What novels should I read in these countries?

Looking for books associated with the countries I'm traveling to.

14 years ago, September 21st 2009 No: 1 Msg: #86798 Delete Edit

B Posts: 47

I'm wanting to learn a little bit more about each country I visit so I've decided to read books associated with them. In Thailand the book to read seems to be "The Beach" and Argentina might be "The Motorcycle Diaries." I'm a guy, looking for books that are entertaining, informative, eye opening, and relatively easy to find in a used book store on the road. What books should I read for these countries? Loas, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, China, New Zealand, and Japan.
Thanks

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14 years ago, September 21st 2009 No: 2 Msg: #86814 Delete Edit

deleted_49612
deleted_49612

D Posts: 24.6K

Hello Kevin 😊

I recommend The Glass Palace for India.

Mel Reply to this

14 years ago, September 21st 2009 No: 3 Msg: #86820 Delete Edit

Jo Trouble
Jo McCarthy

B Posts: 11.5K

Japan: Shogun

NZ: Once Were Warriors

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14 years ago, September 21st 2009 No: 4 Msg: #86857 Delete Edit

JonathanCampion
Jonathan Campion

B Posts: 972

Hi Kevin,

For India: Rudyard Kipling's 'Kim'.

J. Reply to this

14 years ago, September 21st 2009 No: 5 Msg: #86877 Delete Edit

the soul cultivator
Claire Hall

B Posts: 41

'A fortune Teller Told Me' by Tiziano Terzani.
The author is a travel journalist who covers most of these countries in cultural detail but the story revolves around when he was told 16 years before that in 1993 he must avoid flying as death will be with him during this year, a travel journalist not able to fly presented a new challenge for him, he then travelled over land and suddenly experiances these countries in a different more intense way than ever before. During this year of 1993 and as a confirmed skeptic he manages to get his fortune told in every country he visits, to see if this was still forseen in the cards, he is told many strange and hysterical things by these fortune tellers but he also experiances many strange things too. A true story. Reply to this

14 years ago, September 21st 2009 No: 6 Msg: #86905 Delete Edit

PatrickSwayzesTwin
Matt Q

B Posts: 22

Sorry, this recommendation doesnt involve any of the countries you mentioned but I just finished "You Shall Know Our Velocity" by Dave Eggers...its an amazing book that describes Senegal, Morocco, Estonia, and Latvia and has a really interesting premise to it Reply to this

14 years ago, September 22nd 2009 No: 7 Msg: #86937 Delete Edit

deleted_49612
deleted_49612

D Posts: 24.6K

I also recommend Half a Life, by V. S. Naipaul Reply to this

14 years ago, September 23rd 2009 No: 8 Msg: #87090 Delete Edit

Kevin and Amarryn
Kevin and Ammi

B Posts: 47

Thanks everyone. I've read Shogun. Awesome book. I'll have to look for the rest. Reply to this

14 years ago, September 24th 2009 No: 9 Msg: #87223 Delete Edit

Kari12
Caroline Redmond

B Posts: 53

Catfish and Mandala, A two-wheeled Journey Through the Landscape of Vietnam. It's not a fiction novel but reads like one Reply to this

14 years ago, September 24th 2009 No: 10 Msg: #87225 Delete Edit

Luisa28
Luisa Eames

B Posts: 1

For Japan check out "Memoirs of a Geisha" and for China I thought "Red Azalea" was really insightful as to life under the Mao regime. Reply to this

14 years ago, September 24th 2009 No: 11 Msg: #87240 Delete Edit

Hayler
Chris Hayler

N Posts: 5

For Cambodia there are numerous books you can read. My favorite was "First they Killed my Father", but I also recommend "The killing Fields" and The Quiet American". They really give you a strong insight into the Khmer Empire. Reply to this

14 years ago, September 25th 2009 No: 12 Msg: #87267 Delete Edit

Going Global
Marc

B Posts: 102

India:
- Shantaram
- Arrow of the Blue Skinned God
- Holy Cow
- The Inheritance of Loss Reply to this

14 years ago, October 6th 2009 No: 13 Msg: #88593 Delete Edit

beverlystayart
Beverly Stayart

N Posts: 10

Thanks for these book recommendations for specific destinations. Reply to this

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What novels should I read in these countries?