Orbis Terrarum: Wrap Up and Meme

I seem not to have done a wrap up post for this challenge which I finished way back in June! I read :
Mister Pip ,Lloyd Jones (Australia)
The Plague, Camus (Algeria)
Moon Tiger, Lively (Eygpt)
Persian Brides, Rabinyan (Persia)
Peony in Love, Lisa See (China)
The Devil and Miss Prym, Coehlo (South America)
Microserfs, Coupland (Canada)
The Motorcycle Diaries, Che Guvara (Peru)

Peony in Love and Mister Pip are probably my favorites, and Moon Tiger is certainly the most disliked.

1.) What did you like about the challenge?
I enjoyed the opportunity to read books from a wider range of countries and also to read some great reviews making me add to my amazon wishlist!
2.) What would you like to see change for next year?
I didn't see any problems with last years challenge, maybe a mini challenge to make us go and look at other people who are participatings reviews - something I tend not to do with challenges that use a Mister Linky rather than a challenge page.
3.) About the rules, or the non-existent rules...did you like that?
It was nice and simple, ideal.
4.) Are you going to join us next year?
Yes, I'm already participating in several challenges making me read books from different countries, but I'll be joining yours too.
5.) Pretty please give me any suggestions for changes, the betterment of the challenge, or just anything that you would like to see changed for next year.
Only, as I said above for questions 2
6.) Would you like the challenge to be more involved? What if we read books together sometimes? Would that interest you?
That would be good, or we could all read a book from one country or continent during one month
7.) would you be interested in helping somehow next year? How would you like to help?
I wouldn't mind hosting a mini challenge, possibly likned to short stories.

Sunday Salon and a Meme

I haven't been as great at reading this week, the weather has been grey and overcast for days with rain threatening so I haven't been sitting in the garden with a book like I was last week. I managed to get finished 2 books and two books are well on the go. The end of the week got taken up by planning for the next school year (I still have 4 weeks holiday, but I thought whilst I was in the mood I'd get on with it).

This week I need to finish Bellefleur by Joyce Carol Oates, Gone with the Wind and Apache plus try and start Theft by Peter Carey.

I've also been thinking about my reading plans for August, here is the huge list I'd like to get through:

Finish the Southern reading challenge, I need to finish Gone With the Wind and Cold Mountain.
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
The View from Africa, various authors
Blood River, Butcher
Frankie and Stankie, Trapido
A Woman of my Age, Bawden
Pawn of Prophecy,Eddings
Apache, Landman (from the Carnegie shortlist)
What I Loved, Hustvedt
The Valkynes, Coehlo

Theft, Peter Carey

The War of the Worlds, HG Wells

Gods Behaving Badly, Phillips

A Meme, gautami tripathy posted this for us Sunday Saloners to complete:

1. Who’s your all-time favorite author, and why?

I don't have one favorite author, but a few that I know I'll love their work: Sarah Waters, JK Rowling, Phillip Pullman, the Brontes, Jane Austen, A.S Bayatt - the list varies on a regular basis.
Marquez. Atwood. I name here only a miniscule. Amongst new authors, I liked Jay Asher and Mathias B. Freese.
2. Who was your first favorite author, and why? Do you still consider him or her among your favorites?
Either Enid Blyton or Roald Dahl. I haven't picked up an Enid Blyton book in years, but when I have kids I'll make sure I read her to them. As for Dahl, I'm teaching two of his books this year and I reguarly use his poetry in school, I think I enjoy it just as much if not more than the kids.
3. Who’s the most recent addition to your list of favorite authors, and why?

I loved the Neil Gaiman stuff and Will Self who I have read recently, I'd never tried any of this type of stuff before because I assumed I wouldn't like it, but I was gripped.

I've also discovered Paulo Coelho this year, both the books I read where thought provoking, and I definately plan to read more.
4. Tagged: All you Sunday Saloners, consider yourself tagged.

My Thoughts: Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi & a book blowout meme

Last month I had my first introduction to graphic novels with Dream Country by Neil Gaiman, Persepolis showed me what a Graphic Novel can do with a serious topic. Persepolis is about a little girl growing up in Iran during political change. Life goes from being free to having strict rules forced upon the people. Marji's parents generally tell her the truth, she is allowed to hear vivid details about the torture of prisoners, they take her to demonstrations and she reads political and marxist texts for her bedtime stories. Coming from a very political family she finds it extremely difficult to be the obedient little girl which is required under the new regime.

I found this book extremely easy to read and a very powerful look at life in Iran, I have read books about Iran before but this one is very powerful in it's message. I thought that the torture scene was particuarly hard hitting. I'm not sure if this is because the image is below to reiterate what is happening or because it is seen from the eyes of a child.

I shall be reading Persepolis: The Return in the next week.

Other Reviews:

Rebecca's Reads

Corinne

Raidergirl3

Marg

If you have reviewed this book please leave a link to your review and I'll add it on.

Challenges:

The Graphic Novel Challenge Book 2 of 3

Young Adult Challenge Book 3 of 12

July Book Blowout Book 5

Mrs S has set this mini-meme for the July Book Blowout

The Where’s your book set? meme
Here’s how it works - just answer some or all of the following questions about the book you are currently reading (or just finished if you are between books). You can either post your answers on your blog and link us up using Mr Linky below - or post your answers here in the comments.
Here’s the questions:
1. Title and author of the book

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.
2. What year is the book set in?

1980-1984
3. What happened on this day in that year? Go to google and type in the date ie 13 July 1952 and see if you can find a news item for that day

July 13, 1980 U.S.S.R. performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk U.S.S.R.
4. Where is your book set?

Iran
5. Have you visited that place before? If yes tell us something about your trip. If no, look the location up on google and tell us an interesting fact about the city/country.

Cyrus the Great's "Cylinder", found during excavations in Babylon, was inscribed with the first known declaration of human rights.

Elam, the oldest known civilisation in Iran, was founded in 1250 BC.

Cuneiform writing, a form of picture writing, was used in Iran over three thousand years ago.