Last summer, as I was deciding which English class to take, I was immediately drawn to Envisioning Our World, a globally oriented junior English course taught by Dr. Citrin. When I read the course description, I couldn’t help but be inspired to take it one step further and undertake a challenge – to read a book from every country in the world. Over the course of the next two years, I hope to do so, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts along the way.

In order to give myself some structure, I’ve established the following rules:

1. I can only read fictional prose or poetry — no non-fiction prose under any circumstances. My goal is to understand global cultures through stories instead of statistics and articles.
2. I have to read a book from every full UN member state, Kosovo, Palestine, and Taiwan. My reasoning for these choices is due to widespread international recognition and/or some form of recognition of these states by the UN, and a somewhat sizable population (I’m looking at you Holy See).
3. I must do my best to have author gender parity – the closer to 50/50, the better.
   For each country, I’ve picked authors based on nationality, close cultural ties, and/or long-term residency, but every author must have a clear tie to the country that they are representing for this challenge.

So, with that out of the way, let’s get started!

Canada

Title: The Marrow Thieves
Author: Cherie Dimaline, a Metís author from the Georgian Bay region in Canada
First Published: 2016
Rating: 5/5 stars
Genres: Novel, Science Fiction, Dystopian Literature, Bildungsroman, Y/A
Page Count: 231

This book lands itself as the earliest book on my list – I actually read it back at the beginning of 2023, long before I had thought of this challenge, but I couldn’t neglect to include it as my book for Canada. I actually received this novel as a “blind date with a book” at Books on the Bosque – and I fell in love. The story follows an indigenous teenager named Frenchie, who must navigate a dystopian world where indigenous peoples of the Americas are hunted for their bone marrow – all so others can dream. This book’s commentary on the history of First Nations peoples in Canada is as illuminating as it is powerful, and I honestly could not recommend this book enough. Furthermore, Frenchie’s story is an incredibly well-developed bildungsroman (a story centered on the growth of a young character), and although I didn’t read it as a young teen, I think it would be perfectly suited for those in 8/9. The next time you get the chance, get yourself a copy from the nearest library or bookstore – you won’t regret it!

Ireland

Title: Prophet Song
Author: Paul Lynch, a Irish author born in Limerick and raised in Co Denegal
First Published: 2023
Rating: 4.75/5 stars
Genres: Novel, Speculative Fiction, Dystopian Literature
Page Count: 309

When I picked up this book this summer, I was just beginning to dream up this challenge. I impulsively purchased it in the Frankfurt airport – and I think it’s just about the best impulsive buy I’ve ever made. This dystopian tale follows Eileen, a resident of Dublin, Ireland, as the country falls into a totalitarian nightmare. Early on, secret police called the Gardaí arrest her husband for his union affiliations, and she struggles to provide for the rest of her family. Beyond its powerful themes about family, Lynch’s tale also provides a cautionary tale about the creeping dangers of authoritarianism, even in the world’s most stable democracies. Admittedly, I did struggle to follow this book at some points, which bumped my rating down just a bit. I primarily attribute this to the fact that the story is intentionally written without any quotation marks. Although this device certainly helped create an ominous atmosphere, there were moments where I found it hurt more than helped. However, despite my minor qualms, this book is a phenomenal piece of literature, and you should absolutely add it to your TBR list.

Poland

Title: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead
Author: Olga Tokarczuk, a Polish author born in Sulechów
First Published: 2009
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Genres: Novel, Mystery
Page Count: 274

I’ll be honest – getting through this book felt like a bit of a slog, but the end was absolutely worth it. This mystery novel follows the story of Janina Duszejko, a Polish woman living in a rural region just north of the Czech Republic. As she studies astrology fervently, watches over her neighbors’ summer homes, and translates the works of William Blake, she begins to encounter weird happenings in and around her rural hamlet. This book’s forays into the topics of animal rights and community are well-developed, and the ending of the book is incredible – but I did have a couple of gripes with the story. The middle of this book is a bit dense, and reading long passages about Janina’s deep investment in astrology left me on the verge of napping. However, the twists and turns of this mystery far outweighed the downsides.

Georgia

Title: The Death of Bagrat Zakharych and Other Stories
Author: Vazha-Pshavela (real name Luka Razikashvili), a 19th-century writer from modern-day Georgia
First Published: 1889 (“The Death of Bagrat Zakharych”), 1913 (“Batura’s Sword”), 1888 (Memories: A Christmas Tale), 1886 (“Gogotur and Apshina”)
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Genres: Short Stories, Narrative Poetry, Classical Literature
Page Count: 78

Sitting at just 78 pages, I’m willing to bet that this story will definitely be on the lower end when it comes to page counts during this challenge. This collection, including three short stories and a narrative poem, raised questions about the issues like legacy, death, and honor in the context of traditional Georgian culture. Though this book did enlighten me when it comes to the traditions and customs of this small country in the Caucasus, it lost me due to its failure to meaningfully engage me. I’m sure that analyzing the pieces in this anthology would be interesting, but when it comes to entertainment value I found this collection to be seriously lacking. Beyond literary analysis lovers, I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone.
So what’s next? Stay tuned for possible appearances from Austrian, Chinese, Indian, and Saudi Arabian authors in the next volume!