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Sometimes, to get a better feel for the setting of the book I am reading, I like to add a little something extra from that country to my reading experience. Here are some examples:

* Listening to music from your setting
* Cooking and/or eating/drinking something from regional cuisine
* Watching a movie set in place you're reading about
* Look up pictures of the place you are reading about
* Aromatherapy with scents specific to setting
* Learn a few words from the native language

Read a book and add something extra. Tell us what you read and what you did.

Oh nice :) A group of friends and I already do this. Every month someone hosts a dinner and if possible we listen to music from that country then watch a movie or a few eps of a soap opera. The host also teaches a few words related to hospitality/eating. Last month was Afghanistan, Brazil is next month, then Italy and Mongolia. We have also done India, Sri Lanka, Korea and Britain (high tea). Another girl and I also read a book or books from the country. I really like the idea of adding some scents in the mix too, especially while reading! Great!

Some details about the Afghan night, which I hosted:

A few weeks beforehand, I found a copy of A Thousand Splendid Suns in a charity shop. I hadn't read it before, so thought it would be a good opportunity for a theme night. By the time of the dinner, I was about half way through.

I cooked a feast for my friends (a total of 9 of us) including a main, two sides, fresh baked flat bread and condiments, followed by fresh seasonal fruits and cardamon tea. We watched Osama on DVD, and while usually I would play an Internet Radio Station from the setting, it kept dropping out, so i didn't worry about it. We even ate on the floor on a tablecloth, with all the dishes arranged in the middle :) It was a great night, and one of the guests, who had spent time in Afghanistan as a paramedic, said it was pretty authentic, which is always a concern when cooking something new. So that was great.

I was so excited to keep the experience going after everyone had left for the night that I stayed up until 3am to finish the book! It was slow going for the last 30mins because I was crying like a baby and couldn't see the page through my tears. Immersion in the sounds/smells and tastes of the setting undoubtedly amplify my reactions/enjoyment.

Kellyanne wrote: "Oh nice :) A group of friends and I already do this. Every month someone hosts a dinner and if possible we listen to music from that country then watch a movie or a few eps of a soap opera. The hos..."

Wow, I would LOVE to do that! I few years ago we tried something similar in one of my Mom's groups. We just did the food, though, and sometimes added the music, depending on who was hosting. I thought it was a lot of fun, but apparently some of the others weren't as into it, as it only went on for a few months. I think it is so wonderful that you are doing this. I so want to crash one of your dinners!

Diane wrote: "Kellyanne wrote: "Oh nice :) A group of friends and I already do this. Every month someone hosts a dinner and if possible we listen to music from that country then watch a movie or a few eps of a s..."

Next time you are in Queensland Australia, we will tee it up :) Everyone welcome!

Hello!

My ancestry is Scottish on my father's side, and Wendish (Sorbian) on my mother's side.

I want to do 3-D studies of both cultures, doing at least 5-10 bits of learning about each one.

December 16, 2020--open ended

SCOTTISH FINISHED

10 out of 10

1) Duolingo-- studying Scottish Gaelic-- ongoing since Dec. 16, 2020 until Feb. 20, 2021
2) Movie "Mary, Queen of Scots" on 3-2-21 & extras on 3-3-21
3) Heroes: People Who Made a Difference in Our World Harold J. Sala 4-9-21 (Several people from Scotland)
4) Mammal Menu Meish Goldish 6-6-21 (Haggis)
5) Daring Dogs: 30 True Tales of Heroic Hounds Kimberlie Hamilton 6-12-21 (The Golden Retriever Festival at the breed's ancestral home.)
6) Merrymaking in Great Britain Margaret Chittenden 8-8-21
7) Robinson's Genetics for Cat Breeders and Veterinarians Carolyn M. Vella 8-28-21 (Scottish Fold cats bred there)
8) Scotland in Photographs Shahbaz Majeed 9-20-21
9) Let's Visit: Scotland Annabelle Lynch 9-29-21
10) Scotland Alicia Klepeis 10-1-21




WENDISH FINISHED

5 out of 5

1) "The Leaders of the Wendish Campaign of 1147" by Jay T. Lees in The Second Crusade: Holy War on the Periphery of Latin Christendom Jason T. Roche 10-2-21
2) A Voyage of Hopes and Dreams Frank Wissel 10-26-21
3) It Must Be the Noodles: & Other Wendish Stories from Mama’s Texas Kitchen Ray Spitzenberger 1-17-22
4) Wendish Texans Sylvia Ann Grider 4-10-22
5) Book: Five Centuries: The Wends and the Reformation by Concordia University Press, 9-12-22

Helen, con't.

Two other areas I want to study, with books, movies & in other ways.

LINGUISTICS, LANGUAGES

10 out of 10 FINISHED

1) Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World Tyson Yunkaporta 2-21-21 (Indigenous Australian languages)
2) Studied Scottish Gaelic Dec. 2020-Feb. 2021
3) Studied Esperanto (getting to Level 4 in all) starting Feb. 2021
4) What the Eagle Sees: Indigenous Stories of Rebellion and Renewal Eldon Yellowhorn 3-7-21 (Indigenous Languages in USA)
5) How to Be an Antiracist Ibram X. Kendi 3-7-21 (Ebonics, et. al)
6) Cruel Miracles Orson Scott Card 3-12-21 (In "Kingsmeat," learning to communicate with octopus-like aliens)
7) Heroes: People Who Made a Difference in Our World Harold J. Sala 4-9-21 (several translated Bibles)
8) A Pinky is a Baby Mouse: And Other Baby Animal Names Pam Muñoz Ryan 5-9-21 (worldwide baby animal names)
9) Beyond the Great Mountains: A Visual Poem about China Ed Young 6-6-21 (Chinese character development)
10) Life on Surtsey: Iceland's Upstart Island Loree Griffin Burns 7-10-21 (Icelandish linguistics)


CURRENT EVENTS, CURRENT ISSUES

30 out of 30 FINISHED

1) The World's Poorest President Speaks Out Yoshimi Kusaba 12-18-20
--climate change, world sustainability, life styles for contentment
2) Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance Noam Chomsky 12-31-20
--the U.S government & its methods of world dominance
3) Conversations with God Book 3: An Uncommon Dialogue Neale Donald Walsch 1-11-21 --how to improve our culture starting individually
4) I Am a Taxi Deborah Ellis 1-15-21 (Child work & imprisonment in Bolivian drug trade)
5) Terrorist John Updike 1-28-21 (making of a terrorist & interfaith cures for it)
6) Sacred Leaf Deborah Ellis 2-2-21 (Use of nonviolent resistance by group.)
7) How the Penguins Saved Veronica Hazel Prior 2-2-21 (Climate change, endangered species)
8) "Lean on Pete"- movie, 2-5-21 (US poverty, homelessness)
9) The Breadwinner Deborah Ellis 2-6-21 (Afghans under Taliban, women's issues worldwide)
10) No Ordinary Day Deborah Ellis 2-6-21 (runaway kids, poverty, homelessness, global medicine, child sex work)
11) Parvana's Journey Deborah Ellis 2-11-21 (war, refugees, homeless kids in a rural setting)
12) Mud City Deborah Ellis 2-11-21 (war, refugees, homeless kids in city)
13) My Name Is Parvana Deborah Ellis 2-12-21 (war, education, US military interrogation of terrorist suspects)
13) Don't Lie to Me: And Stop Trying to Steal Our Freedom Jeanine Pirro 2-12-21 (US liberals vs. conservatives)
14) "Cry Freedom" movie about S. Biko & D. Woods, racial tension & apartheid 2-18-21
15) In from the Cold Deborah Ellis 2-21-21 (homelessness, domestic violence, justice system, foster care)
16) Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man Mary L. Trump 2-22-21 (President Trump)
17) Light for the World to See: A Thousand Words on Race and Hope Kwame Alexander 3-2-21 (African-Americans in the USA)
18) How to Be an Antiracist Ibram X. Kendi 3-7-21 (Blacks in the USA)
19) Our History Is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance Nick Estes 3-7-21 (Dakota Access Pipeline protests)
20) Dumpty: The Age of Trump in Verse John Lithgow 3-12-21
21) Trumpty Dumpty Wanted a Crown: Verses for a Despotic Age John Lithgow 3-28-21
22) Doing What's Right: How to Fight for What You Believe--And Make a Difference Tavis Smiley 4-9-21 (activism in any field)
23) Everything is F*cked: A Book About Hope Mark Manson 4-20-21 (philosophies of politics + various religions + science)
24) A Shot in the Arm! Don Brown 4-30-21 (COVID-19 vaccinations)
25) The Circle Dave Eggers 5-3-21 (Facebook, social media)
26) Refugee 87 Ele Fountain 5-3-21 (child refugees, adults put into detention by military)
27) Brief Encounters with Che Guevara: Stories
Ben Fountain 5-11-21 (Dev. world encountering developing world)
28) Movie "The Weather Underground" -- precursor of BLM in the USA, 5-12-21
29) Class Lucinda Rosenfeld 6-7-21 (class issues in middle class people)
30) Our Malady: Lessons in Liberty from a Hospital Diary Timothy Snyder 6-25-21 (poor American health care)

Helen, cont.

Other areas I want to study:
starting December 21, 2020

Central & South America in books & movies FINISHED

30 out of 30

1) The World's Poorest President Speaks Out Yoshimi Kusaba 12-18-20 (Uruguay)
2) El violín de Ada (Ada's Violin): La historia de la Orquesta de Instrumentos Reciclados del Paraguay Susan Hood 12-29-20 (Paraguay)
3) Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance Noam Chomsky 12-31-20
4) Psiconautas: TV show from Argentina
5) The Salt of the Earth: documentary movie from Brazil
6) Amazonia James Rollins 1-15-21 (Brazil: Amazon indigenous tribes)
7) Interventions Noam Chomsky 1-28-21
8) Sacred Leaf Deborah Ellis 2-2-21 (Bolivia)
9) "Angelito Mio" movie about girl angel looking for God. (Latin America)
10) Heroes: People Who Made a Difference in Our World Harold J. Sala 4-9-21 (Rosario Rivera from Peru)
11) Patterns in Peru: An Adventure in Patterning Cindy Neuschwander 4-24-21
12) The Dreamer Pam Muñoz Ryan 5-2-21 (Chile)
13) Refugee 87 Ele Fountain 5-3-21 (anywhere)
14) Peru Leslie Jermyn 5-3-21 (Peru--Festivals)
15) Brief Encounters with Che Guevara: Stories Ben Fountain 5-11-21 (Colombia war, Haiti, voodoo)
16) Mammal Menu Meish Goldish 6-6-21 (Peru--Grilled cow's heart)
17) The Knowledge of Good & Evil Glenn Kleier 6-7-21 (St. Maartens)
18) Frida Kahlo: The Story of Her Life Vanna Vinci 6-8-21 (Mexico)
19) Lunatics Dave Barry 6-10-21 (Cuba)
20) Salvador Joan Didion 6-12-21 (El Salvador)
21) Daring Dogs: 30 True Tales of Heroic Hounds Kimberlie Hamilton 6-12-21 (Bolivia celebrates St. Roch's Day on August 16 with parades of costumed dogs)
22) Movie "Lord of the Ants" about E.O. Wilson studying ants in Central America 6-16-21
23) Private L.A. James Patterson 6-22-21 (Kidnapped to Mexico)
24) Soccer in South America Mike Kennedy 6-25-21
25) Movie "Gringo" (local actors in Mexico City, and Veracruz during Carnival)
26) Samba Alma Guillermoprieto 7-6-21 (Samba in Brazil)
27) Soccer Star Kaka Jeff Burlingame 7-10-21 (Brazilian)
28) Soccer Star Ronaldinho John A. Torres 7-11-21 (Brazil)
29) Soccer's greatest records Emily Jankowski 7-11-21 (Brazil)
30) Soccer Star Lionel Messi John A. Torres 7-11-21 (Argentina)





Indigenous Peoples FINISHED
30 out of 30

1) I Am a Taxi Deborah Ellis 1-15-21 (Indigenous people in Bolivia)
2) Amazonia James Rollins 1-15-21 (Brazil: Amazon indigenous tribes)
3) The Cat at the Wall Deborah Ellis 1-17-21 (Palestinians)
4) "The Hill" podcast having discussion with leaders of Hawaiian civic clubs, Int'l Indigenous People's President & Lakota VP from South Dakota. 1-26-21
5) A is for Acorn: A California Indian ABC Analisa Tripp 1-30-21 (Indigenous tribes)
6) Sacred Leaf Deborah Ellis 2-2-21 (Bolivians)
7) C Is for Coyote: A Southwest Alphabet Book Andrea Helman 2-6-21 (US First Peoples)
8) "A" is for Aloha: A Hawai'i Alphabet U'ilani Goldsberry 2-6-21 (Discovery & culture of Hawaii)
9) Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World Tyson Yunkaporta 2-21-21 (Australian Aborigines)
10) What the Eagle Sees: Indigenous Stories of Rebellion and Renewal Eldon Yellowhorn 3-7-21 (Indigenous peoples in North America)
11) Our History Is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance Nick Estes 3-7-21 (Indigenous peoples in the USA)
12) "Peace Child" movie about natives in Papua, New Guinea 3-31-21
13) Heroes: People Who Made a Difference in Our World Harold J. Sala 4-9-21 (Bruce Olson who contacted the Moltilone Indians in Venezuela)
14) Patterns in Peru: An Adventure in Patterning
Cindy Neuschwander 4-24-21 (Inhabitants of ancient Lost City of Quwi)
15) A Shot in the Arm! Don Brown 4-30-21 (smallpox in USA)
16) Movie: "The Betrayal-- Nerakhoon": about Laotians in relation to USA culture 5-13-21
17) Movie: "Reel Injun" =Native Americans in US movies
18) Smithsonian article about the Hopi runner in the Olympics
19) Lost States: True Stories of Texlahoma, Transylvania, and Other States That Never Made It Michael J. Trinklein 6-20-21 (Sequoyah)
20) Indian No More Charlene Willing McManis 6-26-21 (Umpqua Termination 1950's)
21) Historic California: Its Colorful Names and How It Got Them Alton Pryor 7-3-21 (lots of Native place names)
22) "Indian Horse" movie about Canada's residential schools, 7-15 and 7-16 (extras).
23) Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
Isabel Wilkerson 7-20-21 (White cruelty to them, pages 152-153)
24) Narwhal on a Sunny Night Mary Pope Osborne 7-28-21 (Inuit people in Greenland)
25) Classic Tales in California History Alton Pryor 7-30-21 (Story of Ishi)
26) Him Standing Richard Wagamese 7-30-21 (about shamanic mask making)
27) Genesis: The Deep Origin of Societies Edward O. Wilson 8-8-21 (deadly human violence at all levels in Aboriginal Australia)
28) The Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea Sy Montgomery 8-8-21 (New Guineans)
29) Odd and Unusual Tales from the Old West Alton Pryor 8-9-21 (Native Americans)
30) How the Zebra Got Its Stripes: Darwinian Stories Told Through Evolutionary Biology Léo Grasset 8-9-21 (African Pygmies)

Animals Challenge

Read or watch about the following animals
42 out of 42 FINISHED

1) Big Cats--5 FINISHED
1) "Big Cats" BBC special on 8-11-21
2) Siberian tigers in Russia Amy Rechner 9-3-21
3) Vietnam Emily Rose Oachs 9-6-21 (Clouded Leopard)
4) Spain Rechner, Amy 9-6-21 (Iberian Lynx)
5) We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast Jonathan Safran Foer 9-11-21 (Saber-toothed tigers)

2) Hedgehog/Badger--3 FINISHED
1) Resistance Barry López 9-21-21 (badger)
2) Badgers Mari Schuh 10-3-21 (badgers)
3) Hedgehog Joyce L. Markovics 10-10-21 (hedgehogs)

3) Snake--3 FINISHED
1) Steve and Bindi Irwin Amy E. Breguet 8-9-21
2) Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of Pablo's Nose Donald J. Sobol 9-20-21
3) India Emily Rose Oachs 9-20-21 (Indian Python)


4) Primates--5 FINISHED
1) The Bolivian Diary: Authorized Edition Ernesto Che Guevara 9-21-21 (monkey)
2) Let's Visit: Scotland Annabelle Lynch 9-29-21 (Japanese Macaque)
3) Indonesia Christina Leaf 9-29-21 (Gray Long-tailed Macaque) 9-29-21
4) Africa Annette Whipple 9-29-21 (Lemurs)
5) South Sudan Amy Rechner 10-3-21 (baboons, chimpanzees)

5) Pigs--3 FINISHED
1) raisins in milk david coven 9-5-21
2) Animals you Never Even Heard Of Patricia Curtis 9-15-21 (babirusa)
3) Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting on 10-7-21 (Gub-Gub)

6) Rodents--5 FINISHED
1) Toxic Risks: Science, Regulation, and Perception Ronald E. Gots 7-20-21 (mice)
2) Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse Leo Lionni 8-3-21 (mice)
3) Noisy Nora Rosemary Wells 8-7-21 (mice)
4) Living with Our Genes: Why They Matter More Than You Think Dean H. Hamer 8-14-21 (rats)
5) Swimming Lessons and Other Stories from Firozsha Baag Rohinton Mistry 8-14-21 (rats)

7) Fish/Ocean Mammals--5 FINISHED
1) Narwhal on a Sunny Night Mary Pope Osborne 7-28-21 (Orcas & narwhals)
2) Argentina Christina Leaf 8-10-21 (whales)
3) Hawai'i Karen Durrie 8-11-21 (Raccoon butterfly fish)
4) Little Known Tales in San Francisco History Alton Pryor 8-20-21 (sea otters)
5) Iceland Alicia Klepeis 9-5-21 (seals)

8) Insects/Spiders--3 FINISHED
1) The Selfish Gene Richard Dawkins 7-7-21 (ants)
2) Life on Surtsey: Iceland's Upstart Island Loree Griffin Burns 7-10-21 (insects)
3) Genesis: The Deep Origin of Societies Edward O. Wilson 8-8-21 (termites)

9) Elephants--5 FINISHED
1) How the Zebra Got Its Stripes: Darwinian Stories Told Through Evolutionary Biology Léo Grasset 8-9-21
2) The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins Barbara Kerley 9-15-21 (mastodons)
3) Animals Marco Polo Saw: An Adventure on the Silk Road Sandra Markle 9-15-21
4) Jobs If You Like Animals Charlotte Guillain 9-15-21
5) Monique and the Mango Rains by Kris Holloway 10-21-21

10) Birds of Prey--5 FINISHED
1) Zoo 2 James Patterson 8-22-21 (Falcons, sparrow hawks)
2) Project Princess Meg Cabot 9-5-21 (owls)
3) Germany Amy Rechner 9-6-21 (Falcon, Golden Eagle)
4) Champ and Major: First Dogs Joy McCullough 9-24-21 (Bald Eagle)
5) Bleaker House: Chasing My Novel to the End of the World Nell Stevens 9-26-21 (Albatross)

Animals, cont. FINISHED
48 out of 48

11) Rabbit/Hare--5 FINISHED
1) The Pooh Perplex Frederick C. Crews 7-28-21
2) Inuit Cherry Alexander 9-11-21 (arctic hare)
3) Ireland Amy Rechner 9-20-21 (Irish hare)
4) Scotland by Alicia Klepeis 10-2-21 (Mountain Hare)
5) The Polar Express Chris Van Allsburg 10-10-21 (white-tailed rabbits)

12) Bears--5 FINISHED
1) Golden Gate Park, an A to Z Adventure Marta Lindsey 8-10-21 (Grizzly bears)
2) I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980 Lauren Tarshis 9-7-21 (Grizzly bears)
3) Letters from Father Christmas J.R.R. Tolkien 9-11-21 (Polar Bear & polar cubs)
4) Alaskan Holiday Debbie Macomber 10-4-21 (bear)
5) The Little Drummer Mouse Mercer Mayer 10-10-21 (brown bear)

13) Swan, Duck, Penguin--3 FINISHED
1) New Zealand Alicia Z Klepeis (Yellow-eyed penguins)
2) Saving the Tasmanian Devil: How Science Is Helping the World’s Largest Marsupial Carnivore Survive Dorothy Hinshaw Patent 9-7-21 (Fairy penguins)
3) The Ugly Duckling Lilian Moore 9-20-21 (Swan)

14) Aust. Animal/Marsupial--3 FINISHED
1) Night Animals Gianna Marino 8-3-21 (opossums)
2) The Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea Sy Montgomery 8-8-21
3) New Zealand Rebecca E. Hirsch 8-11-21 (kiwi bird)

15) Amphibian--3 FINISHED
1) Nanette's Baguette Mo Willems 7-11-21 (frogs)
2) Costa Rica Alicia Klepeis 9-5-21 (Poison Dart Frog, Strawberry Poison Frog)
3) My Beloved World Sonia Sotomayor 9-24-21 (El coqui, Puerto Rican frog)

16) Octopus, Squid--3
1) Pressure Brian Keene 9-26-21 (Octopus)
2) Octopuses Joanne Mattern 9-26-21 (Octopus)
3) Christmas in Australia World Book Staff 10-21-21 (Squid)

17) Horse--3 FINISHED
1) India Celebrates! (An Around the World Holiday Book) Jane Werner Watson 6-27-21
2) Merrymaking in Great Britain Margaret Chittenden 8-8-21 (Trooping the Colour)
3) Odd and Unusual Tales from the Old West Alton Pryor 8-9-21

18) Wolf, Coyote--3 FINISHED
1) It's Time for Bed Ceporah Mearns 9-24-21 (Wolf)
2) Turkey Golriz Golkar 10-3-21 (Gray Wolf)
3) Israel Amy Rechner 10-3-21 (Arabian Wolf)

19) Domestic Cat--10 FINISHED
1) I Knead My Mommy: And Other Poems by Kittens Francesco Marciuliano 6-27-21
2) Flubby Is Not a Good Pet! Jennifer E. Morris 8-20-21
3) The Little Book Of Cats: Poems & Prose Robin Langley Sommer 8-28-21
4) Robinson's Genetics for Cat Breeders and Veterinarians Carolyn M. Vella 8-28-21
5) Name That Cat: Over 1,000 Inventive: and Colorful Names Doug Cassidy 8-28-21
6) The Contented Cat Nobuo Honda 8-28-21
7) Cat Tales Richard Watherwax 8-28-21
8) Christmas Letters Debbie Macomber 9-21-21
9) Santa Clauses: Short Poems from the North Pole Bob Raczka 10-10-21
10) The Twelve Years of Christmas: 1984-1995: The Hotly Contested Memoirs of a Slightly Sub-Normal, Rural Family Through the Use and Abuse of Those Dread Rochelle Doan Craig 10-19-21

20) Domestic Dog--10 FINISHED
1) My Father's Words Patricia MacLachlan 7-11-21
2) Wondrous Rex Patricia MacLachlan 7-13-21
3) No Roses for Harry! Gene Zion 8-7-21
4) Dog Scouts of America Shelley Bueche 8-7-21
5) More Than You Can Handle: A Rare Disease, a Family in Crisis, and the Cutting-Edge Medicine That Cured the Incurable Miguel Sancho 8-8-21
6) Who Was Ernest Shackleton? James Buckley Jr. 8-11-21 (sled dogs)
7) Movie "Wiener Dog" 9-13-21
8) Movie "The Art of Racing in the Rain" 9-19-21
9) Dogs Joanne Mattern 9-24-21
10) Tiny Tales: Stories of Romance, Ambition, Kindness, and Happiness Alexander McCall Smith 10-3-21