This is interesting (well, it is slightly to me, anyway). World 66 is a travel site where you can create a map of all the countries you’ve visited. Weekly Geeks, which I heard about via Farm Lane Books, suggested using it to create a map of countries we’ve read about. I have based mine on what I’ve read since the beginning of 2008.
Although the furthest extent of my travel in the past year and a half has been to go Waterstone’s in Chester, I’ve read about lots of far-flung places, including Tucson, Arizona in Goats by Mark Poirier, Antarctica in Tania Hershman’s The White Road and a weird, hellish dimension somewhere parallel to Australia in The Pilo Family Circus by Will Elliott. I have clearly neglected South America, as the two Isobel All
ende books I’ve ever read were a few years ago, but I have to confess I don’t have much motivation to remedy that at the moment.
Instead, I’d like to read more about Africa, having recently finished Andrew Sharp’s wonderful novel The Ghosts of Eden, set in Uganda. I also like the look of Matt Beynon Rees’s Palestinian mysteries, and want to add Iceland to my map with The Blue Fox by Sjón.
Caroline Rance's debut historical novel, Kill-Grief, set in 18th-century Chester, is out now.
17 responses so far ↓
Care // July 12, 2009 at 1:32 pm
This is a fun WG! Thanks for the rec for The Ghosts of Eden – looks good.
sarah // July 12, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Tell me more about The ghosts of Eden – my husband has been to Uganda a few times and loves the country…maybe I should buy it for him.
This virtual travel map is a great idea!
Caroline Rance // July 12, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Thanks for commenting, Care – this is my first WG – great fun, and I’m going to try to do some more.
Sarah – The Ghosts of Eden is excellent – I am sure your husband would enjoy it as the sense of Uganda’s own character and atmosphere is very strong. Brothers Stanley and Zachye, and missionaries’ son Michael are growing up in very different lifestyles there in the 1950s. Thirty years later, Michael, who has become a surgeon, has to return to Uganda and face up to the tragedies of his childhood. Then he falls in love…
The writing is beautiful – very elegant and unobtrusive. Some nice touches of quiet humour too, especially towards the beginning.
annebrooke // July 12, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Ah, The Blue Fox – a terrible novel. I hated it!!
==:O
Axxx
sarah // July 12, 2009 at 6:17 pm
I liked The Blue Fox, but it is, I suppose, more like a prose poem that a novel. Very spare and ‘magical’.
terri // July 12, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Well done for just a year and a half! Ghosts of Eden is going on my watch list. I haven’t read much of west Africa, mostly south and east. Thanks for playing WG and welcome!
Caroline Rance // July 12, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Interesting to hear different views on The Blue Fox. It was in the indie promotion with me but I don’t know how it did. I’ll give it a go and report back.
Thanks for the welcome to WG, Terri, and for setting such a fun challenge!
Jackie (Farm Lane Books) // July 12, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Your map is very similar to mine! We both seem to be lacking South American books. I’m going to try to find a few in the next few months, so that by the end of the year each continent is a lot more balanced.
Caroline Rance // July 12, 2009 at 9:37 pm
I read Allende’s Portrait in Sepia a while back and quite enjoyed it but wouldn’t rave about it. The House of the Spirits is supposed to be very good, so maybe I’ll try that.
Melanie // July 13, 2009 at 3:26 am
I too found that South America was not a big reading destination for me. Maybe I’ll try an Allende someday… This map was fun to create and it’ll be interesting to keep updating it.
Caroline Rance // July 13, 2009 at 6:30 am
Yes, it will be fun to keep updating – maybe one day to have the entire thing covered in red!
gautami tripathy // July 13, 2009 at 4:28 pm
I need to visit Central America and more of Africa!
Weekly Geeks
Kristen // July 13, 2009 at 8:57 pm
I’m discovering so many great books with this weeks theme!
Maree // July 14, 2009 at 10:58 am
Welcome to the Weekly Geeks! My map isn’t very red at all …
pussreboots // July 14, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Isabel Allende is a good start for reading something from South America. Thanks for stopping by.
sarah // July 14, 2009 at 9:52 pm
The House of the Spirits is wonderful!
susan // July 16, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Enjoyed viewing your map and reading your thoughts on recent reads. Thanks.