Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Seven Continents Book Challenge — UPDATED

Via Melanie Bettinelli, this seemed like fun.

Keep in mind that "favorite" is often a shifting term for me. I have a hard time pinning things down to one favorite.


1. What is your favourite book set in Europe? Who is your favourite European author?
Prince of Foxes by Samuel Shellabarger

J.R.R. Tolkien
2. What is your favourite book set in North America? Who is your favourite North American author?
Uncle Tom's Cabin

Can't really lock an author down as "favorite" — just for the moment let's go with Walter Tevis who wrote the truly amazing Mockingbird.
3. What is your favourite book set in South America? Who is your favourite South American author?
I got nuttin'.

UPDATE: Via J. Balconi at The House of Nonsense, I realized I actually have read a book setin South America — and I liked it! The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder.
4. What is your favourite book set in Asia? Who is your favourite Asian author?
Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was which the author very kindly allowed me to read on Forgotten Classics.

Madhur Jaffrey
5. What is your favourite book set in Australasia? Who is your favourite antipodean author?
UPDATE: How can I have forgotten that The Rosie Project is both about a New Zealand couple and by a New Zealander, Graeme Simsion? So much so that we discussed the book on A Good Story is Hard to Find.

Father Paul Glynn who wrote A Song From Nagasaki and The Smile of a Ragpicker
6. Have you ever read, or do you know of, any books written by authors in Antarctica/ the Arctic?
UPDATED: Joseph at Zombie Parent's Guide points out "Brother Guy Consolmagno lived in the Antarctica for a while and I've read a book by him that partially covers his time there, though I don't think he wrote it while he was there." And I loved Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial by Brother Guy and Joseph Mueller.

And I had the honor of virtually meeting Brother Guy when he chose a book for A Good Story is Hard to Find discussion. So that's a double Antarctic connection!

7. Who are your favourite African authors & books set in Africa?

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Elspeth Huxley
I realize what this list really shows is how little actual fiction I read and how much genre / memoir / cookbook reading I do.

I regret nothing!

Your turn ...

3 comments:

  1. http://wp.me/p49M2C-9a

    I digressed greatly... as usual. I surprised myself when I realized how I've been reading a lot more memoir lately. BTW I didn't know that Fr. Glynn had written a book, so Ragpicker is added to my wishlist. You cost me a fortune, Julie! :)

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    Replies
    1. My pleasure! Your post gave me some great ideas, beginning with Liu Ping's The Art of Catholic Church in China. Thank you!

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  2. For Latin America, try "Imagining Argentina," magical realism (not usually my cup of tea) about the "dirty war" in Argentina... For parts you need a strong stomach, but still marvelously hopefu!

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