Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion
2016 Read Harder Challenge
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Task 13: Read a Book That's Set in the Middle East
Well, I just looked that up on Wikipedia and found this list: .Guess I am going to need to change my book.
I will read The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani
Bea wrote: "Well, I just looked that up on Wikipedia and found this list: Territories and regions (of the Middle East).... Oh good. I was thinking of reading To the End of the Land but wasn't sure if Israel counted.
I am going to read
.
I'm going to try for Escape from Baghdad by Saad Hossain if I can find it on inter library loan.
I've just reserved Reading Lolita in Tehran from my local library. Heard great things about it. And, since I've never read Lolita... (rabbit-hole!).
I have a couple of others on my shelf as well: The Yacoubian Building and The Map of Love.
I have a couple of others on my shelf as well: The Yacoubian Building and The Map of Love.
I think I might try Istanbul: Memories and the City. I had to look on that link to make sure Turkey counted!
There are so many choices in this category. I'm reading The Architect's Apprentice right now and probably won't finish it before the first of the year. This will probably be the first 2016 challenge category that I complete.
Jolynne wrote: "An Unnecessary WomanThis book is great!"
I agree! I read it last year and it was one of my favorites.
Cheryl wrote: "I am going to read 
or."I liked both of those.
I have a lot of books on my To-Read shelf that can apply ( Woman at Point Zero, Alif the Unseen); I just finished a graphic memoir, The Arab of the Future.But for this task, I will most likely use The Attack.
I've had A Thousand Splendid Suns sitting on my shelf for a while. I will probably read that for this topic.
I really loved Reading Lolita in Tehran--this would also totally work in the feminist book category. I think I'll be reading The Dovekeepers for this task.
Jaleenajo wrote: "I really loved Reading Lolita in Tehran--this would also totally work in the feminist book category. I think I'll be reading The Dovekeepers for this task."I have been wanting to read The Dovekeepers as well! I will be adding it for this task.
Jolynne wrote: "An Unnecessary WomanThis book is great!"
I am so torn between this and A Thousand Splendid Suns!!
Since i come from Egypt which happens to be in the Middle East, i can recommend the following books:The Cairo Trilogy - Naguib Mahfouz - Noble prize winner
In the Eye of the Sun - Ahdaf Soueif
Things i have been silent about - Azar Nafisi
Martha wrote: "Jolynne wrote: "An Unnecessary WomanThis book is great!"
I agree! I read it last year and it was one of my favorites."
Well I had planned on reading something else for this task but you have convinced me and I bought and will read An Unnecessary Woman. So much for my goal of only reading books I already own.
Anyone read Zoe Ferraris? Her books are set in Saudi Arabia and worth checking out if looking for something from the mystery genre.
What about a book set in a fictional place that is based on Middle Eastern culture? i.e. The Assassin's Curse or The Wrath and the Dawn
Rainey wrote: "Martha wrote: "Jolynne wrote: "An Unnecessary WomanThis book is great!"
I agree! I read it last year and it was one of my favorites."
Well I had planned on reading something els..."
What were you going to read? I'm not finding anything appealing. I was thinking one of Khaled Hosseini books.
Bea wrote: "Well, I just looked that up on Wikipedia and found this list: Territories and regions (of the Middle East).Guess I am going to need to change my book.
I will read [book:The Blood of Flowers|3486..."
That is one of my all time favorites. You're going to love it!
How about "I am Malala"? That should work, right?
Tatiana wrote: "I've had A Thousand Splendid Suns sitting on my shelf for a while. I will probably read that for this topic."Loved it!
Laura wrote: "Jolynne wrote: "An Unnecessary WomanThis book is great!"
I am so torn between this and A Thousand Splendid Suns!!"
I didn't read the first one , but your second choice was an awesome read.
Lucia wrote: "How about "I am Malala"? That should work, right?"Pakistan is not considered to be part of the Middle East -- it's in South Asia.
The Greater Middle East was a political term coined by the second Bush administration in the first decade of the 21st century,[24] to denote various countries, pertaining to the Muslim world, specifically Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan.[25] Various Central Asian countries are sometimes also included.
I've been putting off The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini for a few years, so this might be a hint that now is the time to read it.
Bobby wrote: "I've been putting off The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini for a few years, so this might be a hint that now is the time to read it."Ditto this :D
Bobby wrote: "I've been putting off The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini for a few years, so this might be a hint that now is the time to read it."You may also want to count it as your completion for reading the first book in a series by a person of color! :) I'm reading this for that category, and A Thousand Splendid Suns for this.
I'm going to read My Men Are My Heroes: The Brad Kasal Story for this challenge. I've had it on my shelf calling my name since last year!
Dom wrote: "I've just reserved Reading Lolita in Tehran from my local library. Heard great things about it. And, since I've never read Lolita... (rabbit-hole!). I have a couple of oth..."
I enjoyed The Map of Love. I read for a book group years ago and then again later because I liked it so much.
I wonder if Pomegranate Soup qualifies� written by an Iranian author, a family transplants to Ireland. I have no idea how much takes place in the Middle East before the book switches.
Natalie wrote: "Anyone read Zoe Ferraris? Her books are set in Saudi Arabia and worth checking out if looking for something from the mystery genre."Yup! I just started
to meet this challenge.
Ashley wrote: "What about a book set in a fictional place that is based on Middle Eastern culture? i.e. The Assassin's Curse or The Wrath and the Dawn"When I looked up Khorasan where "The Wrath and the Dawn" takes place, I found that it is "a historic region which lies mostly in parts of modern-day Iran." For this reason, I have chosen this book for a book that is set in the Middle East.
Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Inshallah, Habibi (other topics)Alif the Unseen (other topics)
Alif the Unseen (other topics)
Inshallah, Habibi (other topics)
Chicken with Plums (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Tamim Ansary (other topics)Terry Hayes (other topics)
Shirin Ebadi (other topics)
George Alec Effinger (other topics)
Zoë Ferraris (other topics)
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A few resources to get you started:
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