On September 15, 2009 one of my (far too many) book groups embarked on a reading challenge entitled "Around the World in 80 Books." Its object was to read 80 books from 80 different countries over the course of the subsequent 12 months. Of the nearly seventy people who signed up to participate, six of us met the goal. Sure, there's a sense of accomplishment, but far more importantly I've found that I've learned quite a lot over the past year, both about history and about my reading tastes in general.
The first thing I discovered was that when one is looking for books about a specific country or region, it's FAR easier to come up with non-fiction books than novels. Most book sites don't allow you to search by a specific country. (Ever try to find a novel about Qatar or Oman? It ain't easy!) At first, this intimidated me. I've had an annual goal for as long as I can remember to read six non-fiction books a year, and most of the time I don't succeed. I do a fine job of BUYING non-fiction books; there are many that look really interesting. Somehow, though, they always seem to languish on my shelves longer than the novels I purchase. I finally decided, though, that if I was going to participate in this challenge, I'd just have to bite the bullet and read some non-fiction (yikes!).
The thing is, though, I discovered I actually LIKE a lot of non-fiction books. I don't think I've felt this way about books since my discovery of science fiction in junior high; I'm positively giddy with the possibilities. There's a whole new world of literature out there for me now, one which I can't wait to experience (and my to-be-read list reflects this, unfortunately). I'm actually kind of kicking myself a bit for ignoring so many excellent works for so many decades.
A friend recently said that she'd never read a non-fiction book because they were boring, and because she reads about enough tragedy in the newspaper every day. I suspect that was my opinion, too, before I was forced to dive into them. True, I did read about a lot of grim situations (I don't know of any book that beats We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families for real-life tragedy). However, I've also met a number of fascinating people through authors such as Tracy Kidder, been moved by books like Love in the Driest Season, and inspired by the autobiography of William Kamkwandba, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. I've been to wars past and present with the likes of EB Sledge and David Finkel. I've climbed to the summits of Everest and Annapurna with legendary expeditions, and visited other far corners of the earth with companions such as perennial favorite Michael Palin. Finally, I've also developed an intense appreciation of how very fortunate I am to have been born in this time and in this country, thanks to Nothing to Envy, It's Easier to Reach Heaven Than the Other Side of the Street, and When Broken Glass Floats, to name but a few.
The challenge is over, I've read my 80 books. I'm not sure what percentage of my reading will be made up of non-fiction now (after all, there are a LOT of novels I've put off over the past year – Cormac McCarthy, here I come!), but I know I'll look at non-fiction differently in the future, and you'll no longer need to twist my arm to get me to read it.
UPDATE: By popular request, Kim published her "Around the World" list in a separate post about a week after this. Here is a link to the list which is in spreadsheet form so you can sort it whichever way you wish. The * in the first column indicates a favorite book that she particularly recommends. All links go to more information at BookBrowse. If a book is not linked you'll easily find information elsewhere, such as at IndieBound - the online destination for independent bookstores: Download the list
BookBrowse reviewer Kim Kovacs is an avid reader in the Pacific Northwest. All those rainy days give her the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of books that span many genres. Browse Kim's reviews.
