Reading the World
Since July 2016 I have been on a quest to read one book from every country in the world. I’ve read about 60 books so far, which means I’ve read a lot but I also have a long way to go.
Of course as soon as I decided to pursue this quest, I learned that it has already been done. In particular, three years ago Ann Morgan did this and even wrote a book about it. I encourage you to check out her excellent blog.
I am reading in English, mostly novels but some short stories too. This mostly just reflects my personal reading preference. I want to read contemporary work - rather than historical classics - to support current writers, publishers, and translators as much as possible. I am using the UN members list as a guide and going mostly from A to Z in sequence, with some exceptions.
Why I’m doing this
So why do this? Two main reasons:
- There is something very satisfying about setting and achieving goals. At the time I decided to start this reading challenge, my son was reading a book on quests. It got me thinking about how to take my love for reading it and focus it with a goal that would both guide and challenge me. I love reading lists.
- It is more important than ever to understand the world. We live in a time of rising xenophobia in many parts of the world, racist anti-immigration rhetoric, and increasing skepticism about globalization. Reading is a way to talk to, and talk with, the world outside ourselves. By reading a book from every country, I hope to be exposed to a much more diverse view of the world.
What I’ve learned so far
First of all, I’ve come to appreciate the work of publishers and translators to make books from other parts of the world (I live in Canada) available in English. And I also appreciate the work of literary prizes, libraries, web sites and book lovers to publicize work and encourage reading.
Second, e-readers kinda suck. I resisted getting an e-reader for a long time, and finally received one as a gift in June 2016. It’s been convenient, especially when traveling, and I have sometimes found ebooks more quickly than elsewhere. But for fiction especially, there is nothing like reading a printed book. I find a read more deeply, have a better sense of structure of the book, and stay focused for longer periods of time.
Finally, our world is globally interconnected in ways we take for granted. Whatever your political views on ‘globalization’, the books I’ve read keep reminding me how many of us live between and across countries, cultures, and languages. So many books touch on the lasting impact of colonialism, war, and political upheaval. Many others depict people making lives in new countries and navigating the blurred lines between ‘there’ and ‘here’, ‘us’ and ‘them’.
We need to get good at this. That means more understanding the world around us, more empathy for those that seem different, and deeper curiosity about the world. Travel is a great way to explore the world - but that’s often only available to the wealthy, and often shows us parts of the world most easily accessible to casual visitors. That’s where books come in.
Favourite books so far
I am keeping my full list here:
https://fivefreeminutes.wordpress.com/2016/10/02/reading-the-world/
Here are some books I recommend most highly.
- Three by Atiq Rahimi | Atiq Rahimi (Afghanistan)
- Chronicle in Stone | Ismail Kadare (Albania)
- A General Theory of Oblivion| José Eduardo Agualusa (Angola)
- A Narrow Road to the Deep North | Richard Flanagan (Australia)
- A Whole Life | Robert Seethaler (Austria)
- The Good Muslim| Tahmima Anam (Bangladesh)
- Fear and Trembling | Amélie Nothomb (Belgium)
- Turing’s Delirium | Edmundo Paz Soldán (Bolivia)
- Crow Blue | Adriana Lisboa (Brazil)
- East of the West | Miroslav Penkov (Bulgaria)
- In the Shadow of the Vanyan Tree | Vaddey Ratner (Cambodia)
- Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese (Canada)
- Seeing Red | Lina Meruane (Chili)
- Four Books | Yian Lianke (China)
- The Sound of Things Falling | Juan Gabriel Vásquez (Colombia)
- Girl At War | Sara Novic (Croatia)
- The Accusation | ‘Bandi’ (North Korea)
- Tram 83 | Fiston Mwanza Mujila (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- Of Darkness | Josefine Klougart (Denmark)
- This is How You Lose Her | Junot Díaz (Dominican Republic)
- The Queue | Basma Abdel Aziz (Egypt)
- The Healer | Antti Tuomainen (Finland)
- Eyes Full of Empty | Jeremie Guez (France)
More to follow!
