ŷ������

I'm here also this year though I have alwasy less time to read and also less time to be more active on ŷ������.

I will go on with my usual challenges that are not real challenges because I don't have a deadline.

- Far and wide through India
- Far and Wide through Africa
- Novel Cure Challenge
- Countries visited in 2022

Far and wide through India

previous year: /topic/show/...


visited 19 states (54.2%)




States:
Andhra Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Assam
Bihar: India: A Wounded Civilization
Chhattisgarh
Delhi:
The Wildings
Delhi
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
Giligadu: The Lost Days by Chitra Mudgal
Goa: Around India in 80 Trains by Monisha Rajesh
Gujarat:
The Algebra Of Infinite Justice
Il libro di Krishna
Haryana: Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata
Himachal Pradesh: Nine Lives
The Dalai Lama's Cat
The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Art of Purring
Jammu e Kashmir: Kashmir Saivism - The Central Philosophy of Tantrism
Munnu: A Boy From Kashmir by Malik Sajad
Jharkhand
Karnataka:
India. Cinque racconti, sei reportage, tre fumetti
Waiting for the Mahatma by R.K. Narayan
Kerala: Idris : Keeper of the Light
Madhya Pradesh:
Five Past Midnight in Bhopal: The Epic Story of the World's Deadliest Industrial Disaster
Un'isola di mistero : seguito delle avventure di viaggio di Dalle caverne e dalle giungle dell'Indostan
A Long Way Home
Maharashtra:
Sacred Games
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
Saturday Date
The Moor's Last Sigh
ŚRĪ JÑĀNEŚVARA : Lo yogin cantore della libertà
Family Matters
Sri Sai Satcharitra: The Wonderful Life and Teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba
The Gift of Anger: And Other Lessons from My Grandfather Mahatma Gandhi
Manipur: WARI: A collection of Manipuri Short Stories
Meghalaya
Mizoram: Zorami
Nagaland
Orissa: eFiction India Vol. 1 Issue 07
Punjab: Train to Pakistan
Rajasthan: India Was One
Sikkim
Tamil Nadu:
Shilappadikaram
The Toss of a Lemon
Tripura
Uttar Pradesh:
Sea of Poppies
Krsna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead: v. 1
Uttarakhand
West Bengal:
Freedom at Midnight
The City of Joy
The Sleeping Dictionary
Sister of My Heart
The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice
The Lives of Others
The Hungry Tide
A Long Way Home

India without a real setting:
Kamasutra
71 Golden Tales of Panchatantra
A Fine Balance
L'Induismo
Timeless wisdom from ancient India
The Dance of Siva: Essays on Indian Art and Culture
The Difficulty of Being Good: On the Subtle Art of Dharma
Animal's People

Far and Wide through Africa

previous year: /topic/show/...


visited 15 states (6.66%)



Algeria: The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles
The Plague by Albert Camus
Angola
Benin
Botswana: Precious Ramotswe, detective by Alexander McCall Smith
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Camerun
Capo Verde
Ciad
Comore
Costa d'Avorio
Egitto
Eritrea
Etiopia; The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuściński
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana: Stelle nere by Ryszard Kapuściński
The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuściński
Gibuti
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea Equatoriale
Kenya: I Dreamed of Africa by Kuki Gallmann
Lesotho
Liberia; The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuściński
Libia
Madagascar: Ghost of Chance by William S. Burroughs
Malawi
Mali
Marocco: Dreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood by Fatema Mernissi
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mozambico
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria: The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuściński
Rep. Centrafricana
Rep. del Congo
RD del Congo: Stelle nere by Ryszard Kapuściński
Ruanda: The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuściński
São Tomé e Príncipe
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia: Don't Tell Me You're Afraid by Giuseppe Catozzella
La linea del colore by Igiaba Scego
Sudafrica
Sudan: The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuściński
Sudan del Sud
Swaziland
Tanzania: Afterlives
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda: The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuściński
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Novel Cure Challenge

previous year: /topic/show/...

In 2020 and 2021 I haven't even read a book for this challenge.

Review with all the books listed for this challenge: /review/show...

Countries visited in 2022

previous year: /topic/show/...

1) Africa/Tanzania: Afterlives
2) Ireland: Dracula
The Mammy
Country Girl: A Memoir
3) Mongolia: The White Mountain: A Novel
4) Africa/Somalia: La linea del colore
5) Russia: A Gentleman in Moscow
6) Italy: Quattro stagioni per vivere (Friuli Venezia Giulia)
7) Albania: Domani e per sempre

place holder for challenges I could join in 2022

place holder for challenges I could join in 2022

All the best for all the challenges Dely...!

All the Best Dely :)

Dely, your India and Africa challenge is quite inspiring!
Lovely list of books I might steal a few :P

Happy Reading!

The best place to get references on Indian reads. Thank you and all the best.

Thanks everyone!


Gorab wrote: "The best place to get references on Indian reads. Thank you and all the best."

Haha :D It was me that could find a lot of interesting recommendations in this group and not vice versa! But thank you, I'm flattered!

1) Afterlives by Abdulrazak Gurnah 4,5*

First book I read by this 2021 Literature Nobel winner and I really enjoyed it. The story is set during the German oppucation of East Africa and till now I had never read anything about that period of time. I knew and read about French and British colonies, but not German ones.

It was sad and interesting and the same time

English review: /review/show...

Far and Wide through Africa: 1/Tanzania

Wow! your line up is pretty impressive! all the best for your challenge.

Visalakshi wrote: "Wow! your line up is pretty impressive! all the best for your challenge."

Thank you!

2) Racconti spirituali by Armando Buonaiuto 2*

There is no English edition of this book, but it is a collection of short spiritual stories. At the end of each collection there are the opinions of the editor of this book. I didn't enjoy a lot the selection of these stories.

Italian review: /review/show...

3) ZORAMI: a redemption song by Malsawmi Jacob 3*

English review: /review/show...

Far and Wide through India: Mizoram - 1

4) Dracula by Bram Stoker 2*

Not my cup of tea.

Italian review: /review/show...

I gave Dracula 5 stars, and you 2 stars. I didn't like Dracul by Dacre Stoker. Do you like Dracul, the much more modern book?

Dracula is perhaps the classic that I enjoyed most of all. There was no tedious exposition. There was no digression. Everything was related directly to the main plot. It was adventurous by modern standards and not scary at all. Perhaps that was why I liked it so much. Happy Reading to you!

Luffy wrote: "I gave Dracula 5 stars, and you 2 stars. I didn't like Dracul by Dacre Stoker. Do you like Dracul, the much more modern book?

Dracula is perhaps the classic that I enjoyed most of ..."

I don't know Dracul.

I didn't like Dracula because the characters have no personality. They don't look real or credible. Also some events don't look credible. Of course I know that everything is only fantasy, but the few things that could be real, must sound at least credible.
And then I didn't like a lot the form of diary and letters/telegrams. Also the end was too abrupt and arrived too fast after so many pages of detailed descriptions of everything.

It is a real page turner, but at the end this book didn't leave me anything.

dely wrote: "Luffy wrote: "I gave Dracula 5 stars, and you 2 stars. I didn't like Dracul by Dacre Stoker. Do you like Dracul, the much more modern book?

Dracula is perhaps the classic that I en..."

You said it yourself. You didn't like the Diary/phonograph narration because it made the characters look two dimensional, and you didn't like the characters because they discredited the epistolary style of entry.

I think if there were to be a complete inspection of the characters, they would appear like parodies of baddies. It would add a Dickensian touch to the story and that would not have suited the purpose of the author. I'm not challenging your opinion of the book, I just wanted to share my views.

Luffy wrote: "dely wrote: "Luffy wrote: "I gave Dracula 5 stars, and you 2 stars. I didn't like Dracul by Dacre Stoker. Do you like Dracul, the much more modern book?

Dracula is perhaps the clas..."

Thank you for sharing your opinion! I always like to hear opinions by other readers, why they liked a book I didin't like or vice versa. This often helps to understand better a book or the author and to appreciate it a little bit more.

dely wrote: "Luffy wrote: "dely wrote: "Luffy wrote: "I gave Dracula 5 stars, and you 2 stars. I didn't like Dracul by Dacre Stoker. Do you like Dracul, the much more modern book?

Dracula is pe..."

You're welcome. I've had erratic experiences in groups. Sometimes I leave on bellicose terms, other times because of boredom. But I have a soft spot for this group. I will try to make myself a useful participant as far as I can.

Luffy wrote: "You're welcome. I've had erratic experiences in groups. Sometimes I leave on bellicose terms, other times because of boredom. But I have a soft spot for this group. I will try to make myself a useful participant as far as I can. "

Yes, I know what you mean. In all these years on ŷ������ I never had problems though in this group. Of course it also depends upon how we express our opinions :D As long as we use a respectful way of sharing our personal opinions, then I like the exchange.

dely wrote: "Luffy wrote: "You're welcome. I've had erratic experiences in groups. Sometimes I leave on bellicose terms, other times because of boredom. But I have a soft spot for this group. I will try to make..."

Damn straight! :)

5) Agnes Browne mamma by Brendan O'Carroll 3*

English edition: The Mammy

This was really a very very funny book. I had several laugh out loud moments!

dely wrote: "5) Agnes Browne mamma by Brendan O'Carroll 3*

English edition: The Mammy

This was really a very very funny book...."

Hi dely!
I was looking for some funny recs recently. Adding this to my tbr.
:)
All the best for your challenge!

Bookworm wrote: "dely wrote: "5) Agnes Browne mamma by Brendan O'Carroll 3*

English edition: The Mammy

This was really a very ver..."

Thank you!

For me it was really funny and I hope you will enjoy it too!

6) Country Girl. Un'autobiografia by Edna O'Brien 4*

English edition: Country Girl: A Memoir

I have never read a book by this Irish author, but I really liked her autobiography. She is still alive and she had such a full and interesting life, though she also had to face many problems.

Italian review: /review/show...

7) Der weiße Berg by Galsan Tschinag 1*

English edition: The White Mountain: A Novel

Was not able to finish this book. I tried to read it, arrived till pag. 126 in nearly one month, then I gave up because I had the feeling I was wasting my time trying to read this book. I really wanted to read something set in Mongolia, but it's already the second book by this author I DNF. Also, I didn't know that this is the third book of a trilogy. It looks like other readers enjoyed though the first book of the trilogy: The Blue Sky

English review: /review/show...

8) Le beatitudini. La felicità realizzata by Angelo Comastri

This was a quick re-read and I won't review or change rating of my first read done in 2018.

9) La linea del colore by Igiaba Scego 4*

Sadly there is no English translation of this book. It's a book about racial discrimination, slavery, fight for human rights at the end of 1800 in the US, but also a book about today's migration from Africa towards Europe.

Italian review: /review/show...

Sounds like a good book. But for this kind of topic, I prefer nonfiction.

Luffy wrote: "Sounds like a good book. But for this kind of topic, I prefer nonfiction."

Yes, usually I prefer them too, but also a good fiction about these problems isn't that bad. Above all for all those people that wouldn't start a non-fiction. Maybe a fictional book may lead them to want to deepen such topics through non-fiction.

Btw, reading this book I came to know about two African-American women and artists, because the author, for her main character, took inspiration from these two women:
Edmonia Lewis: and Sarah Parker Remond:

After have read the book I went to look for these women, and while reading the book I went to look for other people or pieces of art mentioned in the book. So also a good fiction, if interesting and well written, can help to know a lot of new things (historical, artistical, political).

dely wrote: "Luffy wrote: "Sounds like a good book. But for this kind of topic, I prefer nonfiction."

Yes, usually I prefer them too, but also a good fiction about these problems isn't that bad. Above all for ..."

Thank you for all this info. I have little to add, because I rarely read militant stuff like this book.

10) Un gentiluomo a Mosca 4*

English edition: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

IR group reads - 1

11) Il dono della rabbia e altre lezioni di mio nonno Mahatma Gandhi 4*

English edition: The Gift of Anger: And Other Lessons from My Grandfather Mahatma Gandhi

Far and Wide through India: Maharashtra - 2
IR challenge: 2/5

Italian review: /review/show...

12) Abbi a cuore il Signore 5*

No English edition. It was an old manuscript with several advices from an abbot to a young monk. It has been redescovered and reprinted.

Italian review: /review/show...

13) I cristiani di fronte alla guerra 5*

No English edition. The book contains excerpts of theological Christian writings about peace and forgiveness.

Italian review: /review/show...

14) Quattro stagioni per vivere by Mauro Corona 2*

No English edition. It's about a man that steals a chamois that had been just killed by two hunters. They want revenge and try to kill him, so he must flee and will live by his own in the woods and mountains.

Italian review: /review/show...

15) Cristo nei romanzi di Dostoevskij 3*

No English edition, at least for this author. It is a short book that talks about the figure of Jesus in Dostoevsky's works.

16) Miti & misteri della Liguria. Storie antiche e leggende medievali 3*

No English edition. It's a very short book with legends and myths of an Italian region: Liguria

Group read - Italia: Liguria 1/20

Italian review: /review/show...

17) Liguria fantasiosa. Le più belle fiabe della tradizione popolare 3*

No English edition. It is a collection of fables of the region where I live: Liguria.

Group read - Italia: Liguria 1/20

Italian review: /review/show...

18) Ripartiamo dalle basi. Cassetta degli attrezzi per capire l'attualità e la politica by Emilio Mola 4*

It's a book with basic informations about how the Italian state and the European Union work. It is written in a very simple and flowing way and I really enjoyed reading it. I've learned a lot of things I didn't know before, or that I knew only in a confused way.

Italian review: /review/show...

19) Il meraviglioso viaggio di Nils Holgersson by Selma Lagerlöf 2*

English edition: The Wonderful Adventures of Nils

Didn't like this book. It was pretty boring and reading so much about Sweden didn't help me to know Swedish geography. On the contrary, I was only confused. Too many informations for a person that doesn't know Sweden. I think this book is surely appreciated by readers that already know Sweden and maybe have been there.
Two stars only because I managed to finish it.

20) Sale, non miele by Luigi Maria Epicoco 4*

English edition: Salt, Not Honey: For a Faith That Stings. . It was a very interesting read (I should change rating and add a higher rating) about the 3 theological virtues in Christianity: faith, hope and Charity. They are really very well explained.

Hi dely. I understand French and I am an intermediate learner in Spanish, but I don't know if learning Italian is within the capacity of my poor brain.

Luffy wrote: "Hi dely. I understand French and I am an intermediate learner in Spanish, but I don't know if learning Italian is within the capacity of my poor brain."

Why not! If you know some French and Spanish, then I'm sure you would be able to understand also some Italian :D

dely wrote: "Luffy wrote: "Hi dely. I understand French and I am an intermediate learner in Spanish, but I don't know if learning Italian is within the capacity of my poor brain."

Why not! If you know some Fre..."

You mean well :) and, we'll see. Since there is a limited number of languages I can learn (me being an average Joe), I must make my choices count. EDIT : No disrespect. EDIT : I want to learn languages from different parts of the world :)

Luffy wrote: "dely wrote: "Luffy wrote: "Hi dely. I understand French and I am an intermediate learner in Spanish, but I don't know if learning Italian is within the capacity of my poor brain."

Why not! If you ..."

Hahaha, now I'm curious to know why you prefer French and Spanish to Italian :D

Do you want to visit those countries or do you want to read in original language some authors you like?