Posts: 2850 |
Peewee Posted Sun 10 Aug, 2008 7:33 PM |
Ok so I want to hear your opinions on the best books you have read from around the world. That's a LOT of countries. I want it to be ABOUT that country, not just a book written by someone who lives there. The story needs to be based there.
I love reading about other countries that I am interested in whether it be fiction or non-fiction.
Here are some of my choices:
Brief History of The Dead - (Antartica)
Surfing The Himalayas - (Nepal/Tibet)
The Lost City - (Peru)
Midnight Cactus - (Arizona/Mexico)
The Summer Book - (Finland)
Dalai Lama - (Tibet)
The Secret of Shambhala - (Tibet)
At The Edge Of Light - (Finland)
The Celestine Prophesy - (Peru)
Waiting - (China)
The Gringo Trail - (Ecuador/Bolivia/Colombia)
Trail of Feathers - (Peru)
Big Jessie - (Northern Ireland)
The Alchemist - (Spain/Africa)
Just a few for now. |
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Peewee Posted Sun 10 Aug, 2008 7:40 PM |
| Perfume - (France) |
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sebnemy Posted Sun 10 Aug, 2008 8:37 PM |
Books about Turkey upsets me--the exoticism, the stereotypes, orientalising...etc. So, it is hard to suggest one. But first thing that comes to my mind is a collection of essays by Orhan Pamuk called "Other Colors." I did not read his other book "Istanbul"--again non-fiction: memories from the city he grew up in--but heard good comments about it. Considering that he won the Nobel Prize for literature, it will not be an exaggeration to say that he writes well.
Also there is a book that is written by foreign women married to Turkish men. I am not so happy with the title and remember these are not professional writers, so it is not a great reading, but might be of some interest:"Tales from the Expat Harem" It is mostly stories about their life in Turkey and their interactions with in-laws.
If I think of anything else I will let you know. |
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I Came in Through the Bathroom Window Posted Mon 11 Aug, 2008 5:07 AM |
| I'm not sure if it fits the thread but last week I read The Quiet American by Graham Greene. It takes place in Vietnam in 1954. It doesn't have that many "thorough descriptions" but I thought it was cool and different. |
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ricv64 Posted Mon 11 Aug, 2008 2:30 PM |
I Came in Through the Bathroom Window wrote: I'm not sure if it fits the thread but last week I read The Quiet American by Graham Greene. It takes place in Vietnam in 1954. It doesn't have that many "thorough descriptions" but I thought it was cool and different.
based on a real person , Edward Lansdale |
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Scottish Dubliner Posted Mon 11 Aug, 2008 2:39 PM |
Children of the Dead End - Patrick McGill (Donegal)
Dubz
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physke Posted Mon 11 Aug, 2008 5:10 PM |
The Crusades through Arab Eyes - Amin Maalouf (Lebanon)
I've read many history books on Crusades but this one is also very interesting since it is consisting of Arab chronicals. |
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I Came in Through the Bathroom Window Posted Mon 11 Aug, 2008 5:15 PM |
ricv64 wrote: I Came in Through the Bathroom Window wrote: I'm not sure if it fits the thread but last week I read The Quiet American by Graham Greene. It takes place in Vietnam in 1954. It doesn't have that many "thorough descriptions" but I thought it was cool and different.
based on a real person , Edward Lansdale
Is it so? I read somewhere that Greene said that it wasn't true. Although he said that Lansdale had been in Vietnam while he was there. |
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Scottish Dubliner Posted Mon 11 Aug, 2008 5:16 PM |
Peewee wrote: Perfume - (France)
I read that in hospital, it's a fucking weird book. (though not in a bad way)
Dubz
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Peewee Posted Mon 11 Aug, 2008 6:40 PM |
Scottish Dubliner wrote: Peewee wrote: Perfume - (France)
I read that in hospital, it's a fucking weird book. (though not in a bad way)
Dubz
Indeed it was! Kinda freaked me out at the end, what a strange strange man. I want to see the film but apparently it is nothing like the book and they shot the book to pieces. But still would be interesting to see how they portray the story. Have you seen it? |
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fenchurch Posted Mon 11 Aug, 2008 8:09 PM |
Peewee wrote: Scottish Dubliner wrote: Peewee wrote: Perfume - (France)
I read that in hospital, it's a fucking weird book. (though not in a bad way)
Dubz
Indeed it was! Kinda freaked me out at the end, what a strange strange man. I want to see the film but apparently it is nothing like the book and they shot the book to pieces. But still would be interesting to see how they portray the story. Have you seen it?
I saw it, don't remember it being that different, in fact I thought it was a pretty good adaptation. Then again I did see a while after reading the book. |
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Ursina Posted Mon 11 Aug, 2008 9:09 PM |
| A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth (India) a brillant insight |
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AbsGinger Posted Mon 11 Aug, 2008 9:10 PM |
The Kamasutra - India
Very interesting to read.
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dee Posted Mon 11 Aug, 2008 9:23 PM |
Ursina wrote: A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth (India) a brillant insight
i'm reading Two Lives at the moment by the same author |
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champagnesupernova Posted Mon 11 Aug, 2008 11:48 PM |
There must be a pile but for the moment I can say the title directly rang 'Angela's Ashes' to me. I know Ireland is not remotely like that anymore but still it is forming an Ireland image in my mind ever since I read it.
To count few more:
Red Dog by Louis de Bernieres (Australia)
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (Oklahoma)
Gelibolu (Gallipoli) by Buket Uzuner (Turkey)
Animal Farm by George Orwell (former USSR)
Mi Planta de Naranja Lima by Jose Mauro de Vasconcelos (Brazil)
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