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My Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge Goals and Books Read

Reading challenges are a fantastic way to broaden your reading horizons, learn and read more than you do now. I have lots of reading challenge ideas but the Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge is the one I created to explore new cultures and countries from the comfort of some amazing books.

Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge. Explore new countries and cultures and broaden your reading horizons. It's my goal to read 50 books from different countries and cultures than my own. You can choose your own travel reading adventure in this challenge, where will your travel around the world in books take you?

I started the  Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge in 2014 and had teamed up with Fictional 100 and Guiltless Reading. It was a no-stress, no-worries, kind of challenge that helps you expand your reading and cultural horizons. I’m doing it on my own now but still it’s a goal to read around the world in books!

I think it’s important to learn about different cultures and countries so that we can develop an empathy and understanding for others, what they experience and how it shapes their life perspective. I wish I could travel the world in person but with a family of 5 and a chronic illness, it’s just not possible in this season of life. So what better way to travel the world than through the pages of a book? I can get lost in new places and adventures I may not be able to see otherwise.

Traveling the world in books has also been great learning opportunity for my kids to learn about other cultures too. I am often bringing home library books so they can learn about the world around them. We talk about what it must be like to live in another place, maybe in one that is different in climate, or one that is different politically or economically. It helps them understand what others go through and gives them a sense of appreciation for the life they have.  

Whether you travel the world in books on your own or with your kids, won’t you join me to travel the world in books?

Note: This post contains affiliate links as indicated by an asterisk. Purchases from these links provides a small commission to me at no extra cost to you. 

 

My Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge Goals

Read 50 books in 5 years (7/1/2014 – 6/30/2019) that take place in countries other than the US (where I reside), both fiction and nonfiction. I will track the books I read on this page and on my Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge Google Map. I completed the first phase of this challenge in 2018!

 Now I’ve extended the challenge for another 50 books. First, my goal is to read the books I’ve already bought for the challenge and then I want to diversify my reading so that I tackle new countries/cultures I haven’t read about before.

Books Read:

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Challenge extended! 50 more books, first off my TBR bookshelf of books I’ve already bought and then to diversify so I read from more countries I haven’t read about yet.

2019

  • 51. The Lying Game* by Ruth Ware – set in England – love Ruth Ware’s books
  • 52. The Mysterious Affair at Styles* by Agatha Christie – set in England – I want to read through all of Dame Christie’s books. It will be another self imposed reading challenge of mine.
  • 53. Crazy Rich Asians* by Kevin Kwan – set in Singapore – so entertaining!

2020

  • 54. Jane Eyre* by Charlotte Bronte – set in England – there are so many versions. I have the Barnes and Noble Paperback classics collection

2021

  • 55. The Best of Us* by Sarah Pekkanen – 4* – set in Jamaica
  • 56 – 63. The Bridgerton Series* by Julia Quinn – set in England – I listened to them all on audio – fun, guilty pleasure kind of series…but listen with headphones on if you have kids around!
  • 64. The Husband’s Secret* by Liane Moriarity – 5* set in Australia – loved it! Read it in a day! Liane Moriarity is now a must read author for me.
  • 65. The Silent Patient* by Alex Michaelides – 5* set in England
  • 66. A Discovery of Witches* by Deborah Harkness – 4* set in England, France – really liked it, need to finish the series!
  • 67. Madame Tussaud* by Michelle Moran – 3* set in France, England – really enjoyed most of it and it’s beautifully written. Just the violence of the French Revolution really broke my heart and it was difficult to read. Again, the author made me feel like I was living it, so it’s not her writing. It does have one of my favorite quotes though and if you like historical fiction and want to learn about the French Revolution, then it might be a good choice for you.
  • 68. One by One* by Ruth Ware – 4* set in French Alps
  • 69. The Dinner* by Herman Koch – 1* set in Amsterdam. I rarely give 1* to a book but this one I just liked nothing about it.
  • 70. The Henna Artist* by Alka Joshi – 5* set in India. Favorite!
  • 71. The Secret Keeper of Jaipur* by Alka Joshi – 4* set in India.
  • 72. Apples Never Fall* by Liane Moriarity – 4*, set in Australia
  • 73.A Christmas Carol* by Charles Dickens – 4* set in England, I listened to a different one but I want to listen to this one narrated by Tim Curry next Christmas.

2022

Total Different Countries Visited in Books: 28

Have you read any of these? Any suggestions to add to my reading list to help me visit more countries in books?

What Should I Read Next from my Travel the World in Books Bookshelf?

Here are some of the books I have on my To Be Read (TBR) Bookshelf for my Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge. Which of these have you read and should I read next? It’s my goal to finish a good chunk of these in 2022! Leave me a comment and let me know what I should read next?

  • The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett (various European countries)
  • Rebecca by Daphne Maurier (Monaco and England)
  • Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombia)
  • Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (England)
  • a Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (Canada)
  • The Lake House (England)
  • The Fencing Master by Arturo Perez-Reverte (Spain)
  • The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley (Norway)
  • Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran (Egypt and ?)
  • The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Spain)
  • Station Eleven (Canada)
  • #1 Ladies Detective Agency (Botswana)
  • Morality for Beautiful Girls (Botswana)
  • The Inerhitance of Loss by Kiran Desai (india)
  • Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian (Syria, Armenia)
  • The Golden Son by Shilpi Somaya Gowda (India)
  • Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon (Scotland)
  • Bella Tuscany by Frances Mayes (Italy)
  • In the Shadow of the Banyan (Cambodia)
  • Island of Wings (St. Kilda, Scotland)
  • Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (Italy, Scotland)
  • the 100 foot journey
  • Peony in Love by Lisa See (China)
  • The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho (Egypt, Morocco)
  • Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (Ethiopia)
  • The Mango Bride (Phillipines)

Suggestions Needed for my Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge!

Here are some of the countries/regions/continents I need book recommendations for! If you have a recommendation, please share!

  • Ukraine – I would love to support Ukranian authors!
  • Peru
  • Argentina
  • Brazil
  • Galapagos Islands
  • Portugal
  • Eastern European countries
  • Middle East besides Afghanistan
  • Korea
  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • Fiji
  • most of Africa!
  • Greek islands

Other Reading Posts Like This You Might Enjoy

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Reading Activities for the Whole Family by The Orthodox Mama

25 Reading Challenge Ideas to Inspire You to Read More

35 Best Books Set on an Island

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I hope you will join me on a reading adventure to travel the world in books! My Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge is designed to be no stress and all fun so you can choose your own adventure as you explore new countries and cultures in the world’s best books! 

32 Comments

  1. A few of books I’ve read recently that aren’t on your list:
    Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortinson, Pakistan and Afghanistan
    Brick Lane by Monica Ali, Bangladesh and England (bonus: on Rory Gilmore list!)
    The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Afghanistan and US
    Kim by Rudyard Kipling, India
    Candide by Voltaire, Portugal, etc. some real/some not (also on RG list!)

    Reply

  2. I love your list! Lots of excellent suggestions for sure. I myself have been working on a “Travel the World book list” for a post (my list is a lot smaller though lol) and have some of these same books on it. Reading really can transport you to another world, real or imagined, and that’s what I love most about it.

    Reply
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  6. Hi! I want to join you for this challenge. Very excited to see the books you will read. I’ve mentioned this challenge on my blog. Goodluck and thanks for making the challenge, the Google Travel Maps is a really good idea! 🙂

    Reply

    1. I am so glad you will be joining us as we travel the world in books Deshana. I’ve read Winter Garden and Burial Rites for this challenge so far this month. Both were excellent if you like drama and historical fiction.

      Reply
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    1. So glad you will be joining us Aloi! I like flexible challenges, I am more likely to travel the world if I have 5 years to do it! 🙂 The shorter challenges, I am more likely to not do as well since I am easily distracted by a book cover or book blogger events.

      I look forward to seeing what your goals are and where your book travels take you!

      Reply

    1. Thanks April, would love to have you join us. Another participant, Diary of an Urban Housewife, said she was going to track hers on a pinterest map. I decided to do that too and make it a group board so participants can link up the reviews and pin them on the map 🙂

      Reply

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