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Only one new challenge, the others are the challenges of last year and are neverending.

dely, far and wide through India


visited 15 states (42.8%)
India: A Wounded Civilization
Chhattisgarh
Delhi:
The Wildings
Delhi
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
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
Jammu e Kashmir: Kashmir Saivism - The Central Philosophy of Tantrism
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
Maharashtra:
Sacred Games
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
Saturday Date
Manipur
Meghalaya
Mizoram
Nagaland
Orissa: eFiction India Vol. 1 Issue 07
Punjab: Train to Pakistan
Rajasthan: India Was One
Sikkim
Tamil Nadu
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

India without a real setting:
Kamasutra
71 Golden Tales of Panchatantra
A Fine Balance
L'Induismo

cats
Will try to read at least 5 books every year)


2013

1) The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr by E.T.A. Hoffmann
2) James Herriot's Cat Stories by James Herriot
3) Racconti che fanno le fusa by Julia Deuley
4) Waiting for Gertrude: A Graveyard Gothic by Bill Richardson
5) Bébert, il gatto di Louis-Ferdinand Céline by Frédéric Vitoux
6) Una grande macchia a forma di cuore. I gatti contano con il naso by Laura Sergi
7) Il libro dei gatti tuttofare by T.S. Eliot

2014

1) Kafka sulla spiaggia by Haruki Murakami (it doesn't talk only about cats but they are an important part in this book)
2) La società dei gatti assassini by Akif Pirinçci
3) Gatti, gatti, gatti e altre storie by Giorgio Celli
4) Il condominio dei gatti by Giorgio Celli
5) The Wildings by Nilanjana Roy
6) Ketta & company. I gatti vedono attraverso i muri? by Laura Sergi

2015
1) Best Cat Stories by Lesley O'Mara
2) L'uomo che allevava i gatti e altri racconti by Mo Yan
3) Marian by Eva Polanski

Started this challenge last year. Seen that I'm reading The Novel Cure: From Abandonment to Zestlessness: 751 Books to Cure What Ails You I want to try this "cure" for my diseases. I'm curious to see if the right book can really help. Of course now you will have a psychological profile of me but it's not a problem.
I start with the diseases that start with the A. I'm reading the book in Italian so if you see "low self-esteem" it's because in Italian the word starts with the A.


The Novel Cure

A
agoraphobia: The Woman in the Dunes
anxiety: The Portrait of a Lady ��
apathy: The Postman Always Rings Twice ��
ambition, lack of: The Crimson Petal and the White ��
fall out of love: 1Q84 ��
low self-esteem: The Shipping News and Rebecca ��

bonus: Autonauts of the Cosmoroute (I don't have this disease but I liked the plot).


2014:

apathy: The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
This book was recommended for who suffers of apathy. To tell the truth I'm not apathetic, I'm perhaps idle but there is nothing wrong in idleness. With this book an apathetic should receive some adrenaline to "wake up" but I don't think it helps. Reading about the adventurous and dangerous life of the two main characters I would be glad to be apathetic at least my life is save!

anxiety: The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
This book is suggested for anxious people (I am). It was really a relaxing read (sometimes boring) but it was as if I was walking in the English meadows or among Roman ruins and this was relaxing. Also James' writing style was relaxing and very very slow, there are descriptions full of details.

low self-esteem: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
This books is suggested to people with a low self-esteem and it really helped. Compared to the main character, the second wife, I'm not a person with low self-esteem and I'm not a weak person like her. I feel much better after reading this book, I feel strong and my self-esteem increased a lot!

lack of ambition: The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
This book should help for people who suffer from lack of ambition. Well, after reading the story of Sugar, a prostitute who wants to come out of her misery, I'm really glad I'm a person without amibtions or targets. I live my serene life day after day and by sure I would never behave like Sugar to have something more from my life.

people who don't believe anymore in love: 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
The story of Tengo and Aomame should help people to start believing again in love. When they were 10 years old Aomame holds tight Tengo's hand. She loved him but was never able to tell him and the only thing she could do is holding his hand for a long moment. From this day their lives take different ways because Aomame must move to another town. Now they are 30 years old but they have never forgotten each other though they were never brave enough to look for the other one. But their love is very strong and they will also make some important choices in their lives because of this love; it has influenced their lives though Tengo isn't aware of this while Aomame is.
The whole story doesn't talk about their love, but it is an important part of the book.
Did it help me to start believing again in love? No. I will continue to be the usual cynical person when something has to do with love.


2015:

B
be needy: True Grit by Charles Portis (I'm not a needy person but I liked the plot)

C
resistance to change: Monkey: The Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en ��
cervical: I maestri di tuina by Bi Feiyu
claustrophobia: Little House on the Prairie: Little House on the Prairie #2 by Laura Ingalls Wilder
birthday sadness: Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie (I haven't this disease anymore but it's a long time I want to read this book so now I have an excuse to do it) ��
fear of confrontation: My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok ��


resistance to changes: Monkey: The Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en
This book is recommended to people who are reluctant to change and prefer to lead a peaceful, quiet and safe life.
I'm not afraid of changes but these must occurr gradually, I need time to prepare myself. Sudden changes, however, make me nervous and I rarely do things who are not organized. In The Novel Cure: From Abandonment to Zestlessness: 751 Books to Cure What Ails You the authors also refer to inner changes, but these can't be fearsome because often we are the driving force behind these changes and therefore these changes are sought and desired.
After reading this book nothing has changed in my life but I'm however glad to have read it because it's a good book!

fear of confrontations: My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
This book should be read by people who are afraid of confrontations: if we don't want to live like Asher, we mustn't be scared by confrontations. Usually I'm not afraid of confrontations but it depends with whom I'm arguing. But it's true, I don't like to argue because I'm a calm and peaceful person and often I prefer to "flee" rather than face uncomfortable situations or unpleasant people. Asher needed to be accepted as he was, me not. I don't care if people understand or accept me, I am as I am with or without the approval of other people. But I also know that Asher is a young guy and he needed this approval to live in peace his passion. So I understand why Asher did never say something to his parents: in addition to be mentally closed and to don't be able to understand, he didn't want to hurt them. Did he solve his problem behaving this way? No, so I really don't care for approval and sometimes it's better to be an egoist. By sure everyone should find its identity and this should be done with or without confrontations though without an approval it's more difficult.

birthday sadness: Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
This books is recommended to people that have birthday sadness. I don't have this disease but since I wanted to read this book since a long time, I decided to read it for this challenge. Well, from my 30th to my 40th I had some problems to accept my getting older but when I turned 40 I stopped to care about my age and now I'm a lovely 44 years old woman.
I loved this book and I must admit that compared to the main character everyone should be happy to celebrate his "normal" birthday and to have a normal life. Saleem Sinai, the main character, and other children born during the Indian Independece (at midnight of the 15th August 1947) have special powers that influence their lives, and not always in a good way. Compared to them no one should have birthday sadness.

Original language challenge

This is a new challenge and I want to read as many books as possible (at least 5) in the original language.
I will count separately books in a different language than Italian though it isn't the original language in which the book has been written.
Of course I won't count the books that have Italian as original language.

Bonus: seen that I would like to read Les Misérables if I will read it in French it will count as extra bonus and I will be very proud of myself!


2015

English:
The Taliban Cricket Club by Timeri N. Murari
Around India in 80 Trains by Monisha Rajesh
Butterfly Season by Natasha Ahmed
Eve's Diary, Complete with Original Cover Design and Over 50 Illustrations by Mark Twain

German:
Traumnovelle by Arthur Schnitzler
Hotel Savoy by Joseph Roth
Aus dem Leben eines Taugenichts by Joseph von Eichendorff

Good ones, dely. Hope you have a great reading year 2015.

PSmith wrote: "Good ones, dely. Hope you have a great reading year 2015."

Thanks ;-) I hope it too!

Dave wrote: "Good choices Dely :)
have a wonderful 2015!!"

Thanks! Wish you a good 2015 too.

dely wrote: "Only one new challenge, the others are the challenges of last year and are neverending."

This is such a brilliant idea! The states in red are the ones you've read? How are you finding books from each state? Only non-fiction?

Nidhi wrote: "dely wrote: "Only one new challenge, the others are the challenges of last year and are neverending."

This is such a brilliant idea! The states in red are the ones you've read? How are you finding..."

Yes, the ones I've read. They are both fiction and non-fiction.
Do you mean where I find them or what I think about them? I find them following discussions, recommendations and friends on GR. Some books are only set in a state but it doesn't talk about that state so I don't learn something new; other times the book talks about a historical event so it is more interesting and I learn something new.

dely wrote: "Nidhi wrote: "dely wrote: "Only one new challenge, the others are the challenges of last year and are neverending."

This is such a brilliant idea! The states in red are the ones you've read? How a..."

Yes I meant where :P But this is a fabulous idea! Surprised I never thought of it myself. Definitely putting it up as a challenge for myself! :) :)

Nidhi wrote: "dely wrote: "Nidhi wrote: "dely wrote: "Only one new challenge, the others are the challenges of last year and are neverending."

This is such a brilliant idea! The states in red are the ones you'v..."

You can do it with whatever country you like, if I don't remember wrong there are maps for every country. There is also a world map so you can keep track of the countries you have visited with books.

dely wrote: "Nidhi wrote: "dely wrote: "Nidhi wrote: "dely wrote: "Only one new challenge, the others are the challenges of last year and are neverending."

This is such a brilliant idea! The states in red are ..."

I am definitely copying your idea of a world map! :)

Parikhit wrote: "I am definitely copying your idea of a world map! :) "

;D

India challenge:

1) Waiting for the Mahatma by R.K. Narayan (Karnataka)

cat-challenge:

1) Best Cat Stories by Lesley O'Mara

original-language-challenge:

1) The Taliban Cricket Club by Timeri N. Murari

India challenge:

2) Delhi by Khushwant Singh (Delhi)

India challenge:

3) Un'isola di mistero : seguito delle avventure di viaggio di Dalle caverne e dalle giungle dell'Indostan by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

It has more than one setting, I choose Madhya Pradesh because it is set above all there.

Original language challenge (German):

2) Traumnovelle by Arthur Schnitzler

Original language challenge (German):

3) Hotel Savoy by Joseph Roth

Great dely. Your challenges are going along fine.

PSmith wrote: "Great dely. Your challenges are going along fine."

Thanks. Yes, this year I can't complain!

Novel Cure Challenge:

1) Monkey: The Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en

This book is recommended to people who are reluctant to change and prefer to lead a peaceful, quiet and safe life.
I'm not afraid of changes but these must occurr gradually, I need time to prepare myself. Sudden changes, however, make me nervous and I rarely do things who are not organized. In The Novel Cure: From Abandonment to Zestlessness: 751 Books to Cure What Ails You the authors also refer to inner changes, but these can't be fearsome because often we are the driving force behind these changes and therefore these changes are sought and desired.
After reading this book nothing has changed in my life but I'm however glad to have read it because it's a good book!

Far and wide through India + Original language (English)


4) Around India in 80 Trains by Monisha Rajesh

With this book I was roughly everywhere in India but I will choose only one state for my challenge: Goa

Original language, English

5) Butterfly Season by Natasha Ahmed

Good going. :)

PSmith wrote: "Good going. :)"

Thanks! I regret to not have added the "read the owned book" because I've read a lot of them and I'm not buying a lot in these period...well, I've bought lesser than usual but I've bought also this morning!

Far and wide through India

5) The Sleeping Dictionary by Sujata Massey

West Bengal

Far and wide through India-challenge

6) Idris : Keeper of the Light by Anita Nair

Kerala

Teatime for the Firefly - Assam


Love the Vish Puri detective series by Tarquin Hall

by Anita Nair - Tamil Nadu

some books I read for a current book challenge TSBCReadsIndia

I've already read Ladies Coupé some years ago, before starting this challenge.
Of the first one there isn't an Italian translation and I'm not always in the mood of reading so long books in English.

Far and wide through India:

7) L'Induismo by Mahatma Gandhi

(there is no real setting)

Far and wide through India:

8) Krsna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead: v. 1 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Vrindavana-Uttar Pradesh

Far and wide through India:

9) Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

West Bengala

Far and wide through India:

10) Krsna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, 2

Dwarka (Gujarat)

Original language, German

6) Aus dem Leben eines Taugenichts by Joseph von Eichendorff

Novel cure challenge

2) My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok

My Italian/English review: /review/show...

Far and wide through India:

11) Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

Set in different places. I choose Delhi.

I had forgotten that Midnight's Children is good also for my Novel-cure-challenge!

Novel cure challenge

3) Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

This books is recommended to people that have birthday sadness. I don't have this disease but since I wanted to read this book since a long time, I decided to read it for this challenge. Well, from my 30th to my 40th I had some problems to accept my getting older but when I turned 40 I stopped to care about my age and now I'm a lovely 44 years old woman.
I loved this book and I must admit that compared to the main character everyone should be happy to celebrate his "normal" birthday and to have a normal life. Saleem Sinai, the main character, and other children born during the Indian Independece (at midnight of the 15th August 1947) have special powers that influence their lives, and not always in a good way. Compared to them no one should have birthday sadness.

Cat Challenge:

2) L'uomo che allevava i gatti e altri racconti by Mo Yan

There is only one story with cats but I however count it for my challenge.

Original language challenge, English

7) Eve's Diary, Complete with Original Cover Design and Over 50 Illustrations by Mark Twain

Great going, dely.
A long time since I updated my reading log. But I have been too busy.

Shalini wrote: "Great going, dely.
A long time since I updated my reading log. But I have been too busy."

Yes, to update these challenges we need a lot of time. I must still write a review for Midnight's Children and I hope to have soon time to do it.

Cat challenge

3) Marian by Eva Polanski