International book thread

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May 2020
12:14pm, 21 May 2020
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Night-owl
Do we really need another book thread?

Well I'm starting one anyway. It may be a solo thread. But here goes

I have long decided to try and read books that aren't from UK/USA authors. Because I imagine I'm like a lot of people this is where the majority of my books read come from

But I know you are avid readers so may have many suggestions so let's put this out there.
I'm in no hurry to read them all, I have other reading targets book group books, every year of my life, my to be read pile and so on

Some countries will be easy to acquire it will however have to be books translated in English

So here goes.

I shall reply in what I've done so far but only list the first book I've read for that country
May 2020
12:27pm, 21 May 2020
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Night-owl
Countries read so far. (Since 2014)

Sweden
The man on the Balcony - Maj Sjwall/Per Wahll

Ireland
A Greyhound of a Girl - Roddy Doyle

Canada
Vigilante - Claude Bouchard

Iceland
Snowbound - Ragnar Jonasson

Russia
Cancer Ward - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Norway
The History of Bees - Maja Lynde

Belgium
A Maigret Christmas and other Stories - Georges Simenon

Nigeria
Americanah - Ngozi Adiche

Japan
The Travelling Cat Chronicles - Hiro Arikawa

Italy (currently reading)
The Whisperer - Donato Carrisi

So 10 countries including current one. OK
May 2020
11:03pm, 21 May 2020
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becca7
That's a good list. I do tend to read mostly UK and US stuff, thinking about it, and stuff that was originally written in English. Margaret Atwood, JM Coetzee. I had a spate of Scandinoir.

I enjoyed Americanah and stuff by some other modern African writers. I find it harder to get on with Indian literature but enjoyed The White Tiger on the second time I tried to read it. Now I think about it, most international books I've read have been graphic novels.
May 2020
11:11pm, 21 May 2020
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Raemond
Ohhhhh I like this.

I'd have to think a bit more to be sure of what I've read already, but I've definitely got a few for Japan and China.

How would you count Nabakov, as he was Russian but his most famous works were written in English while living in America?
WA
May 2020
11:33pm, 21 May 2020
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WA
Good thread

Colombia
Love in the time of cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez. (Honestly, don't bother)

Russia

The Shooting Party - Anton Chekhov

Anna Karenina- Leo Tolstoy

Canada
Pretty much anything by Margaret Atwood. Currently reading The Heart Goes Last

I love the Martin Beck series but have only listened to them as audiobooks.
May 2020
11:48pm, 21 May 2020
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mrs shanksi
Great idea for a thread! I love a foreign book. I often read books from the countries I travel to. My most recent ones are:

Italy
The Terracotta Dog - Andrea Camilleri

Ireland
A Man with one of those Faces - Caimh McDonnell

Nigeria
Rosewater - Tade Thompson

India
The Strange Disappearance of a Bollywood Star - Vaseem Khan

Australia
The Dry - Jane Harper

Iceland
Burial Rites - Hannah Kent

Norway
The Thirst - Jo Nesbo

China
The Three-Body Problem - Liu Cixin

Malaysia
The Gift of Rain - Tan Twan Eng

Sweden
The Girl who Lived Twice - David Lagerkrantz

Cuba
Telex from Cuba - Rachel Kushner

Zambia
The Old Drift - Namwali Serpell

Spain
The Angel's Game - Carlos Ruiz Zafron

Russia
War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy

Singapore
Rich People Problems - Kevin Kwan

Germany
The Reader - Bernhard Schlink

Austria
The Piano Teacher - Elfriede Jelinek

Denmark
Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow - Peter Hoeg

Chile
The House of the Spirits - Isabelle Allende

Canada
Still Life - Louise Penny
May 2020
11:50pm, 21 May 2020
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mrs shanksi
Those aren't necessarily my favourites from the countries, just most recent. I must go to bed, speak more tomorrow.
May 2020
11:51pm, 21 May 2020
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mrs shanksi
I've also read Love in the Time of Cholera but I think One Hundred years of Solitude was better
May 2020
12:02am, 22 May 2020
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mrs shanksi
Can I change my Iceland book please? Just remembered that wasn't written in Icelandic.

Iceland
Trap - Lilja Sigurdottir
May 2020
10:14am, 22 May 2020
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Night-owl
Ooh thanks for the replies.

Raymond I'm not sure I suppose it's a personal choice and one I've wrestled with myself.

Some good ideas there

WA I do love the Martin Beck series read the first 5 if I've counted right working my way through the series

About This Thread

Maintained by Night-owl
Do we really need another book thread?

Well I'm starting one anyway. It may be a solo thread...

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