The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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15.3 - Continental Divide


I just checked my library website - they have a couple of his books. And one is set in South Africa, so that would also work if you wound up with Africa.


http://www.africa-eu.com/topic/show/2...

Ashley -- I just finished Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (China). It was very good. The countries of the Middle East are also on the Asian continent, so maybe The Kite Runner or The Bookseller of Kabul, if you haven't read them.

You have Battle Royale on your list, which is by Koushun Takami, who is Asian. But remember, this task says you can read anything set or about your continent.

Petra wrote: "Really, Dee?! That's a real shame as his books are really good (not all of them are long....although most are). He's one of my favorite authors and (happily) his books are in every bookshop."

Sandy wrote: "I just checked my library website - they have a couple of his books. And one is set in South Africa, so that would also work if you wound up with Africa."

The Mango Season
Ashley FL wrote: "I have the WORST luck with these types of tasks (on the summer roll the dice I got: 665!) and got Asia. I know, I know, lots of choices. But of all of the choices, I have nothing in my queue tha..."

Oh, Elizabeth, I would LOVE to read that book! I haven't been able to find it. I may have to just bite the bullet and buy it. The things I do for this Challenge ;)

Ashley, has it for less than $4.00 plus shipping.





Ms Anderson wrote: "I got South America, and I'd like to read some of Pablo Neruda's poetry. Is is possible for me to use multiple books for this to make up the minimum 100 pages? I've been cross-checking the editions..."
This is fine. Poetry is kind of an exception, since it's so hard to find poetry books, especially with one author, with more than 100 pages. Since you plan to read more than one book here, this is certainly within the spirit of the challenge - and I'd hate to make it too difficult to include poetry.
This is fine. Poetry is kind of an exception, since it's so hard to find poetry books, especially with one author, with more than 100 pages. Since you plan to read more than one book here, this is certainly within the spirit of the challenge - and I'd hate to make it too difficult to include poetry.

Brother Fish is my favorite of his (set in Australia), as was the Australian trilogy, which starts with The Potato Factory. The Potato Factory takes place on 2 continents: half in England and half in Australia, so it wouldn't count for this task.

Petra wrote: "Delicious Dee the book slut wrote: "yeah - at least in the US...although I found that the book depository carries his books and they are like $15...he has a statement on his website, I guess pengui..."


Here's a few suggestions:
Geisha: A Life by Mineko Iwasaki. Ms. Iwasaki's life was the inspiration for Memoirs of a Geisha. It's a lovely historical read.
The Good Earth byPearl S. Buck. I was surprised by how much I loved this book.

You must really be lucky in love, then!

Ashley, I liked Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil. I have also become a huge fan of Banana Yoshimoto. Her books usually focus on female protagonists who are recovering from some kind of traumatic event -- the books are very positive though.

I loved Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair!

I'm reading that one and The Heights of Macchu Picchu. Although, the versions my library has are both bilingual, so I'll probably add another book of his poems to it so it will really be over 100 pages. I'm looking forward to it, though...I looked him up after I remembered his name in the song from Rent, and since he's from South America, he works! ^_^
Ms Anderson wrote: "I looked him up after I remembered his name in the song from Rent, and since he's from South America, he works.."
aha, THAT's why the name rang a bell!
aha, THAT's why the name rang a bell!


Jennifer wrote: "For South America, I would like to read By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolaño. It is "only" 144 pages, but it's 144 pages of Roberto Bolaño!! :D Will you accept this?"
Sure, that's fine.
Sure, that's fine.

aha, THAT's why the name rang a bell!"
Dies!
Sandy If you have not read Pablo Neruda you should definitly give it a try, his autobiography Confieso Que He Vivido, Memoirs is a great work of literature, but his poems are even better, Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair is awsome.
ColleenPA wrote: "I love Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair"
Me too, my favorite is no.15, is so beautiful.
Penny wrote: "Sandy If you have not read Pablo Neruda you should definitly give it a try, his autobiography Confieso Que He Vivido, Memoirs is a great work of literature, but his poems are even better, Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair is awsome
Thanks for the recommendation!
Thanks for the recommendation!

:), some of his pomes are really short, it takes no time at all, though I don't know if the translations do him justice.



Brazil: Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon
Chile: Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors
Columbia: One Hundred Years of Solitude OR Love in the Time of Cholera
Peru: The Bridge of San Luis Rey
Venezuela: The Lost World

Adding to Gabriel García Márquez this is my favorite of his books:No One Writes to the Colonel: and Other Stories. Can anybody tell me which are the other stories???? In Spanish this is a one story book.
Anithing by: Jorge Luis Borges, Gabriela Mistral, Pablo Neruda.
Chile: Isabel Allende is not really my cup of tea, but The House of the Spirits is fantastic, she also has a "YA trilogy" City of the Beasts that are a light, easy read.

5
Argentina - Heaven of Drums
Peru - The Bridge of San Luis Rey
by Isabel Allende
-- Portrait in Sepia
-- Daughter of Fortune
-- Inés of My Soul
**** 4 ****
Columbia - Love in the Time of Cholera
Chile - A Week in October
Venezuela - Swallowing Stones: A Novel Isabel Allende
-- Portrait in SepiaDaughter of FortuneInés of My Soul
Books mentioned in this topic
A Town Like Alice (other topics)Dirt Music (other topics)
Breath (other topics)
The Riders (other topics)
Breath (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Nevil Shute (other topics)J.M. Coetzee (other topics)
J.M. Coetzee (other topics)
Juliet Marillier (other topics)
Juliet Marillier (other topics)
More...
Go to and enter:
- South America
- Europe
- Asia
- Australia
- Africa
(Note: Antarctica and North America are excluded.)
For the continent listed first in your random list, read a fiction OR non-fiction book:
- about any part of that continent, OR
- set any place on that continent, OR
- written by an author from that continent.
Your first shot on the randomizer is it for this task (no double-dipping).
.