Where in the World? - 2024/2025 edition
For the last few years, I’ve been trying to expand various aspects of my reading – pushing the boundaries – and one way I’ve been doing to is by reading (or at least trying to read) novels based in various countries around the world and most especially countries that I’m generally unfamiliar with and, most especially, not in my comfort locations of the UK or USA. So, how did I do in the last 12 months? As always updates are in BOLD. NOTE: These are only fictional journeys, are only counted when location is clear (and is at least 50% of the book) and doesn’t count either SF or Fantasy locations. I (generally) count collections of short stories IF they’re in one or (max) two clearly defined locations.
Afghanistan – 2
Australia – 1
Botswana - ½ (NEW)
Canada – 2
China – 1
Crete - 1
Cuba – 2
England – 86 ½ (+13)
Estonia - 1
France – 14 (+1)
Germany – 5 ½
Greece – 2
Holland - 1
India – 2
Ireland – 1
Italy – 4
Iraq - 1 (NEW)
Jamaica - 1
Japan – 3 ½ (+1 ½)
Norway – 2
Malaya - 1
Portugal – 3
Russia – 4
Scotland - 2
South Africa – 1
Spain – 3
Sweden - 3
Turkey - 2
Ukraine – 1
USA – 58 (+3 ½ )
Vietnam – 3 (+2)
Well, that’s nowhere near what I was hoping, and half expecting, it to be! Although I have managed to add two more countries, at this rate it’ll take the rest of my life to get halfway around the world. Hopefully my ‘plans’ for the rest of this year and some other ideas marinating in my lower brain stem might get me more towards where I want to be... Climbing out of a deeply entrenched comfort zone is HARD!
7 comments:
Hey, not bad! I'm supposed to be Reading the World as well, but my buddy and I haven't finished a new novel since last March (which is entirely my fault... I bailed on Iceland).
If you'd like to add Greenland and a bit of Togo, An African in Greenland would get you 2 for 1! The author's name is Tété-Michel Kpomassie.
I picked up a few short classics boxsets that I think will help. They're from all over the world so I'm sure that there must be *some* new countries for the list! At least I hope so. No NEW countries planned in the near future but I expect to be fattening the existing list a bit over the summer. Something based in South America might be fun. I'm sure I have something tucked away in a pile of books somewhere!
At least you have a goal and are reading. 🥰
Oh, I have many, many often conflicting reading goals..... [grin]
That's not bad at all! You know I almost never leave medieval Europe, lol. I have recently read some fiction that's been set in Australia. And of course Ireland and the UK.
No strange locations *planned* for me in the near future but I'm hoping to add at least a few more new countries this year.
Not me. I like where I am, bookwise at least lol
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