Around the World in 80 Books (#AW80Books) Challenge

~ Coops

I think I may have mentioned once or twice (or more) that I like to travel. Well, ‘like’ is a bit of an understatement. If they had Travellers’ Anonymous meetings, somebody probably would have dragged me into one by the hair a long time ago.

I think I also mentioned a few weeks ago that I’d like to start to read more diversely. This is something I was pretty good at when I was younger (I did a postcolonial fiction module at university, and got a little bit obsessed, especially with Indian fiction), but I’ve lost it a little as I’ve got older.

Well, imagine my joy when I discovered yesterday that Sarah and Lucy (over at the fantastic Hard Book Habit) have had the rather brilliant idea of trying to go Around the World in 80 Books . This challenge literally could not have been more ‘me’ if I’d thought it up myself.

The gist of it is, participants should read their way around the world in 80 books. It’s very low-pressure, with no deadline and no set itinerary – and only one or two suggested ground rules, such as trying to hit every continent (ideas for Antarctica, anybody?), including a sea-based book, and reading one book which features travel (Orient Express, hot air balloon, road trip etc). One of my favourite things is that books can be fiction or non-fiction, so it really is pretty broad – which makes it perfect for those of us who are easily bored…

As you may have picked up by now, I’m not very good at sticking to plans (travel, reading, or life in general!), but I have set up this page to track my round-the-world reading from the beginning of 2016.

Now, if only British Airways gave airmiles for fictional travels…

 

7 thoughts on “Around the World in 80 Books (#AW80Books) Challenge”

  1. Hooray! I’m so glad you’re joining in the fun. This armchair travel malarkay is so much fun, not to mention convenient, and cheap! I’m seeing the challenge as an opportunity to bring greater diversity to my reading, too. Anyway, I’m off to have a nose at your itinerary now, and I look forward to reading the reviews of your travels! 🙂

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    1. Ooh thank you! I use GoodReads to track my reading, but not really to participate in the groups etc – so that’s a really good tip. Will definitely check it out.

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  3. I HAVE SO MANY BOOKS ABOUT ANTARCTICA THAT I COULD RECOMMEND. I’m obsessed with that place. They’re all biography type books about the exploration of Antarctica in the early 1900s. Not sure if that’s your thing, but if not at least it’s outside your usual reading!

    My favourite is ‘Mawson’ by Peter FitzSimons and is the one that kicked off my interest – FitzSimons’ writing is conversational and easy to read, which is good because this is quite a big book.
    My next favourite is ‘Shackleton’ by Roland Huntford – also a big book and the writing isn’t that entertaining; but Shackleton’s story is interesting.
    THEN there’s ‘South’ by Sir Ernest Shackleton himself (well, it’s ghost written, but he basically dictated it). This one is much shorter and is much more Antarctica focused – it’s a pretty epic survival story that I wish everyone would read. I’d probably go for this one, and maybe read the others if your interest is piqued.
    OR if you want something Antarctica focused with some amazing photographs, ‘South Pole: 1910-1913’ by Christine Dell’Amore, or ‘South with Endurance: Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition 1914-1917’ by Frank Hurley, who was the photographer on Shackleton’s expedition he writes about in ‘South’ – his photographs are exceptional for both the period in which he was working and the location he was working in.

    Aaaaaand I think that’s enough Antarctica pushing for now 🙂

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  4. Pingback: #AW80Books February Round Up | Hard Book Habit

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