I know I had mentioned that I planned to join the Orbis Terrarum Challenge and now I finally have my list of books. I’m going to be a bit sneaky in mix in a couple of books from my foreign authors book group and also from other challenges but you never know, I may end up reading a lot more foreign fiction and I’ll adjust my list to show other choices.
The challenge runs from April 1 through December 20. The bottom line: choose 9 different books, written by 9 different authors, from 9 different countries.
Here is my tentative list:
- Madame by Antoni Libera (Poland). I’ve already started this and it’s great. I hope to finish it by next Tuesday as it’s also a book group read.
- Wild Swans by Jung Chang (China). Also a book club book.
- The Seville Communion by Arturo Perez-Reverte (Spain). This is also another challenge read.
- The Sleeping Car Murders by Sebastien Japrisot (France). A Very Long Engagement was a favorite read a couple of years ago. This Japrisot novel seems quite different but should be interesting.
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (Brazil). I’m the last person to read this right?
- April Witch by Majgull Axelsson (Sweden)
- Women with Big Eyes by Angeles Mastretta (Mexico)
- The Quest for Christa T. by Christa Wolf (Germany)
- Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (Japan)
I tried to stay away from listing British and Canadian authors as I seem to read a lot from these authors anyway. So, I think I’m set to go on a nice trip around the world with this list. Thank you B&b Ex Libris for hosting the challenge. I think it’ll be great fun.
Speaking of trips, I’m off for a quick visit to Austin. Hope to hear a little music on Sixth Street, do a bit of browsing at BookPeople and savor some good eats at Kerbey Lane. Hope everyone has a great weekend!
You have some great reading ahead of your, Iliana. I do hope you enjoy April Witch. I hadn’t known what to expect when I read it, but I really did like it. I also enjoyed The Alchemist quite a bit, but I know not everyone was quite so enamored by it.
Have a great weekend and enjoy Austin!
Just found your blog and am enjoying catching up.
And no, you’re not the last one to read The Alchemist…I have not either. It’s on my TBR though. 🙂
Ooh, have fun in Austin! Wish I could go along for the food, music, and book browsing. I’ve never been to Bookpeople, and that’s just wroonggg.
Great list of books! I loved The Alchemist.
Great list, Iliana. Have fun in Austin! I’m hoping you’ll have something good to share with us after your trip. 🙂
This sounds like a great challenge — enjoy those books!
Nice list. I haven’t read any of these but The Alchemist. I just read it in the last year, and I thought that I was probably the last person to have read the book. 🙂
Literary Feline – Oh I’m glad to hear you enjoyed April Witch. I hadn’t heard too much about it before and I’ve just had that book sitting on my shelves forever!
Mrs. B – Thank you for hosting the challenge. I think it’ll be lots of fun. I know I’ve already started reading one of the books 🙂
Andi – That is very wrong! You must get to BookPeople one of these days. Love that place.
Melody – I’m getting ready to leave and have a list a mile long of things to do. Too bad it’s such a short trip. I’ll let you know what I find 🙂
Dorothy W. – Isn’t it fun! I hope these will be great reads.
Lisa – Ha,ha… See, now you know you weren’t 🙂
Have fun in Austin (I looove that city)! I really need to get my list together for OT, but I have to wait until I get home and have my bookshelves. 🙂
It is almost inevitable that when someone says I’m the last person to read a particular book I can pipe up and say…no..I haven’t read it yet. Not this time!
Have a great time in Austin.
What a great list – oddly enough I’m reading Sebastien Japrisot at the moment (a different one – not sure how it translates but something about the woman in the car with the sunglasses and a gun). He is fantastic and I highly recommend him. Haven’t read The Sleeping Car Murders, though, so will be interested to know how you get on with it.
Nope I haven’t read the Alchemist either… I have the Devil and Miss Prym on my TBR – I was tempted to pick up his latest paperback but figured I should read the Devil first in case I don’t like him as an author!
I like this list. Always wanted to pick up Banana Yoshimoto and Sebastien Japrisot.
I have a fondness for Arturo Perez-Reverte’s somewhat noirish stories too. I enjoyed “Seville Communion” because it has that rugged priest and a femme fatale who tucks her lighter under the strap of her bra. ;p
I am resisting the Orbis Terrarum Challenge simply because I am already way behind on my other reading commitments.
But really, The Alchemist? Do you think you will like it?
Welcome to the Challenge!!! I am excited to see your reviews on the books you have picked. This is going to be great fun!
Check back on April 1st for the big challenge KICK-off!
Nope. I haven’t read The Alchemist either! Kitchen sounds like a winner. I think I first heard about it over on Dolce Bellezza’s Japanese Challenge earlier this year. Hope you’re having a great time in Austin. Is it hot down there yet? I think I saw that Dallas is supposed to hit 80 on Sunday. Won’t be long before those beautiful Crepe Myrtles are in bloom. We’re still in the 40-50s. At least we’re not getting any snow!
See, there are any number of us who haven’t read The Alchemist! We could start our own club, as a matter of fact.
I’ve not read any of the books on your list…I should probably join this challenge, as now I feel woefully behind 🙂
Great list! I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts on all of these. I didn’t include any English speaking countries either since I felt that was kind of cheating but I did cross over several books. I’ve only seen the film A Very Long Engagement (which I loved) and have meant to read something by Japrisot ever since but still haven’t got around to doing so.
I really enjoyed The Alchemist and Wild Swans.
Great list!
Eva – Isn’t Austin great? I lived there for four years while going to University. It was so fun.
Marg – Ha,ha.. That happens to me too. Austin was a blast.
Litlove – Sleeping Car sounds so different from A Very Long Engagement so I’ve been really curious about it. Let’s hope I get to it this time around 🙂
Mrs S – Devil & Miss Pym sounds good. You’ll have to let us know what you think!
Dark Orpheus – I finally read Banana Yoshimoto last year. It was a quick read and definitely made me want to read more by her. The Alchemist, well I have read something by Coehlo before and liked it. And, one of my friends really likes all of his books so I’m open to it 🙂
Bethany – Thanks! I’ll be checking the kick off 🙂
Les in NE – Well, the weather was kind of blah… Gray and sometimes drizzly. Still haven’t hit 80 today in Dallas and I’m hoping we won’t for a while yet. I’m not ready for that! ha,ha…
ravenous reader – Ha,ha.. Good idea 🙂 Are you thinking about joining? C’mon join in.
tanabata – I still need to see the movie… I just know I’m going to love it. I thought the book was really wonderful. Oh and I also tried to select books in translation for the challenge.
3M – Yay, glad to hear that. I think Wild Swans will be a really good book.
Can’t wait for your review of Madame. And I just realised we’ll both be in France with Sebastien! (though w/ different books) Woo hoo for book travelling-you never have to worry about jet lag or stomach bugs. 😉