I see you had listed. Or Doctor Glas by Hjalmar Soderberg (Sweden).
However, the best thing about this is the exposure to so many different cultures that bring to the
table so many at least to our culture fresh ideas. Its a shame that publishing remains largely
wary about translations, leaving the small presses to find the gems while they hunt unit shifters.
(Although it at least fosters a foothold for publishers to get in the game, giving more choice.)
Ultimately, people can really benefit from reading around the world. Writers, I would hope, even
more so. Bohumil Hrabil talked of liking William Styron; Yasher Kemal appreciates William
Faulkner. Writers beyond their cultures. Yet, so little does it seem reciprocated, leaving us with book
shops filled with boring English language fiction that is little more than navel-gazing twaddleand
newspapers swooning over it.
Looking forward to exploring your blog some more
Reply
June 28, 2012 at 9:56 pm
Thanks Stewart. Always good to hear of more literary globetrotters.
Ive had a suggestion for Palau which Im on the trail of at the moment, but I suspect there may
have to be some compromises for some of the harder to reach destinations see my post on
South Sudan, which only declared its independence last July.
Thanks for picking me up on the Oksanen will amend. In terms of the Fischer, Ive ummed
and ahed about this one. He was a recommendation for Hungary and Im still trying to work
out where the line on literature and nationality is does parentage and heritage count or is
citizenship/being born in a place/ having lived there for a substantial period the only
qualification for being of a country? Im still not 100 per cent, although in practice all my picks
so far have leaned towards the latter.
Someone else recommended the Karinthy recently and Ive been meaning to add it to the list.
Maybe this is a sign that it should be my Hungarian pick
Will add your other suggestions on too so others can check them out. Thanks for taking the time
to comment.
Reply
56. Elizabeth Berns said
July 13, 2012 at 9:12 pm
An inspiring effort. I would like to send you a book that will add the Para-Olympics to your
wonderful list. Please email a postal address to me. Best wishes. Elizabeth
New Zealand
Reply
July 14, 2012 at 9:17 am
Thank you for the kind offer, but Im afraid Ive already chosen my New Zealand book. Ill be
posting on it soon. Best wishes Ann
Reply
57. Gaurav F said
July 13, 2012 at 9:21 pm
Saw your interview on CNN Inernational
Heres a list on books from India http://www.thebetterindia.com/3962/10-must-read-books-on-
indian-history/
Wish you good luck with your endeavor
Reply
July 14, 2012 at 8:09 am
Thanks I will check it out
Reply
58. Gaurav F said
July 13, 2012 at 9:38 pm
For some of the popular titles here in India http://www.penguinbooksindia.com/en. Ruskin Bond
is loved by a lot of readers, APJ Abdul Kalam ( our ex- president has few popular titles). Quite a few
people like India After Gandhi Ramchandra Guha and India Unbound Gurcharan Das. ; Mark
Tullys No Full stops in India
Reply
July 14, 2012 at 8:06 am
Thanks Ill add these to the list. India is going to be such a difficult choice.
Reply
59. Suneetha Balakrishnan said
July 15, 2012 at 12:48 pm
Hi,
What a simply superb project, I am so excited to read the suggestions and the comments are such a
value addition. I am going to spend my entire spare money on what I havent read so far, from your
list, i guess.
I am from India, and I note that both the suggestions in comments and your list for India reads are
those written originally in English. I have to say these are just second best to what regional literature
we have here in over 23 official languages and a couple of hundreds of other languages spoken
across the country. I suggest reading English translations of any book by M T Vasudevan Nair who
writes in Malayalam, and by Asha Poorna Devi who writes in Bengali, these being my favourites.
Penguin India has published both these writers in translation if I remember right. Or check with the
publications of the Central Sahitya Akademi, the government wing that gives the annual writing
awards. They publish all award winners in translation to English. So you have a choice for an entire
new year of reading.
Other than this, I was surprised to find that the Algerian writer Yasmina Khadra was not on your
list. I liked his The Attack. Actually it isnt a she its a he that writes under the name Yasmina.
And although there is no official Palestine writing Susan Abulhawas Mornings in Jenin is a must
read if you want to see a Palestinian perspective and a counter narrative to the Jewish stories.
I am also reading West Asian fiction intensively this year, but I dont want to burden you anymore
with names.
Good effort, I will be watching this space.
Reply
July 15, 2012 at 7:11 pm
Thank you very much for this Suneetha. Ive been hoping for some recommendations for Indian
literature written in languages other than English so its great to have these suggestions. I shall
add them to the list. India is without question going to be one of my most difficult choices. It has
such a rich and varied literary tradition that I could easily spend a decade just reading Indian
books.
I shall add your suggestions to the list. Thanks very much for taking the time to comment
Reply
60. Reading my way through summer Life in Ljubljana said
July 26, 2012 at 6:02 pm
[...] out her reading list here, which has links to the reviews of the books shes already completed.
What a [...]
Reply
61. Read the World | Women Who Stand/ Baltimore said
August 11, 2012 at 8:20 pm
[...] http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/ Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first
to like this. This entry was posted in Learn More and tagged Books by womenwhostandbaltimore.
Bookmark the permalink. [...]
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62. Tim Hannigan said
August 16, 2012 at 11:02 am
I see you already have a long list of titles for India, but Id like to suggest one more Khushwant
Singh.
He is one of the very best-known writers in English within India, but he is virtually unknown
without.
This is rather sad, given that he has such enormous talent, but I suspect there are a number of
reasons for it: hes genuinely of India (rather a lot of the Indian writers beloved of the
international literati seem to live in London or New York), but at the same time he doesnt play on
the flower exoticism and baroque stylistic meanderings we seem to demand of our Indian authors.
Hes as likely to write about whisky-drinking and pinching ladies bottoms
Hes been spectacularly prolific, and has led a very varied life as a journalist, politician, historian,
author, brilliantly vitriolic newspaper columnist and is still just about going now in his late 90s.
And hes a bearded and turbaned Sikh to boot
His style is crisp and pared back, almost Hemingway-esque without the machismo. He has a wry
naughtiness on par with Roald Dahl, and his short stories are perfectly formed little nuggets either
wickedly funny, or with gut-punch impact.
The Portrait of a Lady: The Collected Short Stories, would be a good choice, but better still would be
his magnificent little novel Train to Pakistan, the single greatest literary response to the partition of
India, angry and erudite but with a very simple presentation. I read it in one sitting first time
around, and the final page had me physically trembling
Reply
August 16, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Thanks Tim. Khushwant Singh sounds great. Sadly I have just read my Indian choice Ill be
posting on it next but Ill add Singh to the list. Who knows, I may even mention your
comment in my post!
Reply
63. reverine said
August 21, 2012 at 12:46 am
Hi, I must say I really admire your project, I love reading and a few years ago I was wondering how
many books from different countries Ive read, I think it was about 20 or so. Anyway, this inspired
me to maybe try and keep a list like that. I want to visit every country in the world so figures I could
try and read a book from every country first .
Anyway, as Im from Slovakia I thought I might give some recommendations. My favourite book is
Ako Chut Moc by Ladislav Mako, or Taste of Power its definitely been translated and
published but it seems to be incredibly difficult getting a copy of the translation I see youve also
been recommended the Rivers of Babylon, which would be my second choice. This book is very raw
and gritty with almost no nice characters but its speaks truth about what slovakia was like in the
90s and problems which still persist into this day. I dont really know about any other translated
works, which is a shame especially considering that czech and polish literature is doing quite well in
translation. Speaking of polish literature you need to read Mrozeks The Elephant which is
absolutely amazing, political yet absurd and hilarious.
Anyway good luck with your reading endeavours
Reply
August 21, 2012 at 7:38 am
Woohoo! You have just made my day. Thanks very much Ive been looking for more
suggestions of Slovakian authors for ages. Ill add these to the list.
For some reason, there seem to be loads of Czech authors whose works have been translated but
very few Slovakians do you have any idea why this might be?
Reply
reverine said
August 21, 2012 at 12:36 pm
Its really an interesting topic, I must admit I never really thought about it in detail, it always
seems kind of like a given that czechs are more popular, were like the scots or welsh in the
UK, largely ignored by the majority. If I may allow for a speculation, I think it all stems
from the times of the commie czechoslovakia, western media were very interested in
developments in our countries and published a lot of work by mainly dissident writers,
however they wouldnt really differentiate between the nations, calling everyone czech to
make it easier (even though there was slovak state before czechoslovakia, although everyone
kind of wants to forget about that because it was basically nazi). So the czechs made an
impact with writers like Kundera who became immensely popular in the western world (not
so much in czech republic as he was a commie when young and Kundera is trying to hide
it). So the czechs made an impact and were relatively popular, however few years after the
velvet revolution the western media stopped caring about these countries, and the publicity
stopped. The czechs were already known and in demand, they were bohemian after all, and
were better at selling themselves. After the split slovakia wasnt doing so great so it took us
ages to get back on our feet, but still a lot of people have no idea that Slovakia exists so no
wonder no one knows about our literature. The slovak government doesnt care about
culture, the writers are busy living on meagre wages and translators are busy translating
american and english mainstream literature into slovak. Also no universities are interested in
teaching about slovakia, from internet search it seems like the only place in the english
speaking world youd learn about slovak literature is at the university of pittsburgh. Also in
glasgow, where I study (english lit and russian) you can learn czech or estonian but tough
luck if youve got interest in slovakia. I did the Slavonic studies module which was great fun
although they talked about Czechoslovakia there was rarely ever mention about any
slovaks, even though the module included hungary who are anything but slavs. Anyway,
its difficult to get access to slovak literature which is a shame because there are some good
works there
sorry for the long post, got really into it
August 21, 2012 at 6:58 pm
Great stuff very interesting to have your thoughts on it. Thanks!
64. tmso said
August 21, 2012 at 3:21 am
I cant believe it. No one has recommended Carlos Ruis Zafons Name of the Wind? (for Spain)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shadow_of_the_Wind
Reply
65. tmso said
August 21, 2012 at 3:22 am
Oops, I meant The Shadow of the Wind. Sorry.
Reply
August 21, 2012 at 7:18 am
Thanks tmso. Well now they have! Ill add it to the list
Reply
66. Samy said
August 21, 2012 at 7:19 am
Great blog, best idea.
Samy
Reply
67. thecontradictoryoptimist said
August 21, 2012 at 8:39 am
Itll probably take me longer than a year to read all of these but Im borrowing your list to make it
my to read list.
Reply
August 21, 2012 at 7:11 pm
Great thats wonderful. Let me know how you get on.
Reply
68. Michelle Attzs said
August 21, 2012 at 8:11 pm
Hey Ann,
This is fantastic!!!
May I recommend Moon on a Rainbow Shawl by Errol John for the Trinidad and Tobago section?
It is a great book and it was recently on at the National Theatre.
Keep up the good work .
Reply
August 21, 2012 at 8:16 pm
Thanks very much Michelle. Sounds great. I have just read my T&T book post coming soon
but Ill definitely add this to the list so others can check it out. Ill look forward to reading it
when Ive read the rest of the world.
Great to hear from you.
Reply
69. rach said
August 23, 2012 at 3:09 pm
Hi! I love your blog!
For the Philippines, you must read Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco. It won the Man Asian Literary Prize
(the Asian Booker) before publication and was a NYTimes notable book in 2010. A wonderful
(funny) exploration of the country, it\s history, politics and people.
Reply
August 23, 2012 at 10:28 pm
Thanks, Ill look out for it
Reply
rach said
August 23, 2012 at 10:31 pm
Cool, its really worth the read. Thanks for a great site. Really enjoying myself, definitely
adding to my to-read pile.
August 23, 2012 at 10:44 pm
Brilliant stuff just the encouragement I need as I get in from an evening out and sit down to
being the next post
70. Katarina (Tazitazitazi) said
August 24, 2012 at 10:04 am
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/52937-around-the-world-in-80-books
Hi!
This site will be very useful to you, because we are doing something similar. Good luck and enjoy
your reading!
Reply
August 24, 2012 at 10:17 am
Marvellous thanks. Ill check it out. Great to hear from fellow literary globetrotters
Reply
71. malinkasstudio said
September 16, 2012 at 7:16 pm
Hello, this is an amazing project!!! I wish you good luck in completing it!!!!
Reply
Thanks Ill need it!
Reply
malinkasstudio said
I am also amazed and honored that you have included my countrys authors in your list!!! I
am a proud Moldovan !!!
By the way, am I right in thinking youre based in Moldova? Im still looking for a book from
there. Do you have any recommendations of novels, short story collections or memoirs I might
be able to read in English translation?
Reply
malinkasstudio said
Yes, I am a Moldovan I looked up the book that you listed Moldavian Autumn, by my
favorite author Ion Drutsa! He has so many stories that I absolutely love but unfortunately,
there are translations in many languages but western countriess languages, English
included (due to the political views) I couldnt find exactly what stories this book contains but
if it has Frunze de dor (it is un-translatable, it would mean: Leaves of missing somebody)
and The last month of Autumn then I am sure that you will like it!!! Also, I have managed to
find a translation in English of a short story Samariteanca, here is the link to it:
http://soniamelnikova.com/id8.html
September 17, 2012 at 7:53 am
Great thank you. I will try to get hold of a copy of Moldavian Autumn. If you think of any
other authors, Id love to hear about them. It would also be great to know which Moldovan
authors who havent been translated you think we English-language speakers should know
about.
malinkasstudio said
there are not many translations in English, I will probably be one the first authors translated
in English
72. Haley said
I love the idea behind this blog, and cant wait to back read your recommendations. Cant wait to
see future posts!
Reply
Thanks Haley. Good to have you along for the adventure.
Reply
73. Dorothy Lynn said
This is SUCH a cool idea!!!!!! I cant wait to read through all your recommendations. I love learning
about other cultures, and I think one of the best ways to immerse yourself is to read their literature.
Reply
Thanks. Its amazing how much there is to discover!
Reply
74. Very Inspiring Blogger Award (& 3 week blogiversary) | Re3ecca said
October 14, 2012 at 5:32 pm
[...] A Year of Reading The World - I love the idea of reading a book from every country in the
world and its great to get some recommendations of international books. [...]
Reply
75. Re3ecca said
Hi, Ive just nominated you for a very inspiring blogger award
http://re3ecca.wordpress.com/2012/10/14/very-inspiring-blogger-award-3-week-blogiversary/
happy blogging x
Reply
76. e.m. deyoung said
This is a brilliant idea. I wish I had come across this blog earlier. I think I might take this reading list
and make it my own!
Reply
Feel free. Thanks very much for stopping by!
Reply
77. read 3 books a month | pontify said
[...] there are the likes of this woman who is reading her way around the world a book each from
all 196 countries within a year! The rate at which she finds, reads, processes and writes about these
books makes my [...]
Reply
78. Poppy said
Hi! Very nice, inspiring list. I am from Hungary, so I looked at your Hungarian choices with special
curiosity, it was interesting to see, what would someone from an other country choose to read. I
have to say, you made some very nice picks there! Also, if I can recommend you something,
probably, at some point in your life, you might want to read the 2002 Nobel prize winning book of
Hungarian Imre Kertsz: Fateless. It is a very powerful book.
Reply
Poppy said
Sorry, misspelled it: Fatelessness. I tend to misspell things when I get excited about something
Reply
Dont worry me too!
Great, thanks Poppy. Ill add your suggestion to the list when I next update it.
Reply
79. thescientistswife said
Hi! Love your blog. If you need some inspiration for Dutch books, I have a new blog focussing on
Dutch Literature: littledutchbook.wordpress.com.
Reply
Sounds great. Thanks what would your top recommendation be?
Reply
thescientistswife said
I would definitely put Discovery of Heaven by Harry Mulish on your list. I havent read
Little Caesar yet, by Tommy Wieringa, but it got some good reviews. And if you can find it
Out of Mind by Bernlef, very powerful book! Happy reading!
thescientistswife said
Also, I just reposted a great review on Julia by Otto de Kat. Could be a good read!
Thanks very much for these. Ill add them to the list when I next update it. Sadly only time
for one book per country this year and Ive already been through the Netherlands, but itll
be great to list them for other readers and hey, theres always next year!
80. RebeccaV said
I am thrilled to find your blog! Ive been doing a similar challenge (without a one year time
frame) and started compiling the books I read on one of my blogs pages
(http://readingtoday.wordpress.com/bookshelf-around-the-world-in-80-books/). It looks like youve
made much more progress, and Im so excited to check out your list and recommendations!
Reply
Thanks very much reckon I might borrow your Sierra Leonean pick Ive been looking for an
alternative to Aminatta Forna for ages.
Reply
And best of luck with your literary adventures too!
Reply
81. catbirdinoman said
Wow, what a great and ambitious reading list! I was happy to find some books under Oman, where
I am living now as an expat. I will have to get my hands on those books. For Greece, you might
want to add Captain Corellis Mandolin. Its amazing. Are you only reading novels, because the
true story Eleni (Greece) is amazing as well. About South Korea: One Thousand Chestnut Trees by
Mira Stout and The Surrendered by Chang-rae Lee are both fabulous.
I look forward to following your quest. I too love reading books that are set in other countries,
written either by native writers or expats who have traveled or lived in those countries. But my list is
determined by my travel dreams. I read based on where Im taking my next trip.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Reply
Good to hear from you. Yes, Captain Corellis Mandolin is a great book, isnt it? As its by a
British writer, I cant include it for Greece (Im trying to stick to books by native writers or
people who have lived in the country for a long time). Ill check out your other suggestions and
add them to the list if I can when I next update it.
Wow, Oman must be a fascinating place to live. By the way, the Omani book I read, My
Grandmothers Tales, is available free of charge you just have to contact the association in the
States that publishes it (see my post on Oman).
Thanks for stopping by.
Reply
catbirdinoman said
Oh dear, I realized after I sent the comment that you were probably only including native
writers. Eleni by Nicholas Gage is by a Greek writer (although he Americanized his name
after he left Greece). He actually was born and lived in Greece until he was 9 or 10, at which
time his mother sent him away to America to his father. Because the Communists in Greece
were taking children from their parents to indoctrinate them in Soviet bloc countries, she
defied them and snuck Nicholas away. For that she was killed and this is the story of her life.
So I would consider him a native writer.
Oman is a fascinating place to live, but its not home, and so I will be leaving before long.
But it definitely has been an experience!
Im excited to follow your posts as you read these books!
Thanks- sounds great! Ill look it up
82. A Year of Reading the World said
[...] book recommendations from each country in the world in English translation of course so
her list is a perfect resource for anyone intending to devote themselves to a similar [...]
Reply
83. Zoe said
What an amazing, amazing project. So excited!!
Reply
Thanks Zoe glad you like it
Reply
84. Tema 2013 | Narrativa said
[...] http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/ [...]
Reply
85. Mel u said
I have begun a similar project. I am restricting myself to short stories. You have done a lot of great
research.
Reply
Thanks good luck with your project
Reply
86. Shoshana said
Congratulations!
Reply
Thanks!
Reply
87. Bradley said
Wow, youre nearly there! Congratulations, youre a hero!
Perhaps in your literary travels you heard about some fantastic books which havent been
translated but should be. If you have any suggestions I might have a go at translating one or two (I
can only handle some Western European languages). Also, could we have a shortlist of your
favourite discoveries from the project?
Thanks for sharing your adventures with the great reviews!
Bradley
Reply
Thanks Bradley. Yes, there are plenty of things that should be translated out there. Portuguese-
and French-speaking African countries are particularly badly served when it comes to
translation. If you have a look at my post on Mozambique
(http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/2012/03/22/mozambique-uncharted-territory/), youll see a
list of writers that one Portuguese language reader admires, in addition to the novel which
started the whole thing off, Niketche by Paulina Chiziane and still is not available in English
Its also worth looking into works by some of the writers in the Madagascar anthology I read (to
date, there is not a single novel by a Malagasy writer available in English although there are
plenty of novels published).
Ill have a think about the shortlist its tricky as many of the highlights are not commercially
available. Keep an eye out for the final post on New Years Eve.
All the best for 2013
Reply
88. simplecherishes said
Great project, Ann! Lovely to meet another Cantabrigian in the blogosphere (I went to Newnham). I
have not read many foreign titles though The Tale of Kieu, an epic Vietnamese national poem,
impressed me when I read it several years ago. It reads more like a story than a poem, and is a
reasonably short book although deeply moving. See some information here:
http://www.deanza.edu/faculty/swensson/kieu.html
Warm regards from simple cherishes.
Reply
Thanks nice to meet you too. The poem sounds interesting. Ive only really read prose works
this year, although I was thinking of including narrative poems if I couldnt find any prose
works. All the best for 2013
Reply
89. 2013: New & Improved! | The Girl in the Mirror said
[...] 4) A Year of Reading the Worlds Booklist [...]
Reply
90. Sarah said
Canada Hugh MacLennans The Watch That Ends the Night is excellent.
China Anchee Mins Red Azalea (memoir) or any other work is amazing. Ive read all but one of
her novels because I couldnt find it but just picked it up at The Strand a few months ago in NYC
and its sitting on my end table waiting to be read. Great author.
Zimbabwe Yvonne Veras Butterfly Burning
Afghanistan The Bookseller of Kabul written by a Norwegian journalist (Asne Seierstad) though,
so not sure where or if it would fit in. I picked up a copy at a used bookstore when I studied abroad
in France in 06.
France Im sure you have many great suggestions but if not, I took 4 semesters of French lit in
college and could probably suggest a handful of my favorites.
Brazil Paulo Coelho is my favorite author and The Zahir is one of my favorite works Although I
think I saw that you wont choose a book from an author whose work youve already read and Id
bet at a minimum, that youve read The Alchemist.
Rwanda Gaile Parkins Baking Cakes in Kigali
Guatemala I, Rigoberta Menchu by Rigoberta Menchu and edited by Elisabeth Burgos-Debray.
In your initial post, I read your musing on the definition of country and it reminds me of that in
some ways. Rigoberta is a member of an indigenous group and the book recounts the plight of her
people.
Ill stop there. I moved recently and dont have my books here yet or Id go through my entire
collection. Im maybe a little bit too enthusiastic, so its probably for the best. I know Ive read works
by Palestinian, Israeli, Nepalese, Sudanese, Senegalese, Mexican, and Indian writers and probably
many more if you find yourself in need of ideas (although Im not sure these are even necessary
but most are must reads!)
By a stroke of luck, I just happened to stumble across a blog that mentioned yours and I was so
excited by the concept, I had to stop by! I think Ill try a less ambitious route and make a list of what
I have read by country and then fill in the gaps over a lifetime.
Best of luck reading!
Reply
Thanks Sarah. So glad you stopped by. The project finishes today with the post on the final
197th book of the year, however, Ill go through your suggestions and add what I can to the list
when I next update it so other readers can check them out. All the best for the New Year.
Reply
91. Charlie said
Ann,
I heard about your project on CNNi today where you mentioned this quote:
You would think differently if this land were your land and these people were your people.
I didnt catch who the quote was from but found it a very interesting idea. If you can let me know
who this is attributed to Id appreciate it.
Charlie
Reply
Thanks Charlie, its from The Corsair by Abdul Aziz Al Mahmoud, a Qatari novel that came
out in December 2012. Its one of the first Qatari novels ever published in English
Reply
Charlie said
Brilliant. It doesnt look like it is available in the U.S. yet but its on my list. Thank you!
92. Chbakou said
Good project Ann! I am from morocco.I saw what you have read about moroccan literature.for
bread alone is a good choice;some people would argue about the translation though.I was
wondering if you are limited to few books from each country,because there is some good books that
we may call them bit more like the underground literature of morocco.they are really worth to be
add to the list.I can bring you some names if you are interested.
Reply
Thanks I only had time to read one book for each country, but I am adding as many as I can
to the list. Feel free to email your suggestions to ann[at]annmorgan.me Thanks for stopping by
Reply
93. Chbakou said
You welcome!Alright,I will definitely send you my suggestions.just out of curiosity,is there any
projects for you in the coming future?
Reply
Thanks yes. This is the next one http://ifwomenruled.com/
Reply
94. Chbakou said
I sent you an email of their titles.Did you receive it?
Reply
Yes and I have just replied. Thanks!
Reply
95. Charles said
January 15, 2013 at 11:00 am
I simply could not leave your web site prior to suggesting that I actually enjoyed the standard info
an individual provide in your visitors?
Is going to be again steadily in order to inspect
new posts
Reply
96. Darlkom said
January 23, 2013 at 10:43 am
Great list. From Uganda, I strongly recommend Tropical Fish: Stories Out Of Entebbe by Doreen
Baingana. Its a great book of short stories and offers a more contemporary view of Uganda.
Reply
January 23, 2013 at 11:09 am
Brilliant thanks. Sounds intriguing!
Reply
97. Napat said
January 24, 2013 at 12:58 am
For Thailand, I would recommend A Child of the Northeast by Kampoon Boontawee. Its about
life in the Northeast region of Thailand 80 years ago. Simple but wonderful.
Reply
Thanks! Sounds great.
Reply
98. KorubettosHaiku said
Hi there, I really like the idea of this blog and project. Well done for completing it. How did you
find `I am a cat` by Natsume Sseki? It`s one of my favourite japanese novels and I`m happy to see
you read it. I`ve also read a short story each by two of the other writers you mention Hiromi
Kawakami (not the same one as the one you mention if that`s a short story) and Yoko Tawada.
Great stuff. I recommend though for the future the author Yasunari Kawabata Snow Country in
particular which is the only one so far I`ve read from him (but I plan to read more). Again, well
done!!
Reply
99. KorubettosHaiku said
Oops apologies, I just read the bit at the start where you say the list are just recommendations.
Doh!! But in any case, which of the Japanese books did you choose in the end?
Reply
Thanks I chose Manazuru (if you click on the country names it takes you to the review for
each country). Thanks for stopping by!
Reply
100. The Off Season said
[...] the bookstore travel section, pull up some linoleum, and get lost in the world of possibilities. This
list blows are minds and covers the world. Explore some of our favorite blogs of people out abroad.
[...]
Reply
101. Stories Plan B said
[...] development, and quite oftenbooks. He shared with me a link of someone who is trying to
read her way around the world. Being the logical person that I am I have started at the top:
Afghanistan. I brought [...]
Reply
102. undercaribbeanskies.com said
March 2, 2013 at 10:47 pm
Suggestion for the Virgin Islands: Under Caribbean Skies and Moonlight Over Caribbean
Skies by Aisha Banks. Great fast fun reads. Make you feel like youre in the islands without
leaving your home. ENJOY!
Reply
March 3, 2013 at 8:47 am
Thanks sounds like these would have been good contenders for the Rest of the World list
Reply
103. Sloungy Reads: A Year of Reading the World said
March 7, 2013 at 5:21 am
[...] list is long, 197 items long, including a whole other list of crowdsourced books that didnt make
the cut. And then [...]
Reply
104. Elephant in the room said
March 21, 2013 at 9:33 am
This is brilliant!
Reply
March 21, 2013 at 9:47 am
Thanks!
Reply
105. Dreamer of Dreams said
March 30, 2013 at 4:58 am
Thank you! Youve inspired me! When I was in my early teens, I had made it my goal to read every
single Nobel Prize-winning author up through 1978 or so, and I DID! I felt very proud of myself.
Your project reminds me a little of that year in my teenagehood. Now, youve inspired me to want
to do what youre doing!
Reply
March 30, 2013 at 9:19 am
Great stuff thanks very much. The Nobel Prize project sounds fascinating. Thanks for
stopping by
Reply
106. Ghaniya said
June 6, 2013 at 6:04 am
Its not just a project, it sounds like a research simply inspiring And for people, passionate for
reading literature from around the world, but are unable to steal time from their busy schedule, its a
dream..
Well being from India (you already have a an endless list though), I would suggest my favorite- The
White Tiger by Arvind Adiga, u see, there is something the world should know about the other sides
of the country too :)
And i dint found Kahlil Gibran, A Lebanese writer, whose famous is The Prophet
I just loved the idea of reading under such a motto, it will make life worth..
Reply
June 7, 2013 at 6:04 am
Thanks very much. Yes, The White Tiger has been very popular here in the UK. I dont know of
Gibran, though. Sounds intriguing
Reply
Ghaniya said
June 7, 2013 at 2:38 pm
Yes it isGibran, for me is peace
I recommend u, when you want something to let you out of all the worldly mess, just go
through Gibran..
Best of luck..
Love,
Ghaniya Aureen
107. Anita Seppovaara said
July 15, 2013 at 12:58 pm
Hello from Finland. I was curious to see which book represents Finland. There where good ones but
I noticed Sofi Oksanens Purge was situated in the Estonian group of books. Originally this book
was written in Finnish by Finnish author Sofi Oksanen in Finland. Anyway, congratulations for
your magnificent tour around the world with books!
Reply
July 15, 2013 at 1:18 pm
Thanks very much for your comment Ill check this out and correct it. Maybe its her Estonian
mother that ended up with Oksanen being filed under the wrong country!
Reply
Anita Seppovaara said
July 15, 2013 at 1:35 pm
Thanks! This was quick! Yes, the story tells about Estoania and Sofis mother is Estonian.
108. Liisa said
July 15, 2013 at 5:12 pm
Good evening from Finland of those listed in Finnish books Id definitely recommend
Paasilinna, as the book tells a lot about the Finnish way of thinking and acting. Sinuhe is a
wonderful story but set in Egypt, could have been written by any nationality.
Reply
July 16, 2013 at 6:00 am
Thanks, yes, I read the Paasilinna. It was great.
Reply
109. Kannan said
July 16, 2013 at 12:26 am
Hi Ann
I suggest the following books from India. The first Zero Degree is a translation fron Tamil. The
Author Charu is a critically acclaimed writer.http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zero-Degree-Charu-
Nivedita/dp/8190605615 I can send a copy of the book if you would like one. You would love this
book written in a non linear, more like a jottings of a schizophrenic mind
Also Alchemy of desire by Tarun is a good one. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alchemy-Desire-Tarun-
Tejpal/dp/0330435558/. Even VS Naipaul loved this one.
I can be reached on kannan.pmp at gmail.com
Good luck with your project
Kannan
Reply
Kannan said
July 16, 2013 at 12:31 am
Also Zero Degree is listed under 50 best indian books.
Reply
July 16, 2013 at 5:57 am
Thanks, it sounds fascinating. The project has finished now, but I might well read it for my
own interest. Thanks for stopping by.
110. miguelmolinad said
July 16, 2013 at 2:31 am
Pablo Palacio es may be the best Ecuadorian writer. Also you can include Alfredo Pareja
Diezcanseco, Jorge Enrique Adoum, Alicia Ynez Cosso, Gabriela Aleman
Reply
July 16, 2013 at 5:56 am
Interesting, thanks Im guessing most of these arent available in English translation
Reply
111. Rafa said
July 16, 2013 at 5:30 am
Hello from Spain. Lovely and hard books the spanish novels chosen in the list. Brilliant idea. Just
read the story in the bbc site. I would like to add a very good title: Sefarad, from Antonio Munoz
Molina. All the best.
Reply
July 16, 2013 at 5:56 am
Thanks it sounds great. I havent updated the list in a while as the projects finished now, but
perhaps Ill have to go through and add these extra recommendations on when I have time.
Thanks for the comment.
Reply
112. Ana said
July 16, 2013 at 9:18 am
Congrats Ann, the project is amazing! Very inspiring! Looking forward to reading your book!
Reply
July 16, 2013 at 8:32 pm
Thanks Ana me too!
Reply
113. emm said
July 16, 2013 at 4:54 pm
How on earth did you read all those books in one year.
Ill be lucky if i get through that many books in my life time.
Reply
July 16, 2013 at 8:30 pm
Ha! I think it was just about being organised (and more than a bit obsessive). I worked out how
many pages I had to read each day and stuck to it.
Reply
114. Nilima said
July 16, 2013 at 8:21 pm
Hi, For the obsure books that you had either had translated or had one of kind mailed to you. Is it
possible for you to host them somewhere so that the rest of us could read? I am planning on using
your list as a guide and read all the books you listed, just not sure I will be able to get hold of some
of them.
Reply
July 16, 2013 at 8:29 pm
Hi its a nice idea, but it wouldnt be very fair to the poor authors whose copyright Id be
infringing. Hopefully this project will encourage publishers to make them (and other books like
them) more accessible to other readers.Thanks for your comment.
Reply
115. Jay said
July 17, 2013 at 4:06 am
Hi, i am from Sri Lanka, and i just got to know about of your wonderful effort of Reading the
World. Good luck and what a nice way to discover the world. As a teacher i would suggest my
students too to get hold of books(good reads) from different countries and read. with the
advancement of technology the concept of READING a real(printed on paper) book is now fading
away, but on the other hand children have more opportunities to access the world more than what
we got in our younger days.
If you can consider at least one book by Martin Wickramasinghe, a great author from Sri Lanka
whos writings based on typical Sri Lankan values. I would suggest the English Translations of
Viragaya(Devoid of Passions) and/or the trilogy, Gamperaliya(The Uprooted), Kaliyugaya(Age
of Destruction) and Yuganthaya(End of the Era).
Reply
July 17, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Thanks very much. These sound intriguing. All the best to you and your students
Reply
116. Reading the world in 196 books | Let's Talk About Books said
July 17, 2013 at 12:08 pm
[] Writer Ann Morgan set herself a challenge to read a book from every country in the world in
one year. She describes the experience and what she learned. []
Reply
117. Off topic: Peashooting, around the world in books, tsunami ball, These Boots covers | SiliconBeat said
July 17, 2013 at 12:42 pm
[] be used at the annual World Peashooting Championships. Last year, a woman chose from
this list of recommendations and read one book from every country in the world. (via Metafilter) In
case of a []
Reply
118. Sharmine said
July 17, 2013 at 2:16 pm
From Pakistan, to help narrow down the search, I highly recommend Daniyal Mueenuddin In
Other Rooms Other Wonders & Kamila Shamsie Kartography and Burnt Shadows (you dont
have it on the list, its her best). Bapsi Sidhwa is amazing however I would also recommend
American Brat or the Pakistani Bride by her. Happy reading. Cant wait to see your final list.
Reply
July 17, 2013 at 8:40 pm
Thanks for these suggestions my final list is on the site. You can click the country names to see
what I read for each nation.
Reply
119. Writer Ann Morgans Bookish Exploration of the Globe | Literary Rapture said
July 17, 2013 at 5:10 pm
[] how did she come up with her list of 196 books? She asked people! Morgan created a blog
about her project, which began in early 2012, and then []
Reply
120. Cristi said
July 18, 2013 at 7:32 am
Hello. Nice project. Now, when this is over, I recommend to you a Romanian writer Dan Lungu.
Hes been translated in French and German; unfortunately, not in English. One of his books that I
enjoyed most is his first published novel Hens Heaven (the French edition is Le paradis des
poules. Faux roman de rumeurs et de mysteres, Editions Jaqueline Chambon, 2005). Its a novel
about the small world of a street at the outskirts of a Romanian city, where people live only to be in
the center of attention, and that makes them do whatever it takes to get the attention they crave. Its
immensely hilarious and benefits from the authors sociological expertise.
Reply
July 19, 2013 at 6:08 am
Thanks it sounds great. I hope it gets translated into English soon!
Reply
121. 196 - Pure Beauty said
July 18, 2013 at 9:03 am
[] ,
: (The Tongue
Set Free) , (Is there Anybody to Love You?)
, (Natural Novel) , (Street
Without a Name) , (Time of Parting)
(Thrown into Nature) . []
Reply
122. Sally H said
July 18, 2013 at 11:55 am
What a great idea!
P.S. I really recommend Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder for Haiti
Reply
July 19, 2013 at 6:07 am
Thanks very much!
Reply
123. The list | Mafeesh Space said
July 18, 2013 at 8:22 pm
[] The list. []
Reply
124. Tara said
July 19, 2013 at 3:14 pm
Great idea! I would suggest In the Skin of the Lion by Michael Ondaatje. My favourite Canadian
novel
Reply
July 20, 2013 at 12:32 pm
Thanks, yes, Im an Ondaatje fan too
Reply
125. h said
July 19, 2013 at 9:13 pm
Aruba is now a seperate country, i will think about a book
Reply
July 20, 2013 at 12:33 pm
Thanks the projects finished now, but do feel free to post your ideas if you think of something.
Reply
126. | Scalino said
July 21, 2013 at 11:00 am
[] , 196 , 196 ,
, , ,
.
: http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/ []
Reply
127. Ognyan Paskalev said
July 21, 2013 at 5:58 pm
Dear Ann,
Looking at the Bulgarian part of the list I think there are better choices. I would like to recommend
you The peach Thief by Emilian Stanev (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Peach-Thief-Other-
Bulgarian-Stories/dp/030493271X).
And the movie: http://www.youtube.com/results?
search_query=the+peach+thief&oq=the+peach+thief&gs_l=youtube.1.0.0l3.30890.38646.0.41396.15.12.0.3.3.0.236.1776.0j11j1.12.0
0.01ac.1.11.youtube.7kZjMP4ZcJk
The novelette is one of the best not only in the Bulgarian but the world literature as well.
Reply
July 22, 2013 at 6:45 pm
Thanks it sounds intriguing.
Reply
128. Le scelte italiane e tedesche di Batsceba Hardy | Scalino said
July 23, 2013 at 12:11 pm
[] abbiamo fatto con Batsceba? Le ho fatto vedere Ann Morgans Reading List
http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/ e le ho detto che sono curiosa di vedere la sua lista dei
libri italiani e quelli scritti in []
Reply
129. Il blog di Scalino presents Il Naso di Fabio Izzo | Scalino said
July 24, 2013 at 9:52 am
[] ho chiesto di commentare le scelte italiane e quelle polacche di Ann Morgan dal suo Reading
List. http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/ Se volete capire come Ann Morgan ha deciso di
leggere dei libri di tutti i paesi del mondo basta []
Reply
130. |
Scalino said
July 25, 2013 at 8:50 am
[] (
)http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/
[]
Reply
131. Davide Fanciullo, lettore e traduttore dal bulgaro, serbo e macedone | Scalino said
July 26, 2013 at 8:28 am
[] Infatti difficile distinguere i libri e gli scrittori per la loro nazionalit della exJugoslavia.
Quando lo scrittore David Albahari era a Sofia a dicembre 2011 ha raccontato una storia divertente
come spostava i volumi di Tito da uno scaffale allaltro in una biblioteca comunale in Canada. Non
gli piaceva dove erano messi e cos ogni volta che ci andava li spostava sullo scafale di Croazia ma
poi tornando in biblioteca li trovava di nuovo sullo scaffale di Serbia. Ma lasciamo a parte Tito che
non era uno scrittore perch vogliamo precisare le cose con le letterature dellex Jugoslavia e vi
facciamo vedere un commento fatto di unintenditrice della letteratura di quelle parti del mondo,
che potete leggere in inglese sotto la lista di Ann Morgan http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/
[]
Reply
132. Giorgio Lonardi: Purtroppo di Gian Giacomo Feltrinelli ne nasce uno per ogni generazione | Scalino
said
July 27, 2013 at 10:41 am
[] Ma noi, oggi non parliamo pi di Batsceba Hardy (che adoriamo come scrittrice e fotografa)
perch vogliamo presentarvi il commento di Giorgio Lonardi. Un fantastico commento da editore a
proposito del lavoro da lettore ciclopico di Ann Morgan che commentiamo questa settimana sul
blog di Scalino. Abbiamo invitato Giorgio Lonardi di Lite Editions di far un commento di questa
avventura di Ann Morgan di leggere dei libri da tutti i Paesi del mondo. Ecco qui la lista dei libri che
questa ragazza ha letto per un anno http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/ []
Reply
133. jasper said
July 27, 2013 at 1:24 pm
Italy: Maranis New Finnish Grammar is wonderful, but I could also recommend the books written
by Alessandro Baricco, for example the Ocean Sea or the Mr Gwyn.
Good luck!
Reply
July 28, 2013 at 2:57 pm
Great thanks!
Reply
134. Marina said
July 29, 2013 at 9:47 am
you should add Pramoedya Ananta Toer to Indonesia list. hes a must. Great list by the way!!!
Reply
Thanks he sounds fascinating.
Reply
135. Katarina said
July 30, 2013 at 11:33 pm
I love your project!
If you havent finished yet, actually, finished or not, I would definitely recommend you to read
something from the croatian writer Marija Juri Zagorka, her most popular work would be The
Witch of Gri, but it is a cycle of seven novels, so it is probably too long for a project like this, but
my personal favourites are Daugther of the Lotrak and A stone on the road.
Also, to read bosnian literature and miss Mea Selimovi is imaginable for me, I really recommend
two of his works, Death and the Dervish and The Fortress.
All the best. Enjoy!
Reply
Thanks they sound great. Ill have to add them to my post-world list.
Reply
136. Let us read with method, and propose to ourselves an end to which our studies may point. The use of
reading is to aid us in thinking* | (Roughly) Daily said
August 1, 2013 at 8:01 am
[] out Morgans reading list here, then check in on her Year of Reading Women and her
current project, If Women []
Reply
137. Andrej Blatnik said
A great selection (not only because it includes me . Congratulations. Will take the advice for the
lesser-known literatures & check quite a few of the listed authors!
Reply
Thanks very much stopping by Im glad you approve!
Reply
138. jorge said
I dont know if theres English translations of the following short stories of Jorge Luis Borges (he
didnt like writing novels). I read them from time to time, and its always like travelling in time and
faraway lands. Think you might like them.
-Tln, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius (from Ficciones, 1944);
-El Inmortal (from, El Aleph, 1949);
-Inferno, I, 32 (from El Hacedor, 1960).
Reply
Thanks Borges is very much on my to-read list.
Reply
139. Vi said
Id recommend anything written by Nguyen Nhat Anh for Vietnam.
Reply
Thanks duly noted.
Reply
140. stan said
Puerto Rico- La carreta-English: The Oxcart) is a 1953 play by Puerto Rican playwright Ren
Marqus.[1] The story follows a family of jbaros or rural peasants that in an effort to find better
opportunities end up moving to the United States
By: Rene Marquez
Reply
Sounds interesting, thanks. I wasnt including plays for this project, but this one certainly makes
me curious.
Reply
141. softlyi said
August 6, 2013 at 11:02 pm
I recently read This Blinding Absence of Light and I highly recommand it to you ! In my opinion, it
Tahar Ben Jellouns best novel (Morocco).
Reply
Thanks I must give it a try.
Reply
softlyi said
August 17, 2013 at 5:11 pm
Youre welcome!
I hope youll like it as much as I did !
142. Weekend Indulgences 2 | Unnecessary Indulgences, Unproductive Interests said
August 12, 2013 at 12:54 am
[] Something I wish to emulate, some day, when I have enough money, and time, the prospects of
both of which []
Reply
143. Ra said
August 20, 2013 at 3:59 pm
Hi
The book Like Eating A Stone by Wojciech Tochman is indeed about Bosnia and Herzegovina.
But actually this book is one of the greatest exemplification of good POLISH non-fiction literature
and Wojciech Tochman is POLISH jurnalist.
Reply
August 20, 2013 at 7:31 pm
Thanks very much Ill look into this.
Reply
144. Kristina said
August 22, 2013 at 10:44 pm
Thank you so much for posting and sharing your list. This is truly awesome. I am strongly
considering doing this next year. Kudos to you!
Reply
August 30, 2013 at 11:34 am
Brilliant. Thanks Kristina. I hope you enjoy the journey its certainly a big adventure!
Reply
145. lista pitkowa XV | Warszawski Kredens said
August 23, 2013 at 11:10 am
[] 8. Ann Morgan postanowia przeczyta po jednej ksice z kadego kraju na wiecie. Idea
zacna. Nawet jeli nie zamierza si tego powtarza, na pewno warto zajrze do jej listy lekturowej.
[]
Reply
146. Rachelle @ Sweet Home Pasadena said
August 27, 2013 at 3:59 am
Wow, wow. What a fantastic list and a phenomenal accomplishment!
Reply
August 30, 2013 at 11:32 am
Thanks very much!
Reply
147. laurisfree said
August 30, 2013 at 6:29 pm
A lot of mexican books : )
Reply
Oh yes!
Reply
148. Mandy Harshbarger said
May I add to your South African list, as it is almost criminally lacking
Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
The Power of One by Bryce Countenay
Fielas Child and Circles in the Forest by Dalene Mathee
Poetry and Plays by Athol Fugard, Breyten Breytenbach, Ingrid Jonker, John Kani and Antjie Krog
The first two are certainly compulsory. The Mathee novels will make you fall in love with the
landscape of my birth I still cry through most of her descriptions of the coastal forest and the
playwrights and poets give deep insight into the political times.
Reply
Thanks they sound interesting. I will have to find time to update the list again soon.
Reply
149. seegeeblogs said
Hi! I just started my own book review blog and the twist is that I want to feature small local book
shops as well as have folks send me books they would like for me to review. Any suggestions for a
new book blogger?
BTW, amazing blog!
Cheers,
Seegee
Reply
Thanks write about what youre interested in and try to make it as good as you can. Good
luck!
Reply
150. Sahab said
You are doing a great job!
For Saudi books I do not recommend girls of Riyadh novel
since it is written by a very beginner author.
You might want to read something for Dr.Ghazi Al-Gusaibi.
Good luck
Reply
Thanks!
Reply
151. Mamuyan Massa Dailaway Gbolokai said
Thank u so much. I found out something I didnt know about.
Reply
Youre welcome.
Reply
152. ngela Poletto said
From Portugal, I suggest Fernando Pessoa. The keeper of sheep, by his heteronym Alberto
Caeiro, is one of my favorite books. Im not sure if it was published in English under this title, but I
found the reference of The Collected Poems of Alberto Caeiro [Chris Daniels, transl, Exeter, UK:
Shearsman Books, 2007] which certainly contains this text.
From Mozambique, I would suggest O Fio das Miangas, by Mia Couto, but I see Mia is already
on your list and I couldnt found any translation of it.
From Brazil, theres Dom Casmurro, by Machado de Assis [Trad. Helen Caldwell. London: W.H.
Allen.]. Assis founded the Brazilian Academy of Letters and this book, I guess, is the better
known/read/discussed book around here. The plot is brilliant and puts us on doubt about what
really happened and what is only Dom Casmurros imagination, as hes the story teller- so the
discussion will never end.
Also, the letter Pero Vaz de Caminha sent to Portugal about the discovery of Brazil is very
interesting. I couldnt found the publishers reference, but Im sure it was translated to English
cause I found some .pdf versions of it on Google.
I loved your project! It made me realize, once again, how powerful literature is, and how powerful
each one of us human beings are just by the fact we can communicate talking, drawing, writing
or reading books. Thank you!
Reply
Thanks very much. Your recommendations sound great.
Reply
153. andrea said
WOW! I am already a fan! Cant wait to go into your list! Tks for sharing!
Reply
Thanks hope you enjoy the books.
Reply
154. daya dissanayke said
have you read any of my books? listed at http://www.saadhu.com, and available on Kindle?
Reply
No thanks for the heads up.
Reply
155. aziz said
Thank youfor the idea its a great opportunity for you and for us to learn about books of all over
the globe:)
Reply
Thanks Aziz. Im glad you like it.
Reply
156. sanchitahobby said
This blog is a information storehouse for readers. For India you can also add tagore works. I have
read a few of them. Here is my blog on one http://sanchitasarkar.wordpress.com/2013/09/22/gora-
book-review/
Reply
Thanks. Yes I love Tagore. In fact we had a song written from one of his poems at our
wedding.
Reply
157. chia said
according to your experience, the list of 100 books that must be read before death can be replaced
by 196 books that must be read during one year.
Reply
Ha! Thanks. Actually, Ive ended up with enough recommendations to keep me busy for a
whole decade at least!
Reply
158. Peter Mulder said
For Tanzania I could recommend a novel published by a foreigner who lived there for many years
and got involved in top level football and got a privileged look into the society and the culture in
the process. More than a Game by Ronny Mintjens
Reply
Thanks sounds intriguing.
Reply
159. One Year Reading a Book from Every Nation in the World | Publishing Perspectives said
[] Following is an interview with Ann Morgan about how she went about her project. Before that,
you can read her list of titles read here. []
Reply
160. Muhammad Moneimn said
Much greetings from Lebanon, birth land of cultures, religions and languages.
I must congratulate you on your project, its very inspiring! I hope you enjoy the Lebanese literature
in personal (combination of French, Arabic, and English), the Arabic literature in specific, and
global literature in general!
Most Lebanese would recommend Jubran Khalil Jubran (or Gibran), Amin Maalouf, and other old
famous excellent writers. But I would add to that the new Lebanese youth who are writing now in
English and French in addition to Arabic, in fiction and non-fiction of all categories.
There are many great publishing houses here. But I personally recommend the publishing of Dar al-
Saqi which you can find in the UK.
link: http://www.alsaqibookshop.com/
http://www.saqibooks.co.uk/books/
Also, other amazing publishing houses are Hachette-Antoine and Nawfal.
GOOD LUCK! (^_^)
Reply
Many thanks. Im certainly looking forward to reading more Lebanese books!
Reply
161. swordsoftheancients said
This is easily the most ambitious reading project Ive seen in years. I think its absolutely brilliant.
Thank you for sharing your list with us!
Reply
Gosh. Thanks very much.
Reply
162. Miranda Tetlow said
Tonga you have to read Epeli Hauofa Tales of the Tikongs.
Great idea, by the way!
Reply
Reply
163. Desiree Haakonsen (@deshaakonsen) said
Wow this is an impressive list. I balled my eyes out with The Kite Runner & A Thousand Splendid
Suns. Need to read more I think! Thanks for the inspirtaion
Reply
Youre welcome. Thanks for stopping by.
Reply
164. Desiree Haakonsen (@deshaakonsen) said
Im surprised you dont have Cry, the Beloved Country or Long Walk to Freedom under South
Africa.
Reply
Thanks. Long Walk to Freedom isnt there because I was deliberately excluding books Id
already read to avoid the temptation to cheat, although I should probably update it now!
Reply
165. The list | I Can't Stop Raving said
[] The list. []
Reply
166. The list | Right to the (Pen's) Point said
[] is the list of recommended books Morgan was armed with for her project. The list is organized
in alphabetical []
Reply
167. petersenerica said
Great!! Thank you for this post!!!
Reply
Thanks for the comment!
Reply
168. Book Review: The Patience Stone by Atiq Rahimi; Translated from the French by Polly McLean | Of
Books and Reading said
[] first heard of Atiq Rahimi while going through the A Year of Reading the World blog. I
hadnt heard of him earlier and I am glad I did now. The Patience Stone was a []
Reply
169. swatipathak said
India ,you have left books by Late Sunil Gangopadhyay Those Days
Reply
Thanks.
Reply
170. g.m. said
Theres a new Lithuanian book thats been published in Kindle format, might be interesting.
Hour of the Wolf (Steam and Stone Saga)
Reply
Interesting thanks for the tip off!
Reply
171. Reading the world Ann Morgan and the power of blogging | The Collective Press Co. said
[] can find the list of all recommendations and the books Ann chose to read here. For every book
Ann read, she also provided a comment or []
Reply
172. Currently | My Heart's Content said
[] you need reading inspiration, check out this blog of a girl who spent the year reading
international literature. Her Reading List is []
Reply
173. Lendo o mundo em 196 livros: escritora l um livro de todos os pases do mundo em um ano. | Relato de
um Empreendedor said
[] Quem tiver interesse em saber a lista de livros lidos
acesse: http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/ []
Reply
174. Vivek Vishwakarma said
October 19, 2013 at 10:06 am
Why so much..??
Do you remember everything from all that you read..?? Story..?? Style..?? (say anything from The
Train to Pakistan, by Khushwant Singh.. how much of it can you recall..??)
Did some work inspire you to explore more of certain writers..?? What did you do then..??
Reply
Thats a lot of questions! I only chose one book from each country, but it was still a lot of books!
It was a great adventure and yes, I can remember a lot of them. I think writing about them on
the blog helped. Thanks for your comment.
Reply
175. B Arora said
Thanks for sharing this. Ive been majorly inspired by you although so far Ive read books from
only 23 countries and have a far way to go.
Reply
Thanks happy bookpacking!
Reply
176. Elin fra Av en annen verden said
Of the Norwegian authors, I must admit I dont like any of them but for Lars Saabye Christensen
(Im an avid reader and a librarian). If I were to suggest books from Norway, they would be:
The Naked Madonna by Jan Wiese
Before You Sleep by Linn Ullmann
Lasso Round the Moon by Agnar Mykle
Egalias Daughters by Gerd Brantenberg
Books I wish I could have suggested, but that are not translated (yet?) are:
The Man Who Loved Yngve by Tore Renberg
A fool free by Beate Grimsrud
Reply
Wow thanks. What a selection. I read Egalias Daughters this year for my new project If
Women Ruled and thought it was fabulous. Ill have to check out some of your other
suggestions
Reply
177. haypop said
Just echoing what everyone else has said here this is such a great idea for a blog/for choosing
books/for learning something a little different about the world. I will definitely check out your
reviews and return to this page next time Im looking for something new to read. Good luck with
your book!
Reply
Thanks very much. I hope you enjoy the list.
Reply
178. H. Fimiani said
Well, I couldnt read all the replies about your list, so I dont know if this autor was already
suggested:
try, whenever you can, reading Joo Guimares Rosa, from Brazil. I dont think you will find
translations to english so easily, since Guimares Rosa created many words that dont have
translation. This words, his vocabulary, are one of the best things about his stories. And thats what
it makes them so special.
Finally, I loved your idea of reading the world. I wish I could have the time and energy to read so
many books at such a small period of time.
Still, I will try to read some of your list.
Reply
Reply
179. Reading Around the World | Random (but not really) said
[] And heres a link to her website and list: A Year of Reading []
Reply
180. November 2013 | Sterling News said
[] in one year. Shes up to 196 countries now, and you can see her complete list of books here,
which, all by themselves are a little lesson in []
Reply
181. Sreejith Nair said
Hi Ann,
Very interesting project.
I am from India, and there is nothing much to suggest from my side, as you have already covered
most of them
I could see works from even my mother tongue Malayalam in your list by MT Vasudevan Nair
and OV Vijayan.
Great effort and I really appreciate it.
Ill be following you.
All the best.
Reply
Thanks very much Sreejith. Im glad you like the suggestions. India was definitely my toughest
choice!
Reply
182. One Reader. One Year. 197 Books. | Kutztown University Professional Writing said
[] last time you read a book from another country? If youre looking for ideas, check out
Morgans book list and choose one to read for yourself. Youll be glad you []
Reply
183. marianakim13 said
Hey! Just wanted to tell you that your blog has inspired me to do something similar! Its a great way
to learn about other cultures and visit places that I dont (yet) know
This is my blog http://voltaaomundocomlivros.wordpress.com/.
For now its only available in portuguese but Ive been thinking about translating to english too!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Mariana Almeida
Reply
Great stuff Marian. Im really glad. Best pf luck with it and let me know how you get on.
Reply
184. Daniela said
You have my respect! Daniela from Slovakia
Reply
Thanks Daniela. Thats nice of you to say.
Reply
185. sara said
I found out about your wonderful mission only last night in a discussion and as an Iranian I was so
curious what youd read. Brilliant choices! Ive read both Parsipur and Dolatabadi books in the
original Persian and I hope that translators did them justice. Both are about the struggles of my
grandparents and parents generation, as they grappled with life and inner dogma. Out of the three
as glimpse into todays Iran I would have chosen Alavis book. It captures the essence of a
generation of Iranians I was a part of like no other. I hesitantly read it when it fort came out, as I
was about to start post-grad studies in the UK. I liked it. But I reread it after 2009 green protest in
Iran and I loved it even more. For it identified the key players and predicted the political power of
social media years before it could even be envisaged. Its wonderful document of who we are. Most
books Ive read on Iran, are by Iranian ex-pat arm chair academics who all seem to have left the
country around the 1979 revolution and their distance shows. But We Are Iran is about the children
who grow up under the revolution and their legacy. If you are interested in then they should read it.
Reply
Thanks very much, Sara. We Are Iran is definitely on my to-read list. It sounds fascinating.
Great to have your views.
Reply
186. 12 Must-have Gifts for Students Studying Abroad | Travel Vacation Dream! Plan your next Vacation
said
[] offers its list of Around the World in 80 Books and writer Ann Morgan provides a list of 196
titles from her A Year of Reading the []
Reply
187. David said
Tertium Organum Ouspensky
Reply
Thanks David it sounds like Ouspenskys novel Strange Life of Ivan Osokin might be more of
story, which is what Ive been looking for during this quest. Ill add it to the list
Reply
188. Reading your way round the world | PocketCultures said
[] visit it in search of inspiration to read new authors at least, new for you. Ann Morgan made a
list of recommendations for each country and read and reviewed one book from each. Its an
interesting read in itself and a great source []
Reply
189. Reading Around the World said
[] article features this link, which is a list of books Morgan considered for the project, categorized
by country. OK, but if you []
Reply
190. Cris said
Amazing Blog and books recommendations. I was curious what books of Mircea Eliade you have
read in the Romania section. I would recommend Maitreyi:
http://www.amazon.com/Maitreyi-Mircea-Eliade/dp/9731041877/ref=sr_1_2?
s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1388165158&sr=1-2&keywords=mircea+eliade+maitreyi
Bengal Nights by Mircea Eliade :
Bengal Nights: A Novel: Mircea Eliade, Catherine Spencer: 9780226204192: Amazon.com: Books
The Secret of Dr Honingberger:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_of_Dr._Honigberger
Reply
Thanks Cris Maitreyi sounds great. Ill investigate!
Reply
191. Maria said
Hi!
I have a very similar book blog project going on, only I havent limited the amount of time Ill spend
looking for and reading books from every country of the world. Your list will be a big help! I only
just heard about your project, but it doesnt surprise me that many people have got more or less the
same idea without knowing about each other.
I hope your blog has inspired more people to read translated literature. I myself have always loved
to read translated books even though many of my friends prefer books written in our native
language Finnish.
You said in The Atlantic that you basically only read books in English. Youre very lucky to have a
native language that allows you to find translated literature from every country in the world in your
own language. Since my native language is not widely spoken, I wouldnt be able to read books
from every country in the world if I couldnt read them in other languages as well.
My blog is in Finnish, so unfortunately I cant invite you to read it, but if you wish to take a look at
my choice of books so far, youll find the blog at http://kirjajokamaasta.blogspot.fi.
Best wishes to you,
Maria
from Finland
Reply
Thanks Maria always good to hear from another world reader. There are certainly lots of us
out there. Best of luck with your own adventures!
Reply
192. Puspa Raj Adhikari said
I would like to suggest u.to read Blue mimasa by parijat. A melalu writer. The nobel blue mimasa
hasbeen teaching. In america. Meryland university.
Reply
Great thanks very much
Reply
193. Eric Whyaskwhy said
I am from Malaysia and strongly recommend you reading the works of A. Samad Said.
http://www.sabah.edu.my/csm07001/poem_deadcrow_poet.html
Reply
Thanks Ill add him to the list. Nice picture by the way!
Reply
194. Lalag las in 2013 | Lalag leest said
[] Verder wil ik een aantal boeken gaan lezen uit verre landen, genspireerd door het project A
year of reading the world. Op die manier kan ik vanuit mijn luie stoel de wereld over reizen, ik kijk
ernaar []
Reply
195. Vivek Vishwakarma said
William Dalrymples Delhi City of Djinns.. A must read..!!
Reply
196. Reading anyone? a New Years resolution | Crysteljasmine said
[] while my plan at the moment is not to read a book from each country, I will be using the list
from A Year of Reading to get some []
Reply
197. Thorsteinn Bahadur said
Hello. Comment from an Icelander currently in Nepal. Your website was recently featured on an
Icelandic news website. Was interesting if you have statisics on author regarding gender. How is the
male/female percentage in your adventure?
Reply
Hi Thorsteinn. Thanks for your comment itd be great to see a link to the Icelandic news
website as I havent seen the article myself! In terms of gender balance, I would say somewhere
between a third and a half of the books I read are by women (although I havent formally
counted up yet perhaps I should!). Gender wasnt a central consideration for me, although I
did sometimes deliberately opt for female authored works where they seemed particularly
interesting for Lesotho and Saudi Arabia, for example. Thanks very much for stopping by.
Reply
Thorsteinn Bahadur said
Heres the link on the news about you: http://www.dv.is/frettir/2014/1/4/las-allan-heiminn-
ari-XJKVE4/
BTW, have you got a tip of how to access many of these books. The book about the African
in Greenland I found very interesting but Im not sure its available in many places?
Lovely, thanks. Many of the books are difficult to find a lot were sent to me specially by
people who wanted me to read them. Some are more widely available however. Last I
checked, An African in Greenland was available on Amazon. Abe Books is also a good
source
198. Links to Think: 14.01.06 said
[] in the World: Here Are Her Favorites - I loved checking out the rest of her list at her blog here,
too. Hmmmmaybe a new reading goal to eventually work []
Reply
199. Winter Break Reading Suggestions The Judge Ben C. Green Law Library Case Western Reserve
University School of Law said
[] case, statue, or law review article? My suggestion is to read a book or two from Ann Morgans
year of reading the world book list. The list consists of 196 books, one from each of the 195 UN-
recognized states and []
Reply
200. Another Anonymous Life said
Hey from Ireland. Delighted you read the Third Policeman. It doesnt get mentioned alongside the
likes of Ulysses very often. Only finished it really enjoyable. Good luck with your book next year!
Reply
Thanks. Its an extraordinary read, isnt it? A great find.
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201. Expanding Reading Horizons | Bailey's and Books said
[] more for myself, I am not sure where my reading will take me, but I will certainly be turning to
Morgans list for some guidance. As you know about me, I am not a speed reader, and with thesis
work, work and []
Reply
202. mquay21 said
Although it looks like you generally dont need more books to add to the list, I just want to add that
the quintessential book of Tajik literature, Yad-dasht-ha (Reminiscences) by Sadr al-Din Aini, has
been translated by a scholar in the field (or should I say, one of the two scholars in the field).
The Sands of Oxus: Boyhood Reminiscences of Sadriddin Aini (Bibliotheca Iranica: Literature
Series)
The book is essentially Ainis memoirs, detailing his life growing up as a Tajik in Bukhara, mainly
among Uzbeks. Im not sure if the book fits the bill for your blog, as it was published in the early
1950s in Stalinabad (now Dushanbe), before Tajikistan existed as a nation. But unlike your other
novel from Tajikistan (written in Russian), Ainis memoirs were written in Tajiki, and he is claimed
as the father of modern Tajik literature nowadays. I study Persian literature, so when I lived in
Tajikistan, almost every educated Tajik would ask me if I had read Aini. You can find his bio here:
http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/ayni-sadr-al-din
And a helpful article on Tajik literature here (one of the few):
http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/fiction-iih-in-tajikistan
Not that youll have time to read those with all your novels to tackle!!! Best of luck on your quest.
Reply
Thanks these sound fascinating. Ill check them out when I next update the list.
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203. A cloud head girl said
Hello. Im from Vietnam. I would like to suggest the book Open The Window, Eyes Closed by
Nguyen Ngoc Thuan. For me, its a beautiful novel for children.
Please take a look: http://talkvietnam.com/2011/05/tuoitrenews-carry-portions-children-
book/#.UtftunBPI2Y
Best,
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Thanks sounds interesting. Ill check it out when I next update the list.
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204. books read in 2013 | Reeves Family Journal said
January 29, 2014 at 10:44 pm
[] has anyone seen this list? wow, might need to slowly tackle a few of []
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205. A year of reading the world | Learn, travel, photograph said
[] result is a great list of books from all over the []
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206. Armchair Adventurers Unite! Ideas for taking your next journey from home. | said
[] A Year of Reading The World a list of books from around the world []
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207. 12 Must-have Gifts for Students Studying Abroad - Stacie Berdan said
[] offers its list of Around the World in 80 Books and writer Ann Morgan provides a list of 196
titles from her A Year of Reading the []
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208. Friday round-up: Writing tips, Asian childrens literature, classic books and longhand note-taking |
Anjali Mitter Duva said
[] This woman read one book from every country of the world. This type of goal strikes me as
gimmickyIll do this thing for one year and blog about it and develop a followingbut its hard to
argue that it doesnt interest me as well. My recent attempt to find well-reviewed translations of
middle grade literature (for the fourth grade book club) set in different regions of the world and
NOT written by a westerner has been frustrating. The lack of translated work in the US in general
is disappointing. So it is with interest that I look at this article and this womans list. []
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209. restlessjo said
Fantastic idea! Ive read a few of them but have quite a bit of catching up to do
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Thanks hope you enjoy them!
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210. Complemental Lives said
[] 18. Read 10 books from 10 countries (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/) []
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211. ojaswi sharma said
I think I am the last one to comment on it, but thnx anyway for sharing the list, Iam 23 yrars old
and have a life before me but still want to read them all before dying! Thnx again
Reply
Thanks. Enjoy!
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212. Andy Barnes said
Hi.
Only just discovered your blog, which is amazing. A few people have been doing something similar
on Librarything.com, including me, though no-one has got quite as far as you! If you are interested,
my posts and list are at: http://www.librarything.com/topic/28295
There is also a Finnish guy who has interesting posts:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/148398
What I find slightly depressing is how similar our lists (yours and mine) are, indicating perhaps how
many countries we have very little access to literature from. The Finnish guys list is very different to
mine, and there is lots of stuff translated into Finnish which is not available in English.
Anyway, thanks for the posts. I will be mining your list to help me complete mine.
Andy
Reply
Hi Andy. Good to hear from you. Yes, the sad truth is that there are many countries with only
one author or even one novel commercially available in English (as well as a number with
nothing commercially available at all I read a quite a few unpublished translations during my
quest). I hope projects like yours and mine will encourage publishers to back more literature
from elsewhere. Good luck with the rest of your quest, Ann
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213. The list | Palmilhando said
[] The list. []
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214. In n jaar lezen de wereld rond | Nelleke Groot said
[] te denken over de beste boeken uit de landen die ze zou gaan bezoeken en dat leverde een
mooie lijst op. Hierin werd Morgan wel beperkt tot boeken waar ook een Engelse vertaling van
beschikbaar was. []
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215. WANG'S said
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Malaysia is on the list I read Shih-Li Kows Ripples and Other Stories from there.
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216. Why Read World Literature | The English Teacher's Notes Blog said
[] searching for these experiences through literary fiction might peruse Ann Morgans 196-title list
to begin their own []
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217. Somewhat Related Links for an End-of-Winter-Day | ESL Marriage said
March 7, 2014 at 2:41 pm
[] of the things Im looking forward to after graduating is having more brain-space to read. This
blog and list has inspired me to read through the []
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218. Around the World in195 Books | Always Love. said
March 14, 2014 at 4:56 am
[] youre interested in the list you can find it here. Or maybe you can create your own list! I would
be interested in seeing how many countries []
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219. Reading the world in 2012 | The Toynbee convector said
March 14, 2014 at 10:19 am
[] ayearofreadingtheworld.com. []
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220. Fernando Lopes said
March 14, 2014 at 2:28 pm
It fantastic. Im sorry if I skipped some information, but I didnt see anything related with Timor
Leste. Am I wrong?
Reply
March 14, 2014 at 3:31 pm
Thanks Fernando. It is there but under East Timor. Perhaps I should change it to Timor Leste!
Reply
221. Verna Sproles Harris said
March 14, 2014 at 4:05 pm
To learn about the struggles in America about Americans of all ethnicities, read The Dollmaker, by
Harriette Arnow
Reply
March 27, 2014 at 9:14 am
Thanks Verna. Ill look into it.
Reply
222. Susan said
March 17, 2014 at 2:31 pm
Just discovered this world books list for the first time via the BBC website. Any other fans of Vikram
Seths A Suitable Boy (India) out there? Please dont try to read it in 1.87 days, read it slowly and
soak it up. A book to stay with you for always.
Reply
March 27, 2014 at 9:11 am
Thanks yes, its quite a read isnt it!
Reply
dasar hati said
April 1, 2014 at 9:21 am
My mother bought A Suitable Boy in 21 September 2000. 13+ years down the road, my reading
of it is still in progress.
Reply
April 2, 2014 at 10:33 am
Wow thats impressive. I hope you are finding it worth the time!
223. James Anderson said
March 18, 2014 at 4:43 am
Really a fancy idea!
Theres an old Chinese slang Thousands miles of travel and thousands volumes of reading make
people a saint.I am jealous of you for you have enough time to fulfill your favorites. Id like to
advise you to read some works by Wang xiaobo, such as Black iron age, Silver age,Bronze age and
Golden age(i dont know whether i translate these titles correctly).
All the best
Reply
March 27, 2014 at 9:09 am
Thanks very much. They sound fascinating. I will see if I can find them
Reply
224. Ulianka said
March 25, 2014 at 5:34 pm
Ann, I suggest to add one more book for Ukraine Evenings in a village near Dikanka, by
N.Gogol (1809-1852). He was one of the first authors to introduce the spoken Ukrainian to the
official literature. Hope, you like it I think its fun! You can read it at the weblink below. Good
luck!
Reply
March 27, 2014 at 8:52 am
Thanks Ill add it to the list when I next update it.
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225. Ulianka said
March 25, 2014 at 5:42 pm
UPENN has an option to choose a book by the authors country of origin
1) search by subject U Ukrainian, or
2) see the left-side menu here -
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/
Reply
March 27, 2014 at 8:52 am
Great stuff thanks Ulianka. A useful resource!
Reply
226. Londoner said
March 26, 2014 at 9:15 pm
This is an amazing project. Well done!
Reply
March 27, 2014 at 8:50 am
Thanks!
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Thomas Schrade said
March 31, 2014 at 9:53 am
What a great idea realizing one world and may be starting to leave any colonial approach
for good.
April 2, 2014 at 10:34 am
Thanks or possibly many worlds. No two readers worlds are quite the same I think
227. The-best-ones-in-March | between worlds said
March 31, 2014 at 12:01 pm
[] The list | A year of reading around the world by Ann Morgan. Read a book a nation. []
Reply
228. dasar hati said
April 1, 2014 at 9:22 am
I came upon your blog from the list of Recommended Blogs by WordPress. An excellent project and
I am glad to see my country, Malaysia, is already in your list! The reading list is currently too short
though, as we already have 14 National Laureates
I would like to recommend two Malaysian writers to add to your reading list:
1) Adibah Amin This End of The Rainbow
2) Dina Zaman I Am Muslim and King of The Sea.
Wish you all the best in this project.
Reply
April 2, 2014 at 10:32 am
Lovely, thanks Dasar. Great recommendations. Ill add these to the list when I next update it.
Reply
229. Karwitha said
April 3, 2014 at 5:55 am
Wow! What a lovely idea. I love reading but dont always have the time where did you get the
time? Congratulations I know your world will be greatly enriched through the process.
Anyway, heres a suggestion for you from Kenya:
Chidlren of Saba http://www.amazon.com/Children-Saba-Epic-Aphrike-Trilogy-
ebook/dp/B00GKA1KJO
Its a relatively new book but its already had some great reviews. Its full of suspense and tells the
epic story of a family discovering a secret, powerful legacy handed down to them by their ancestors.
It brought to life the majesty of Africas mysteries and vanishing tribes past and present full of
adventure and I couldnt put it down I hope you love it as much as I did!
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April 15, 2014 at 9:42 am
Thanks Ill check it out. It took a lot of discipline, but it was great fun too.
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230. Nora Williams said
April 5, 2014 at 7:28 pm
Will the books and stories that you listed be available to the public via e-readers etc or maybe an
international book store?
The Book List is impressive
maybe I should try reading more.
Reply
April 15, 2014 at 9:39 am
Thanks Nora. Many of the books already are available. In the case of the unpublished
manuscripts I read, Im hopeful that many of them will be published in due course. Watch this
space
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231. Charles Gosling said
April 21, 2014 at 4:03 pm
I do not see anything listed for Bermuda- the UKs oldest colony. Shakespeares The Tempest was
based on the reports of the discovery of Bermuda, unfortunately all secondhand. A number of
authors have written in Bermuda, Eugene ONeil, Mark Twain and James Thurber being a trio of
American writers who treated the island as a second home.
Mary Prince, born in Devonshire, Bermuda- the freed slave and anti-slavery agitator wrote her
autobiography, which greatly influenced UK Parliament to rid the colonies of this trade.
Another Bermudian writer had some good reviews in the 70 & 80s, a Brian Burland- his best book
probably being A Fall from Aloft, The Sailor and the Fox coming in close behind.
Reply
April 21, 2014 at 5:11 pm
Thanks Charles. Yes, thats right. I read books from UN-recognised sovereign states (plus
former UN member Taiwan), which is why Bermuda is not on the list, a personal regret for me
as I know the place well. It was however a contender for my Rest of the World wild-card choice
to represent countries not on the UN list and Brian Burland was the author in the frame for
that. You can read more about that here http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/rest-of-the-world/
Reply
232. The list | jhAntAng-mAntAnG said
May 5, 2014 at 9:43 am
[] The list. []
Reply
233. Jolene Levendal said
May 5, 2014 at 6:14 pm
Hi. Just happened to pass this column by sheer luck or rather good fortune now as I feel so
encouraged to read more books. Such an inspiration. By the way, i would also recommend the
following Hungarian novel>pl utcai fik /the paul street boys by Molnar Ferenc. Keep up the good
work and wishing you all of the best. Cheers.
Reply
May 6, 2014 at 8:57 am
Brilliant thanks! Ill add it to the list when I next update.
Reply
234. Zachtacular1 said
May 5, 2014 at 10:44 pm
This is an impressive list! What would you say are some of your top favorite books that youve read?
Im always down for good book recommendations.
https://lifeismuyfantastico.wordpress.com/
Reply
May 6, 2014 at 8:57 am
Thanks its always tricky to pick out favourites but theres a list of my top commercially
available ones in the FAQs section. Hope you find something you like!
Reply
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