Around the world in 12 books 🌎✈️📚

[@ninab1558]

Leena! This is brilliant! Please make this a continuing series? 😌

[@julianeelter8159]

Yes! I second this request. This is brilliant and I want more. Moooooore I plead wide-eyed!

[@thequestionedpodcast]

Yes! Love this idea :)

[@tegan6554]

+

[@canfedayeler3567]

If anyone who stumbles upon this comment wants to read more from Turkey, these are my suggestions: - Time Regulation Institute by Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, a book about corruption that borders on magical realism almost? It is hard to define. (If you like the weird aspect of this novel you might also enjoy his short stories) - A Strange Woman by Leyla Erbil, is a layered look into womanhood in the time it takes place in. (Her stories follow similar themes, also reccomended) - Any and all short stories you can put your hands on by Sait Faik Abasıyanık. The way he handles such big themes by just describing very subtle details of the life of everyday people is just... My favorite for the moment is Semaver.

[@daysleeper1989]

One of my main cultural shocks coming to the UK was discovering how many people travel to the same that they do at home but somewhere else. Spaniards tend to try to learn about the local culture, use a few phrases, visit local activities and some monuments... Lots of people that I have met basically travel really far and dedicate the time to drink, party, relax and repeat. Which can be fantastic, but why did you went to Greece to do something you can do in Cornwall?? Don't you want to know Greek people? Eat local food? One of the most shocking ones was a colleague who went to Barcelona and never left her hotel.

[@Andrew-rl3uo]

True in some Greek islands you will actually finds villages basically full of British people that party there among themselves. So weird

[@sadie9356]

Its defintley cheaper to go to Greece for two weeks than Cornwall ! I think flights to other European countries up to this point have been cheaper than a train ticket from the North to the south of England and then accomodation/food/alcohol would all be cheaper aswell. Then there's the better weather. Ofc I agree people should have interest and respect for another country they are travelling to but its not surprising you just get people going for those things when its not affordable to holiday in your own country.

[@daysleeper1989]

@@sadie9356 I know what you mean, it makes sense. I live in Scotland and it is also true that local tourism is not as common.

[@kahkah1986]

@@sadie9356 Exactly, if you can't afford to live in the 'nice' parts of the country, we can't necessarily holiday there either. A lot of the British lifestyle comes from having a different exchange rate from other countries - foreign holidays are cheaper, but the real reason is it encourages people to work here because they can earn more money in real terms. That was part of the argument around Brexit.

[@BookNomming]

I recently did the Eurovisionathon read a long where you had to try and read books related to as many counties participating in Eurovision and it was such a great way to open up my mind to other countries I didn’t know much about.

[@roseofoulesfame]

OK, as a bookworm and Eurovision fan, that sounds amazing!

[@toniat.1738]

Sounds fun!

[@evangelinelarsen5965]

Thanks for a fabulous worldwide book journey Leena! Another great South Korean novel is 'The Disaster Tourist' by Yun Ko-eun...a gripping read about the intersections of environment, tourism and feminism. A worthwhile read to make us more informed travellers in the future. Highly recommend!

[@rebeccamichaels6953]

I loved this video, and the idea behind it! Maybe we might get a series as you continue to travel the world from your landlord's armchair? :D If you'd like to stop off in Toronto, Canada, you should read "Fugitive Pieces" by Anne Michaels. The story follows a young Jewish boy, Jakob Beer, who escapes from Poland during the Holocaust, ending up in Greece, and finally in Toronto. The writing is powerful, haunting, and beautiful, and the book gives you an incredibly detailed portrait of Toronto, its people, and the journeys, disasters, and coincidences that led them here. Toronto is an incredibly multicultural city (there are over 150 languages spoken here!) and the immigrant experience is a central part of our city's culture.

[@julietanardin6631]

I am a long time follower from Argentina and it's the first time I hear about your roots from here!! Can I recommend you a few books?? Because, as much as I LOVE Isabel Allende (you should read The house of the Spirits and Of Love and Shadows as soon as your heart can handle it, they are heavy), its a crime that you started with someone from our number one nemesis country. My first recommendation it's a contemporary writer that it's killing it right now called Mariana Enríquez. She writes stories with dark and surrealist element. Her most famous book is Things We Lost in the Fire , but my personal favorite is Fever Dream. She also has a book about her travels around the world visiting graveyards (actually perfect for this video), it' called Alguien camina sobre tu tumba, but I couldn't find if it was translated into English. For classics: The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares, Tales of love madness and death by Horacio Quiroga, Bestiario by Julio Cortázar, The Secret in Their Eyes by Eduardo Sacheri and Thursday Night Widows by Claudia Piñeiro.

[@lucilasandoval3084]

Mariana Enriquez is so good!

[@veralunafritzlevit4462]

Reina Mariana la amamos

[@Nico5890]

Thank you for these suggestions! Adding to my TBR.

[@shannonhughes8488]

forgive me but isn't fever dream is by samanta schweblin?

[@converse036]

Poland: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk !

[@beckycanty]

such a brillant book! my favourite read of the year so far

[@camilamathias94]

I'm Brazillian and here are some reccomendations if anyone wants to read more from Brazil (I don't know if all of these have already been translated but here we go): - An apprenticeship or the Book of Pleasures - Clarice Lispector - Captains of the Sands - Jorge Amado - Anything by Lygia Fagundes Telles - Éramos seis - Maria José Dupré - Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas - Machado de Assis - Dom Casmurro - Machado de Assis - Torto Arado - Itamar Vieira Junior - São Bernardo - Graciliano Ramos - Vidas Secas - Graciliano Ramos - O continente - Erico Veríssimo

[@joannedolbear8796]

I'm a Welsh expat in Thailand but I'm actually in the long and tiring process of moving back to my small home village in the valleys :) if you'd like to learn more about Thailand, I would recommend; Bangkok Wakes To Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad and A Good True Thai by Sunisa Manning. I've truly loved my life here and feel so lucky to have experienced such a different culture to my own. Learning another language thats not my own (although my welsh is awfully rusty now!) has also been an eye opener for me. When I read and speak in Thai, I feel like I've opened up another little world.

[@bleunivers]

Hey, Leena! My name's Lola and I'm from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I was so pleased to hear you have relatives here. I actually wanted to recommend an author who's been killing it in the local (and global) literary scene for the last couple of years, but I saw that someone else had already done so (Julieta Nardin's comment down below, I agree with everything she had to say!) So, I just wanted to insist even further (no pressure, tho) that you give Mariana Enríquez a try. It might not be your cup of tea, from what I've learned about you from your videos, since it's horror literature, but it's also in the realm of magical realism and it's VERY atmospheric and reminiscent of Argentina, not only of Buenos Aires, which is the capital, but also of other provinces. No spoilers, but there are also some snippets of London in the book, so I figured you might enjoy that, too. Here's a brief LitHub piece on the time she won the Herralde Prize in 2019 for her novel Nuestra parte de noche: lithub.com/mariana-enriquez-wins-the-herralde-prize-for-a-work-of-gothic-political-horror/. I think it's one of the best books I've ever read, but I'm not completely sure it's been translated into English yet. Still, you should give her short story collections a go (especially Things We Lost in the Fire). She has a very idiosyncratic style, yet somehow it still reflects the classic Argentinian literary voice. I'd also strongly recommend Samanta Schweblin, Selva Almada, Cortázar and Quiroga (as Julieta mentioned), Ernesto Sábato, and the Ocampo sisters. I'm not particularly fond of Borges (for ideological reasons), but, of course, his writing was impeccable. Sorry for the big chunk of text, I hope you get to read this. Anyway, I love your channel. Hope you're doing well ♥

[@teodorapetkovic]

I think we all need a book map.

[@malb9236]

Yes, please !

[@jffpviana]

From Isabel Allende: everything. Favourite ones are The House of Spirits and Eva Luna. Also read Gabriel Garcia Marquez! Or Eduardo Mendonza or Chico Buarque from Brazil.

[@this_fanny]

I agree, specially with Gabriel Garcia Marquez

[@roseofoulesfame]

I've also heard good things about the book Cantoras, which is set in Uruguay.

[@elizabethsacktor2818]

I also adore Of Love and Other Demons by García Márquez

[@jffpviana]

@@elizabethsacktor2818 yes! And Love in the Time of Cholera. And 100 Years of Solitude, if you can stomach it. Definitely I book I loved to read but will never read again. Really hard work.

[@Lowriaa]

Yay! Best succinct intro to Wales I’ve heard for a long time - thank you! And also, so much love to Leena’s Grandma for relearning Welsh. Amazing!

[@ninjaesther]

Wow some of these sound right up my street!! also I think I might need to spend my weekend making a book map... thank you for the wonderful activity suggestion ahaha

[@leenanorms]

hahah yes, I'm yet to do my WHOLE SHELVES, but that would be very fun.

[@malb9236]

Dear leena and Dear everyone, I strongly recommend 'Afropean' (also available in german, italian and french) by johny pitts. It's about backpacking in Europe in search for the black european identity and culture. It is amazingly written, often funny and eye-opening.

[@janedough8997]

Some of my recent favourites: Poland: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk Ukraine: Good Citizens Need Not Fear by Maria Reva Indigenous Canadian: Rose's Run by Dawn Dumont China/USA: Severance by Ling Ma Indonesia: The Majesties by Tiffany Tsao Zimbabwe: The Hairdresser of Harare by Tendai Huchu Nigeria: Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Burkina Faso/UK: Outlaw by Stephen Davies South Africa: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah I would also love some South American novels, if anyone has any recommendations!

[@carolinabyl1147]

I really loved Como Agua Para Chocolate by Laura Esquivel (she's Mexican) From Argentina, Rayuela by Cortázar is popular because of its structure. I also saw that Cien Años De Soledad by Gabriel García Márquez was recommended

[@cathezampini]

As a Brazilian I need to say that Clarice Lispector is an amazing author and her book Agua Viva is so good. Machado de Assis is also known as a must read in Brazil, especially Epitaph of a Small Winner.

[@kslaney4161]

In addition to reading about other countries and cultures far away from us, I would also suggest that those of us who live in settler-colonial states read books by Indigenous authors about the original cultures of the land in which we reside.

[@anna-ne9zk]

also!! if anyone wants to read a Canadian book that is (unfortunately) very true to living in Canada as a Black woman, I loved "They Said This Would Be Fun" by Eternity Martis. It is a memoir following Martis' experiences of anti-Black racism at a Canadian University. She does a really incredible job of mixing her personal life with the bigger picture of anti-Black racism in Canada, Canadian Universities, and North America in general. It's incredibly witty and engaging and painful and reflective and just so so well done. (just as an FYI for anyone who might choose to read it, she does talk about sexual assault in the novel as well)

[@jffpviana]

Sorry Leena, quick question. How do I subscribe to you more than once?

[@lucilasandoval3084]

Finally this is my comment section to shine. I have always loved to read about other countries (specially when I travel I pick a book from a third country, as in not mine and not the one I'm in) so I have recommendations from many places: Nigeria: Welcome to Lagos, Chibundu Onuzo. This depiction of Lagos is insane, it's vibrant and funny and has interesting lovable characters that are struggling to survive in a city that pretty much ignores them and treats them as disposable. It a bit found family, a bit "heist mood". Amazing Zimbabwe: Nerveous Conditions- Tsitsi Dangarembga. This is a deep exploration of the conditions of a girl growing into a woman in the context of a culture that is between tradition and colonization and both sides are determined to keep young women in their place. It's a bit about the intergenerational sacrifices of women and a bit about self determination to make ones on way in a complex context. Brazil: Acre, Lucrecia Zappi. This one is so atmospheric. It's the story of a young couple in Sao Paulo and the mysterious appearance of an ex lover that had somehow disappeared years ago and both parts of the marriage have a muddled story with this lover. It portrays the clashes of middle class paulistas (people from Sao Paulo) and a dangerous city. US/México Border: Lost Children Archive- Valeria Luiselli. Please, please read this. Very seldomly have I ever read a book that feels sooo large and complex and yet with a very accesible plot. It's the story of a family that is about to break up. The parents are a soundscape artist and a journalists that also works as sound documentalist, and they are traversing the country in search of the stories of the last band of Apache people to be captured and the traces of lost immigrant children in Arizona's desert. It's sooooo well written, it talks about sounds and music and maps and archive and letters and just soooo many interesting things in a plot that is easy to follow and enticing enough.

[@27eed]

Acre sounds so interesting but doesn't seem to have been translated into English yet. We Brits are so rubbish at learning 2nd languages- must do better!

[@lucilasandoval3084]

@@27eed oh I forgot about that I read it in spanish and I know it's in portuguese too but yeah maybe hasn't been translated.

[@giatv5]

Thank you! Ive just started a reading-a-book-from-every-country-in-the-world-written-by-women-project and just borrowed the Zimbawian book!

[@kd9274]

I've read a couple of books from Nigerian authors this year and can highly recommend, especially to learn more about the impact of British colonialism: Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe And Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

[@bethbcrafts]

Convenience Store Woman remains one of the ~weirdest~ books I’ve ever read, and I loved it and think about it often. I’ve not read anything else like it.

[@leenanorms]

Yes! I just got her other book, Earthlings, so I have high hopes for that too!

[@berenicethegirl]

It actually reminded me of Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine, which I liked more (you could like it too)

[@hazyblue5727]

It reminded me of "You too can have a body like mine" and the main character in "The Haunting of Hill House" and of the movie "Horse Girl". Hope this helps!

[@rachelalexander7762]

Been wanting to work on my french as I've been using duolingo off and on again since I studied it a level, I've bought The Reader on the 6:27 and so excited to try babble and to be able to read more books in their original language! Tip for newbies reading in a foreign language is so much easier with ebooks, on my kindle you can press on the word and it will translate it straight away for you, dont have to faff with switching between the book and a dictionary!

[@donatienne9597]

Have you ever heard of Peirene Press? It's a small UK publishing house that only does translations of European contemporary novels. They bring out just three books every year and they have a subscription system. The books are rather small and it's really enjoyable to be surprised with each one. My subscription is what brought me back to reading last year during the first wave. Whenever you mention liking translated books, I feel like you could be into this. A personal recommandation (and how I discovered them) would be "Soviet Milk" by Nora Ikstena, about three generations of women in Latvia under the Soviet Union.

[@giatv5]

Thank you for your recommodation, just started a read-a-book-from-every-country-in-the-world-written-by-women-project and just booked the book from my library! Thanks again!!

[@piamickels9942]

Loved this video and the idea behind it! Also I gotta recommend a book after you talked about not having read much from South America because I just finished reading this and loved it so much! The book is "Cantoras" by Carolina De Robertis, it follows a group of queer women in Uruguay starting in the 70s after the establishment of a military dictatorship in the country and spans over several decades. It's about their bond and relationships but also about so much more, the opression of women and queer people, the challenges of political resistance and activism against a dictatorship, community building and forgotten queer history. And the writing is stunning too!

[@Larissa_KD]

Ohh that sounds really good!

[@giatv5]

Thank you for your recommodation, just started a read-a-book-from-every-country-in-the-world-written-by-women-project and added this book! Looking forward reading it! Thanks!!

[@themarias8350]

Columbia - hundred years of solitude by Gabriel garcia Marquez mexico - hurricane season by fernanda melchor

[@chantimenzi9615]

Great book set in india: the god of small things by arundhati roy :)

[@chantimenzi9615]

Oh and "half of a yellow sun" of course (Nigeria)

[@phrensies]

Agree! And The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy is another masterpiece!

[@zofiabochenska1240]

The God af Small Things is my favourite read from 2021 so far!

[@chantimenzi9615]

@@phrensies oh i haven't read that (yet), thank you! :)

[@rebekahbacon7817]

If you fancy jet-setting off to Sweden, Jonas Jonasson has some great books, I think my favourite is The Girl Who Saved The King Of Sweden

[@siiri8902]

Katherine Pancol has some of my favorite books, and they're set in France! They follow a big crew of chacters who are all linked with each other. Her animal-themed trilogy which starts with The Yelloe Eyes of Crocodiles is a good place to start, but her Muchachas trilogy which is set after that ones and focuses pretty much solely around female characters is also great! I myself am from Finland, and if you're interested in reading something from Nothern Europe, I'd recommend researching indigenous Sámi authors! Their stories are not heard enough by the general public, not even in the countries like Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia that have colonised their land.

[@Anice4]

Thank you very much for this video. I don't think translated fiction gets enough attention on booktube. There are endless cultures and histories to learn about. For the same purpose, here are some recommendations for some ex-Yugoslavian countries: -Goran Petrovic - Lucky Hand - Beautiful book where book readers are literally transported into the setting of the book and whoever they meet are other readers reading the book at the same time. -Dubravka Ugresic - Baba Yaga Laid an Egg - Modern take on the slavic fairy tale of baba yaga -Danilo Kis - A Tomb for Boris Davidovich - Dark short stories set in the first half of the 20th century. His writing is brilliant and dark in the best way

[@jessicacluff1095]

Another book set in South America is Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. It’s based on the Japanese embassy hostage crisis of 1996-1997 in Lima, Peru. :)

[@Lineapetrela]

Please read “in the house of the spirits” by Isabel Allende, it’s so so so gorgeous and seminal in the canon of magical realism. It’s a classic for a reason, about generations of women in a family and their struggles within historical moments as well!

[@tylermcfadden9237]

Love this idea, It’s given me some inspiration to pick up a book and “travel” around the world.

[@anna-ne9zk]

this video came out at literally the PERFECT time for me omg. the other day i ended up looking through the books i've read this year and where the authors were from. realized i've mostly been reading books by north american & east asian authors. will 10000% be reading some of these recommendations to do a bit of at-home travel, thank you!!!

[@IsabellaBoyne]

If you want to read any books set in the Philippines I would recommend In The Country by Mia Alvar, Insurrecto by Gina Apostol, Monsoon Mansion by Cinelle Barnes, or When the Elephants Dance by Tess Uriza Holthe! Loved the video and love hearing about books from different countries

[@Naomi-dm4nw]

Loved this Leena! I think you would enjoy Gabriel Garcia Marquez if you want to try more Latin American fiction. For NZ fiction try the Bone People by Kerry Hulme

[@peachila]

What a wonderful idea Leena! I am definitely going to read some of these. Three Daughters of Eve sounds really interesting. I would recommend Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami. A novel set in modern day Japan that follows a the life of an aspiring writer in Tokyo. The book has themes of self-image, motherhood, class struggles, family relationships, and the role of women in society. It's very introspective and beautifully written.

[@betolendo7406]

The best book I read this year by far was The Poppy War and it is set in a fantasy version of China and it gave a new perspective on colonialism (I'm from Brazil and never really thought about other types of colonialism outside of european x indigenous people). The author has a master's degree in modern chineses history so despite it being a fantasy most events were adapted from real things that happened in 19th century China. I also read Those Violent Delights which set in 1920's Shangai and while I didn't care much for the plot, I loved the setting and descriptions of Shangai. I'm also currently reading One Hundred Years of Solitude and am really loving it. I love south american magical realism and am trying to make an effort to read from other south american countries outside of Brazil. If you need any recomendations on Brazilian novels: - Anything by Machado de Assis really but Posthumus Memories of Bras Cubas is my favourite - Sand Capitains by Jorge Amado - Barren Lives by Graciliano Ramos - Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector - The Slum by Aluisio Azevedo

[@ashleystewart6326]

Thanks for some great recommendations. As a Canadian I'm struggling to choose only one book by a Canadian author to recommend. I'm going to go with Annabel by Kathleen Winter because I live in Ontario and am really missing being able to travel to the east coast. A fantastic book that gives you both a glimpse into Labrador culture and the struggles of being lgbtqia+ in a rural community. Though, if you want to feel like you've been plopped into a sea shanty then you should read Galore by Michael Crummey for some beautiful Newfoundland magical realism.

[@holohologram]

I love this video idea, Leena! I’d be interested in making this a video series that you add on to as you read more. Adding all of these recs to my reading list! Only one I’ve read already is Convenience store woman but I love this idea of traveling and getting to know the culture through books!

[@katharineannie]

After I visited Croatia for the second time I really wanted to read something based there and I came across Girl At War by Sara Nović. It’s pretty harrowing, as it jumps back and forth between a refugee returning to Zagreb after over a decade in the the states and her life as a child during the Croatian War of Independence, but beautifully written and an all-round excellent book. Also, I studied Spanish at A Level and as a result spent some time studying post-civil war Spain under the regime of Franco. I didn’t get into historical fiction until a few years later at which point I went to look for books set during this period of Spanish history and came across Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys (who isn’t Spanish herself but who researched the time period with extreme care and depth). Again, quite a harrowing read but a very interesting snapshot of the lives of people in Madrid during a time in history I very seldom hear discussed. I think the first historical novel I ever read was Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Berniéres, which is set in Greece during WWII and which I don’t think needs an introduction as it’s incredibly famous but which I would 100% recommend to anyone who hasn’t picked it up (just don’t go near the film). The most recent book I read was Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, which again is very famous so requires no introduction but which I would highly recommend all the same.

[@nishaisamazing]

Such a good idea! Will have to add a new column to my book database...

[@MS-bi4lb]

I've also been trying to read from as many countries as possible the last couple of years! I would recommend "Gods of tango" by Carolina de Robertis (mostly Argentina, though the story starts in Italy and ends in Uruguay), "The bridge on the drina" by Ivo Andrić (Bosnia-Herzegovina), "Abigail" by Magda Szabo (Hungary) and "Coming home" by Michael McCaughan (Ireland). Also from my own country (Switzerland), I do like Dürrenmatt (particularly the play "The visit of the old lady".)

[@diaz9rox]

YES Isabel Allende, definitely read the house of the spirits! South America created magical realism to explain and cope with decades of oppression, and we did it so well.

[@ginat.8064]

The Reluctant Fundamentalist is such a good book! Thought about it a lot after I’d read it. It’s a quick read too, and excellent for those with a short attention span as it’s written like a monologue, the character is talking to you.

[@toniat.1738]

What an interesting video! It's an awesome experience to travel through books and you've recommended some good ones!

[@meganlsanders]

Journey to the river sea is a beautiful book set in South America!

[@VeganBeautyGirl]

Absolutely love the idea of travelling through books, honestly this is genius + much needed, definitely keen to take on some of your recommendations as well as try and find books set in places I've got high on my list to travel to in the future. Thank you Leena!

[@ilovebillyjoel]

This is a fantastic concept for a video. I love reading about different countries. More to add to the tbr. Thank you so much Leena 📚👍😊💜

[@kokoerdmann4416]

I see you didn't recommend anything from Eastern Europe, I haven't read a lot of books set there, but I loved: 'gerta the German girl' by Katerina Tučková. It's mostly about German and Czech relationships and the aftermath of second world war.

[@zofiabochenska1240]

True, sad to be omitted. I can add Olga Tokarczuk to the reccomendation list, either Flights or Primeval and other times.

[@lucilasandoval3084]

I recommend The Rebels by Sandor Marai

[@ProfessorMusice]

If you're not shy from some heavy reading, I have found Svetlana Alexeivich's work on people's experience of Chernobyl to be incredibly impactful and nuanced. She is a Belarusian Nobel winning journalist who is known for books which collect monologues of people's experiences. What is so special about her works is the breadth of personal accounts she is able to capture about Belarusian experiences. Imagine a literary, historical, 'Humans of New York' style collection of stories centred around historical events. I've personally only read the Chernobyl one (the translated title varies), but there is another one about women's involvement in war that I've heard is good.

[@bronwynoneill2760]

Absolutely love the concept of this video Leena!

[@Anna-jd7fd]

What a great goal to be able to read a book in another language! I myself try to read a book by a female author of the region I travel to (be it for leisure or for work) and have discovered some swell stories through that. A problem is that I often times have to rely on translations into German or English and so the range of books to pick from is being narrowed automatically, because I don't speak Greek or Portuguese or whatever language might be spoken...

[@anagonzalez5197]

I’m seeing video series potential with this idea 💕💕💕 and I’m here for it 🌎🌍🌏

[@papyrusrex]

I recently read Delirium (I think would be the translation) by Laura Restrepo, set in Bogotá in Colombia. I would recommend, I think it dealt well with family issues and the silence used to “deal” with it, and mental health. It’s written in a conversational stream of consciousness, so once you get the hang of it, it flows so well in my opinion. Also in Colombia, for Gabriel García Marquez, I always recommend A Chronicle of a Death Foretold to start with.

[@luisarombach683]

What a great video idea! I've been trying to read more diversely and this video has provided me with a long list of books I now can't wait to read!

[@MargaretPinard]

Really giving me 1980s airport plane-spotting vibes with those sound effects transitions, Leena! YAASSS!

[@ellezeus]

I love how I watch most of your videos with Goodreads open

[@moniquehead8540]

Have instantly ordered Too Much Lip! Such great recommendations thank you!

[@TheAshleybruno]

Yo I love this content idea; make this a series with different prompts.

[@StanGeorgiana]

This could be a series 😍

[@ahsokatanoss]

Love this video and the book recs! I used to live in Iceland and I've been trying to find more books that take place there since I miss it. Not sure if that particular one is up my alley, but I'm going to definitely check some of the others out!

[@ashleyrae9231]

A while back, I read The Blue Fox by Sjon and I really liked it. He definitely has a beautiful way with words!

[@elizabethsacktor2818]

I have to recommend True Deceiver by Finnish author, Tove Janson. You may have read her Moomin books but I adore her adult fiction too!

[@Lucadonta]

I love this google map idea so much! If this could just be an added feature in The StoryGraph....

[@Lucadonta]

I also thought White Chrysantheum was an amazing book, it's one that really stayed with me, but I've never seen it talked about that much. It's great to see it included.

[@MingusTale]

I'm happy to say that I have actually read convenience store woman in Japanese. The first real novel I read only in Japanese actually. A book I would recommend for traveling to China is Wild Swans - memoir of 3 generations of women living through the changeover into Maoist China.

[@SamWest96]

Ok so it's not particularly profound and definitely children's books but my goodness, The Star of Kazan and The Dragonfly Pool by Eva Ibbotson made me fall whole-heartedly in love with Austria. I also collected the Barbie travel magazines (niche) and fell in love with Austria through that magazine too. Anyway, I visited Austria with so much love for it before I even stepped off the train and was not disappointed. I intend to revisit now I'm lucky enough to have a friend living in the countryside. Oh goodness me I adore those books, although I've not read either for maybe 5 years and my tastes have changed a lot so who knows now

[@EpicReads]

Love everything about this video! Great books, fabulous wit, and travel! ♥♥♥♥

[@charlotteboys3337]

Schön, dass du Deutsch lernst 🥳 About a year after I moved here I read what I think is a Dutch book translated into German - Komm her und lass dich küssen. It's told in three parts, from the perspective of Mona as a girl, as a young adult, as an older adult. On my first attempt, I could only understand the more child-like language in Part I. When I came back to it a few months later the rest of the book was more comprehensible, the words which meant nothing to me before now started meaning things, it felt like it had been magically decoded. Happy to act as tour guide if post-covid travels ever take you in the direction of Heidelberg! 😄

[@liesbethvv]

Awwww this is one of my favourite Belgian books :) it's 'kom hier dat ik u kus' by Griet Op de Beeck, a favouite Belgian author of mine. There aren't many good books by Belgian authors translated into English so I always have difficulties recommending Some so thanks for pointing me towards this gem!

[@charlotteboys3337]

@@liesbethvv I didn't know the author was Belgian! I'll have to see if any more of her books are translated into German 😄

[@liesbethvv]

@@charlotteboys3337 I think more of them were translated. I’ve read everything she has ever published and loved it all. Only her most recent novel is waiting for me on my shelf :) enjoy the further discoveries! 🥳

[@isabellamcclymont]

I LOVED Pachinko, such a great window into Korea's history.

[@Larissa_KD]

Omg how am I watching two videos back to back which both contain a Babbel ad (Hannah Witton's upcoming video lol)? IS THIS A SIGN?! (no no, I'm good)

[@leenanorms]

haha MAYBE?! No pressure tho ;)

[@claireeden8069]

Resistance was also made into a movie that has the absolutely gorgeous Alexander Dreymon in it.

[@Tina.bina.]

I just listened to Clap When You Land over the weekend and it was amazing! I hope to check out more of your recommendations 💕

[@renee777ful]

A Hiding Place Leaving Mother Lake: A Girlhood at the edge of the world Balzac and the little Chinese seamstress Angela’s Ashes

[@Chilkies]

From Portugal, I love love All The Names by José Saramago and think it's a fantastic book to get into his work.

[@honestlyholly7657]

Few of my faves - Voices of the lost by Hoda Baraket is set in an unnamed Arab country (it's translated from Arabic). It follows different people who have lost someone in various ways and they're all very loosely linked. The travelling cat chronicles by Hiro arikawa is a translated Japanese novel about a man finding a new owner for his cat, and it's in the perspective of the cat which is BRILL. Conjure Women by afia atakora is a historical fiction novel from the US deep south set just after slavery is abolished, it's about a healer whose healer mum was considered a witch and the community they live in. Tiger by Polly Clark is set in Serbia and it's about 3 different people linked to a wild Serbian tiger who is caught and put into a zoo.

[@Ecesu]

I LOVE the idea of this video, particularly as someone who has arranged a chunk of her books based on regions and cultures. 🙃

[@strangebrainchaos]

100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of my favorite books and is set in Columbia, South America if you are looking for books set in South America.

[@thelivelyliv]

The books by Jon Kalman Stefansson and Iceland are great!

[@thesecretreader]

loved this video! and the idea of creating a bookmap to see what kind of books I'm reading...love that! I loved reading Khaled Hosseinis books "A thousand splendid suns" and "The Kite runner". "The Death of Vivek Oji" by Akwaeke Emezi is another amazing read!

[@caitlind4220]

For South America (esp Argentina and Uruguay) check out Carolina De Robertis’ books. They’re sooo good and you learn tons about the history of those countries. Cantoras is my absolute favorite but they’re all good.

[@nicolenascimento1422]

Im from Brazil and after watching this video I decided to recommend you some books from here.... turns out we have amazing stories but not many are translated to any other language... so what I can do is recommend you the author Clarice Lispector because she is a really famous author (lets say a classic) and she has books in english. Love your videos! Sending love from South America

[@raccoonsnacks]

I loved this as always, leena! I noticed you haven't read anything from South Africa, may I recommend Grace by Barabra Boswell? (Published as Unmaking Grace in the US). It's a gorgeously written short novel about a young woman who grows up in a home wracked by gender-based violence near the end of apartheid, and then how the violence (both personal and political) of her childhood follows her into her adulthood. It's one of my favourite books and I think you'd love it! (Full disclosure, I have worked for the publisher who published it, although I only joined the company after Grace was published).

[@sociallyhawkword]

Love this video. I definitely indulged in couch travel last year. My favourite South American book was Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin is Argentinian and has environmental themes I think would be appreciated here. Very creepy and atmospheric and best read in one sitting.

[@brittany7288]

Love this idea! The Island of Sea Women is another book about the female divers in Jeju, Korea. It shows a multigenerational look. Highly recommend.

[@emilianygren4306]

I recently read Aria by Nazanine Hozar and it’s an incredible story about the 1950-70s in Iran and the rise of the Ayatollah and divisions within the country. It’s very well written and it doesn’t take sides with anyone of the characters that are on different sides of the conflict. I warmly recommend it!

[@emma.greenwood]

Oooh Oooh well this is right up my street as I tend to exclusively read books from non-UK settings, i feel like it enriches us so much to be immersed in another culture for a little while! My number 1 recommendation is Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts - my ultimate fave book ever - set in 1980s 'Bombay' it follows his life story (but officially not) of being an on the run Aussie criminal, and he becomes a slum doctor, a Bombay mafia member and goes to war in Afghanistan. I'm sad that I'll never get to read Shantaram for the first time ever again 😭 Also for Korean/Japanese history prompting check out Pachinko by Min Jin Lee - it's cross-generational book spanning around 50 years. It's a great read - I'm currently reading it and highly recommend! ❤️

[@RoisinsReading]

I would recommend The Old Drift by Namwali Serpel (Zambia), House of Stone (Zimbabwe), Nervous Conditions (Zimbabwe), The Girl With the Louding Voice (Nigeria) just for a few excellent books by authors from Africa. Also Summer Light and Then Comes the Night by Jon Kalman Stefansson (Iceland). Its one of the weirdest books I've read but it's so so good.

[@spiriterised2886]

Catch me re-doing my tbr for the summer so that it fits the journey I would love to take if only all the circumstances were much different.

[@maleahlock]

I have ordered in Too Much Lip through my local Aussie bookshop. It is taking a long time to get here so I ordered more books. Who needs to eat?

[@billie_the_birdie]

So envious that you've met Sjón! I remember the opening scene of Moonstone being read in Icelandic by an old guy, who was grinning like anything because he knew most of us didn't know what he was saying x'D. (It's nsfw. This guy also shoehorned 'Icelandic seamen' into as many of his lectures as he could)

[@this_fanny]

If you want to learn more about Chilean culture, I also recommend Hernán Rivera Letelier, he usually writes stories set in the north of the country, his books always capture me

[@aeolia80]

Ooooooh!!! A novel about Jeju Mermaids!!! I'd be interested in that! Honestly though, Jeju is my FAVORITE area in Korea. It doesn't get enough attention, it's actually semi-autonomous from the main part of the country, and a lot more artsy and progressive than the rest of the country, like the city on the south side of the island, Seogwipo, was the first in Korea to have fully electric buses, and also there are the most electric car rentals in the country too, which is ok because every town, no matter how small, has electric car charging stations. I mean Geoje on the south coast of the main country is beautiful too, but NOTHING compares to Jeju!!!!!, Man, dreaming about the citrus groves on the island, yeah

[@aeolia80]

Also, did you know that Jejudo had its own socialist uprising after the Korean war independent of North Korea and Japan (actually, what they wanted was independence from Korea and a society more like what Europe and Scandinavia is now than North Korea or China), and General McArthur helped the main Korean government basically squash it in a pretty brutal way, with legitimate human rights violations, just to snuff out a "red commie regime" that wasn't even there. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeju_uprising

[@AngelOfRuko]

In uni I read Jenny Xie's "Eye Level." The recent humidity definitely reminds me of her descriptions of southeast asia

[@janetlam2133]

Really love this video! Apart from the convenience store woman I have not read any of the others... so I was literally pausing and taking notes! Thank you for making this!

[@BookNomming]

Clap when you land is amazing!!!

[@strawberryskates]

Aah I love elif shafak’s books so much

[@laurad9458]

Highly recommend Burial Rites by Hannah Kent for Icelandic literature! It’s INCREDIBLE

[@2BOLD4U]

A good book from Japan is Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa. If you like 1984, I think that you may like this book too. I love this video idea. I read a lot of books by American authors and I wanted to read more books by authors from other countries.