Books/countries I will not be reading

This is part of a video diary of my read around the world journey, and maybe this will be helpful to someone. Not all are countries I won't or haven't read a book from, but I color the ones in at the end that I've given up on searching.
Now I look at my shelves and no longer dread any book, there is only anticipation. This isn't about reading a book from every country, it's about reading great fiction and literature from around the world.
#literature #readtheworld #readaroundtheworld #booktube #booktuber

[@BooksYouHaventRead]

I think a lot of these books being so similar reflects just a broader trend of English language publishing's approach to translating authors. The fact that so many of them are emigrants is probably connected to how they get translated in the first place. You can probably make more opportunities and meet translators if you're traveling or living abroad. Grey Bees is all right but not a piece of art I think you're missing out on. The writing style is definitely simple and understated, but I do think that matches who the character is fwiw

[@mikereadstheworld]

@@BooksYouHaventRead I completely agree with your thoughts there on modern publishing and availability of opportunities. It's odd for me to say this doing a project like this but I think the main issue for me is the emphasis put on the author's nationality as a way of marketing a book is not very helpful or interesting. I say let casual youtubers like me do things like that, but as a publisher don't make out authors to be token representatives of their country. (So many say on the back "first x author to be translated in English). Thanks for the input on Grey Bees, that was one I struggled more with putting away.

[@Formandformlessness]

Ha! I applaud your decision and your candor here. I run into the same thing with world reading; so many times it feels like “checking off a box,” and I absolutely hate reading books like that, because there ARE so many books out there that are very much worth reading.

[@mikereadstheworld]

@@Formandformlessness Thanks. It's a such a nice feeling to let go any feeling of obligation to have to read any certain book. I think that goes for the classics as well - for example I've created something of a block for myself with Homer's Odyssey - I already know the story but I just can't bring myself to be engaged in reading it and have felt bad that I can't appreciate or enjoy it.

[@crozbocrozbo]

I had thoughts to do the same challenge. But don't wanna force myself in "torture reading". So, I go flexible, my approach is to mix "random" country books in my regular reading. Over time I will cover many countries. For me it's just a way to diversify my reading, to go outside my "reading bubble".

[@mikereadstheworld]

@@crozbocrozbo That is a sensible approach as well! Still, I will say this has been a great project to give me focus and I have been able to read a lot of classics and discover hidden gems, as well as reread favorites and share them on this channel. And many more to come. It has been more flexible in that way than many people might imagine.

[@jennyhirschowitz1999]

Abdulrazak’s works are masterful……. Thank you for that episode. He teaches in the English department, University of Kent…… excellent channel. I would have chucked the same books as you did.

[@jennyhirschowitz1999]

Good afternoon Mike, inspiring lecture. Thank you. I’m determined to do likewise …….. it’s high-time in my teeny apartment, for the sake of simplifying the pleasures of my reading life in my waning years. Miss Jenny

[@mikereadstheworld]

@@jennyhirschowitz1999 Thanks Miss Jenny, I'm happy to hear your thoughts and thank you once again for your kind words. You will feel great after condensing your library!

[@danthompson152]

kincaid is okay- dont know the other stuff but trust your gut on the specific works not grabbing you- at the same time i would urge you not to neglect a whole national literature based on one book, and i know you wont- i know in particular some great georgian literature (knight and panther skill, etc) and bet it would be easy to get good recommendations for ecuador, etc. In particular there beyond fatigue there are regions we get tempted to lump - but while anglophone african lit seems less diverse to me than francophone, that's because i studied french and livedin west africa - so like lesser antilles, kric krac is worlds away from oumos - or arabic lit gibran versus mahfouz saves me from lumping it too much but i admit i don't know the diversity of middle easter lit for example...

[@mikereadstheworld]

@@danthompson152 I hear you, I actually do have another book ready for Ecuador. Some of these books were just first attempts and I was able to find something better. I'm not ruling out reading works from any of these countries in the future, it's more accurate to say I just don't plan to make videos on them as part of this self contained youtube series, but yeah things could change. I have to say most of my favorite african literature has been translated from French, older as well as contemporary. Please let me know if you have recommendations to consider for Georgia or anywhere else.

[@theemptyatom]

agree. Most modern stuff is just copy cat themes etc. Eastern bloc countries are a million books on WWII or tangentially related to it over and over again ad nausem. I feel for them people because they are bombarded with book after book of that stuff. And like you said other countries with the non stop copying the magical realism style way too much. Very difficult to find good quality writing and story telling these days without the in your face woke, political theme nonsense. Classics are the way to go, less likely to be disappointed.

[@mikereadstheworld]

@@theemptyatom Almost all of the books left on my shelf for this project are pre-2000 with one or two exceptions. As many classics as possible in there. Also plan to continue reading more by the 20th century authors I've enjoyed from around the world.

[@TheChannelofaDisappointedMan]

Out of interest, had many/all of these rejected books won prizes? Re Georgia, perhaps take a look at Jim's Books Reading and Stuff, he's based in Georgia and covers its fiction.

[@mikereadstheworld]

@@TheChannelofaDisappointedMan 2 man booker international winners in there, an english pen, and a couple NY times bestsellers. A few are just unknowns. Thanks for the pointer on Georgia!

[@yassinghareeb4074]

I could be wrong, but sometimes, I think, it’s the translation’s fault that a book doesn’t carry the same depth of the story as it does in its original language.

[@mikereadstheworld]

@@yassinghareeb4074 For sure. I have to reflect too that my whole project premise and process was bound to cause some fatigue and repetition at some point

[@yassinghareeb4074]

@@mikereadstheworld make fun of me if you want.. but one of the main reasons why I’m learning multiple languages is to read certain books in its original text xD Takes over your life, but worth it!

[@mikereadstheworld]

@@yassinghareeb4074 That's a wonderful thing. I am currently trying to learn Latin for the sole reason of reading Ovid in the original language so...I get it!