Around the World in 80 Books
This is part of the reading challenges in the UK Book Club on Goodreads. The basic idea is to read 80 books set in different countries.
I have started counting towards this list starting from January, 2011.
I am only counting the books where the setting is quite clear and doesn’t take place in too many multiple countries. For example I did not count Travels with my Aunt as that jumped from France, to Italy to South America.
I have two lists: one is based mainly on the actual setting of the book and not author’s nationality. The other lists the authors by nationality, irrespective of where the book is set.
List of Settings
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The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding England English
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Beyond the Wall by Christa Laird Poland English
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The Diving Pool by Yoko Ogawa Japan Japanese
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Lonesome Dove by Larry McNultry USA American
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The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky Russia
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Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin Scotland Scottish
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Inés of My Soul by Isabel Allende Chile Chilean
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The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundarsan India American-Indian
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A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness Ireland American
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Gardens of Water by Alan Drew Turkey American
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Smilla’s Sense of Snow by Peter Høeg Denmark Danish
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The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham China English
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The Guest by Hwang Sok-yong North Korea Korean
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Magic Flutes by Eva Ibbotson Austria British-Austrian
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Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell Sweden Swedish
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Esther’s Inheritance by Sándor Márai Hungary Hungarian
List of Authors
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Henry Fielding English
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Yoko Ogawa Japanese
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Larry McMurtry American
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Fyodor Dostoyevsky Russian
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Ian Rankin Scottish
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Isabel Allende Chilean
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Peter Høeg Danish
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Hwang Sok-yong Korean
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Henning Mankell Swedish
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Sándor Márai Hungarian
This is a long term challenge that will last until I have completed both of these lists. So that may be anywhere between three and the rest of my life.


