Around the World Challenge 2017 - Summary of Countries Visited during the Annual Challenge

I will use this page to record a summary of the Countries visited by Group Members during the Annual Challenge.

The aim is for the Group collectively to visit 100 different countries (revised to 120 at end of June), where a book once completed can be assigned to one country that it visits during the course of the book.

To add extra spice to the challenge during every two month period we will target one area of the world to visit with a target for those two moths. This is the schedule:

January / February : Europe (Target 24 Countries)
March / April : North America / Central America / Caribbean
May / June : Asia
July / August : South America / Antarctica
September / October : Africa / Middle East
November / December : Australasia / Pacific

A new thread will be set up for each two month Challenge but you can still record Countries visited in those areas of the world at other times in the year. I will record these (and all countries visited by the group) on this page as a Group summary.

Additionally, each member can set up their own thread for the Countries they have visited.

European Countries visited during the January / February Challenge

Austria: The Sign of the Cross by Chris Kuzneski 26/1/17
Belgium : Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard 8/2/17
Croatia : The Stone Fields by Courtney Angela Brkic 27/2/17
Czech Republic : Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern 16/2/17
England : The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro 1/1/17
Estonia : Watching the Dark by Peter Robinson
Finland : Hummingbird by Kati Hiekkapelto 31/1/17
France : The Light Behind the Window by Lucinda Riley 4/1/17
Germany : Life After Life by Kate Atkinson 3/1/17
Greece : Plague Ship by Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul 11/1/17 (Andrew)
Ireland : Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes 2/1/17
Italy : Il Gattopardo by Giuseppe Di Lampedusa 28/1/17
Luxembourg : The Einstein Pursuit by Chris Kuzneski 3/2/17
Macedonia : The Russian Deception by Alex Lukeman : 26/2/17
Monaco : The Plague Ship by Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul 11/1/17 (Sergei)
Netherlands : Home by Harlan Coben 5/1/17
Norway : Plague Ship by Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul 11/1/17 ((Eadie)
Northern Ireland : Watchman by Ian Rankin 22/2/17
Poland : Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Acher. 26/1/17
Russia : Mightier than the Sword by Jeffrey Archer 6/2/17
Scotland : Death of a Glutton by M C Beaton 1/1/17
Spain : Winter in Madrid by C J Sansom 5/1/17.
Sweden : The Travelers by Chris Pavone 21/1/17
Switzerland : The Eye of Shiva by Alex Lukeman 12/2/17
Turkey :The Snake Stone by Jason Goodwin 16/1/17
Ukraine : Churchill's Triumph by Michael Dobbs 24/2/17
Wales : Named of the Dragon by Susanna Kearsley 5/2/17

Target : 25
Current Total : 26
Target Exceeded

http://www.librarything.com/topic/245008

European Countries visited at other times of the year:

Albania : The Successor by Ismail Kadare 11/12/17
Bosnia : Avenger by Frederick Forsyth 25/11/17
Denmark : The Paris Vendetta by Steve Berry 30/5/17
France : Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay 29/4/17
Iceland : Where the Shadows Lie by Michael Ridpath 7/11/17
Latvia : Holes by Louis Sachar 26/11/17
Netherlands : Death of an Addict by M C Beaton 30/6/17
Norway : The Shadow Sister by Lucinda Riley 18/3/17
Portugal : Every Secret Thing by Susanna Kearsley 29/8/17
Serbia : The Bach Manuscript by Scott Mariani 9/12/17
Sweden : Hitman Anders and the Meaning of it All by Jonas Jonasson 17/4/17
Switzerland : The Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor 11/4/17
Ukraine : Chernobyl: Confessions of a Reporter by Igor Kostin
Vatican City : Conclave by Robert Harris 18/3/17

North American/Central American/ Caribbean Countries visited during the March / April Challenge :

http://www.librarything.com/topic/249976

In March our focus in the Around the World Challenge moves to North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Use this thread to record any books you read during the months of March and April which involve a visit to this area of the world, naming the country visited, the book read and the date finished.

The aim is to try to collectively visit 11 different Countries in this area of the world during March and April.

Please feel free also to use this thread to recommend books for countries or ask others of recommendations for books that cover some of these countries.

Good luck!

This is an Alphabetical list of countries in North America, I will mark off books against each country as we read them.
A
Antigua and Barbuda
B
Bahamas : Seperation of Power by Vince Flynn 5/3/17
Barbados : One Dangerous Lady by Jane Stanton Hitchcock 8/3/17
Belize : Heaven is High by Kate Wilhelm 2/3/17
Bermuda : Murder in Bermuda by Penelope Sotheby 1/3/17
C
Canada : Curse of the Narrows by Laura M MacDonald 7/3/17
Costa Rica : : Midnight Rainbow by Linda Howard 3/3/17
Cuba : Forward, March by Kirk Munroe 29/3/17
D
Dominica
Dominican Republic
E
El Salvador
G
Greenland : East of Desolation by Jack Higgins 1/3/17
Grenada
Guadeloupe : A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie
Guatemala :Serpent by Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos 12/3/17
H
Haiti : Haitian Graves by Vicki Delany 5/3/17
Honduras : : The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston 10/3/17
J
Jamaica : Private Latitudes by Michael Crichton 3/3/17
M
Mexico : Safe and Sound by Danielle Singleton 9/3/17
N
Nicaragua
P
Panama
S
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia : A Dream Across Time by Annie Rogers 9/3/17
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
T
Trinidad and Tobago
U
United States of America (USA) : Dance of the Bones by J A Janice 1/3/17

Target : 15
Books so far: 16
Needed to achieve the target : Target Met

North American/Central American/Caribbean Countries visited at other times of the year :

Antigua : Our Kind of Traitor by John Le Carre 21/11/17
Canada : Bone and Bread by Saleema Nawaz
Mexico : Saint Death by Mark Dawson 13/8/17
United States : Skin Privilege by Karin Slaughter 2/1/17

Asian Countries visited during the May / June Challenge :

A
Afghanistan : And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini 11/5/17
Armenia
Azerbaijan
B
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Brunei
C
Cambodia
China : The Firemaker by Peter May 4/5/17
Cyprus
G
Georgia
I
India : The Kashmir Shawl by Rosie Thomas 15/5/17
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq : The Ottoman Conspiracy by Thomas Ryan 12/6/17
Israel : Fault Lines by Nancy Huston 14/6/17
J
Japan : The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell 15/5/17
Jordan
K
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
L
Laos
Lebanon
M
Malaysia : Dead in the Dog by Bernard Knight 6/6/17
Maldives
Mongolia
Myanmar (Burma) : The Railway Man by Eric Lomax 27/6/17
N
Nepal : The Prisoner's Gold by Chris Kuzneski 13/6/17 (Andrew)
North Korea : High Alert by Alex Lukeman 14/5/17
O
Oman
P
Pakistan : Memorial Day by Vince Flynn 17/6/17
Palestine : The Lost Temple by Tom Harper 1/6/17
Philippines : Lola - A Ghost Story by Elbert Or 20/6/17
Q
Qatar
R
Russia : The Lost Throne by Chris Kuzneski 4/6/17
S
Saudi Arabia
Singapore : Aunty Lee's Delights by Ovidia Yu5//517
South Korea : The Vegetarian by Han Kang
Sri Lanka : The Tea Planter's Wife by Dinah Jefferies 13/5/17
Syria
T
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Thailand : Hothouse Flower by Lucinda Riley 18/6/17
Tibet : The Prisoner's Gold by Chris Kuzneski 19/6/17 (Sergei)
Timor-Leste
Turkey : The Constantine Codex by Paul Maier 18/6/17
Turkmenistan
U
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Uzbekistan
V
Vietnam : No Surrender Soldier by Christine Kohler 18/6/17
Y
Yemen

Countries Visited : 21

Target : 20

Target Exceeded

Asian Countries visited at other times of the year :

Afghanistan : The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi
Brunei : The Jungle by Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul 14/11/17
Cambodia : Payback by Simon Kernick 15/1/17
China: Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik 2/17
Cyprus : Act of Treason by Vince Flynn 24/8/17
Hong Kong : Ghosts by Mark Dawson
Indonesia : Constance by Rosie Thomas 15/7/17
Iran : Solomon's Gold by Alex Lukeman 28/7/17
Japan : The Investigation by Jung-Myung Lee in 1/17
Laos : The Coroner’s Lunch by Colin Cotterill 9/12/17
Malaysia : Wrath of the Lion 26/2/17
Mongolia : The Nemesis Program by Scott Mariani 5/12/17
Pakistan : The Four Legendary Kingdoms by Matthew Reilly 21/1/17
Qatar : Consent to Kill by Vince Flynn 22/8/17
Saudi Arabia : Midnight Runner by Jack Higgins 30/11/17
Thailand : Cold Kill by Stephen Leather 21/7/17
Uzbekistan : La maison dorée de Samarkand by Hugo Pratt 20/12/17
Vietnam : Toll for the Brave by Jack Higgins 12/3/17
Yemen : The Illusion of Murder by Carol McCleary 8/10/17

South American Countries (inc Antarctica) visited during the July / August Challenge :

A
Antarctica : Ice Station by Matthew Reilly 2/8/17
Argentina : The Honorary Consul by Graham Greene 12/7/17
B
Bolivia
Brazil : The Partner by John Grisham 5/8/17
C
Chile : Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende 21/7/17
Colombia : No One Writes to the Colonel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez 6/7/17
E
Ecuador
F
Falkland Islands : Little Black Lies by Sharon Bolton 5/7/17
French Guiana : The Dain Curse by Dashiell Hammett 5/8/17
G
Guyana : Company Orders by David J. Walker 30/7/17
P
Paraguay : Wild About Harry by Paul Pickering 26/7/17
Peru : Temple by Matthew Reilly 5/8/17
S
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Suriname : Monkey Love and Murder by Edith McLintock 9/7/17
U
Uruguay
V
Venezuela

Countries Visited : 11

Target : 10

South American Countries (inc. Antarctica) visited at other times of the year :

Antarctica : The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry 17/2/17
Brazil : The Sixth Extinction: An unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert 19/7/17
Chile : Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came by M C Beaton 22/3/17

In September our focus in the Around the World Challenge moves to Africa. Use this thread to record any books you read during the months of September and October which involve a visit to this area of the world, naming the country visited, the book read and the date finished.

The aim is to try to collectively visit 18 different Countries in this area of the world during September and October.

Please feel free also to use this thread to recommend books for countries or ask others of recommendations for books that cover some of these countries.

Also use it to record any other books from other countries (in other continents) that you read during these months.

Good luck!

This is an Alphabetical list of countries in Africa I will mark off books against each country as we read them.

A
Algeria
Angola
B
Bahrain
Benin
Botswana : The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith 30/9/17
Burkina Faso
Burundi
C
Cabo Verde
Cameroon : The Informationist by Taylor Stevens 22/9/17
Central African Republic (CAR)
Chad
Comoros
Democratic Republic of the Congo : Devil's Kingdom by Scott Mariani 15/10/17
Republic of the Congo
Côte d'Ivoire
Cyprus
D
Djibouti
E
Egypt : Iris and Ruby by Rosie Thomas 21/10/17
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia : Cutting for Stone by Abraham Vergese 14/9/17
G
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana : Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
I
Iran
Iraq : Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie 19/10/17
Israel : Comes a Horseman by Robert Liparulo 19/10/17
J
Jordan
K
Kenya
Kuwait
L
Lebanon
Lesotho : The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson 29/10/17
Liberia
Libya
M
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco :Burial of Ghosts by Ann Cleeves 25/9/17
Mozambique
N
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria : Oil on Water by Helon Habila 17/10/17
O
Oman : Sandstorm by James Rollins 17/10/17
Q
Qatar
R
Rwanda : Star of Africa by Scott Mariani 30/9/17
S
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone : The Crow Girl by Eril Axl Sund 13/9/17
Somalia : A House in The Sky by Amanda Lindhout
12/9/17
South Africa : July's People by Nadine Gordimer 16/10/17
South Sudan
Sudan
Swaziland : When Hoopoes Go To Heaven by Gail Parkin 21/9/17
Syria
T
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Turkey
U
Uganda
United Arab Emirates
Z
Zambia
Zimbabwe : The Fear by Peter Godwin 9/9/17

Target : 18
Current Total : 18

African and Middle Eastern Countries visited at other times of the year:

Algeria : The Killing Ground by Jack Higgins 27/11/17
Botswana : Precious and The Mystery of Meerkat Hill by Alexander McCall Smith 19/7/17
Congo Kinshasa : The Geneva Option by Adam LeBor 19/7/17
Egypt : The Atlantis Stone by Alex Lukeman 5/3/17
Ethiopia : The Solomon Scroll by Alex Lukeman 20/2/17
Israel : The Sacred Sword by Scott Mariani 15/3/17
Kenya : The Clouds Beneath the Sun byMackenzie Ford 3/12/17
Lebanon : Day of Reckoning by Jack Higgins 26/11/17
Libya : The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between by Hisham Matar 2/17
Mauritius : The Mauritius Command by Patrick O’Brian 9/12/17
Nigeria : The Plantation by Chris Kuzneski 7/3/17
Rwanda : Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin 4/5/17
Sudan : Juba Good by Vicki Delany 5/3/17
South Sudan : Woman of God by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro 28/3/17
Somalia : Corsair by Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul 23/4/17 (Sergei)
South Africa : Born a Crime : Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah 3/8/17
Syria : The Cup by Alex Lukeman 9/3/17
Tanzania : Through a Window by Jane Goodall 10/6/17
Tunisia : Corsair by Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul 23/4/17 (Andrew)

Australasian and Pacific Countries visited during the November / December Challenge :

Australia : What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty 9/11/17
Bora Bora : The Bungalow by Sarah Jio 19/11/17
Fiji : Fiji by Lance and James Morcan 3/12/17

Australasian and Pacific Countries visited at other times of the year :

Australia : The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

Total number of unique countries visited so far during the year by the group :

125

Total at end of February : 35 Countries Visited.

Total at end of April : 66 Countries Visited

We're doing well - better than I thought we would.

>17 Sergeirocks: I agree, we've already covered almost a third of the countries in the world.

I'm in Nagasaki, Japan with The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet.

Total at end of May : 72

Has Tanzania been covered? I just finished Through a Window by Jane Goodall. Gombe National Park, where she studied chimps, is in Tanzania.

No, thanks >21 LibraryCin:, I have added it and this now takes it to 74 different countries this year.

At the end of June that takes us to 81 countries, that is 9 more added during the past month. We initially set a target of 100 countries and halfway through the year we have met 81% of the target. Well done everyone. Given this I am increasing the target to 120 countries, so we now need to add 6-7 more countries each month to meet this new target.

End of July total 93 books, well done everyone - we have added 12 new countries over July.

>24 Andrew-theQM: I read Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah in July. Doesn't look like a book had been read from there previously.

>25 bluebird_: Thanks for that Bluebird, I will add it to the list. Will take us up to 94.

At the end of August we have now visited 99 countries! Well done everyone - that is another 6 countries added in August.

Books I'm going to read for November/December:
Anne Perry and the Murder of the Century by Peter Graham - New Zealand
The Bungalow by Sarah Jio - Bora-Bora
The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill - Laos
The Illusion of Murder by Carol McCleary - Yemem

>28 EadieB: Have now posted the new thread will all Countries Not Visited listed.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/273009

At the end of October we have now visited 107 counties, 13 more needed to beat our target of 120 countries.

>29 Andrew-theQM: Ok thanks. I just listed some books that I'm going to read.

I visited Cyprus in September in Born to Run by James Grippando.

Thanks Gayle, I have added it.

At th end of November 117 Countries Visited, very impressive. 👏

I actually believe were going to do this. Had my doubts a month ago.

>35 Sergeirocks: We should do it with ease and you have played a big part in this. 👏

>36 Andrew-theQM: Most of my reading choices for the last month have been based on whether they will take me to a country we haven't yet got, HA!

>37 Sergeirocks: That’s what I call a real team player! 😊

>38 Andrew-theQM: And don't forget Eadie, ;D

>39 Sergeirocks: Yes, Eadie is another great team player, she’s like me refuses to miss targets! 😊

Target met for the full Roubd the World Challenge, we have now got to 120 Countries. Now just to finish off the challenge for November and December - six books to go.

>41 Andrew-theQM: 6 books is an easy target!

Awesome! It seems I’ve been following in somebody else’s footsteps wherever I went.

>43 sushicat: Not easy to find unvisited places, sushicat.

>41 Andrew-theQM: Well Done, Us! 👏👏

>43 sushicat: >44 Sergeirocks: No, I keep doing that!

I've got one now which works for Usbekistan or Turkey - hopefully I'll get it done before anybody else gets to both ;-)
Admittedly, this year I've spent most of my reading time between the US and the UK...

>47 sushicat: Now that you've posted your intent, sushi, the rest of us will know to avoid those places. We'd never knowingly trump another: this is a group effort not a competition, :)

(Turkey has already been done by the look of things but Uzbekistan is definitely needed.)

>47 sushicat: We need 1 more book to finish our goal and you can help us do that with your Uzbekistan book.

>48 Sergeirocks: I don’t think Turkey has been done.

And so it looks like that brings out challenge to an end, having Visited 125 countries during the year. Very Impressive and well beyond our initial target of 100! Well done and thanks to everyone that contributed! Particularly those who added a large number towards that 125! 👏👏👏👏👏