 | A recent comment from Norah Colvin got me wondering (as they often do): how many countries had I visited recently in the pages of a book? Perhaps I’d set myself a reading goal for next year: around the world in eighty books! As a comparison (or perhaps as a way of avoiding knuckling down to some real work), I thought I’d check where I’d travelled so far this year. Omitting mainland UK and the USA, where I find myself all too often, I’m not even halfway to eighty, but it’s nevertheless a spread. |
While it’s possible I’ve overlooked some of my armchair travels, I’m struck by what’s absent from my list. I thought I read lots of novels with Indian settings, but apparently not this year (although I have read a few featuring characters in the UK or US with Indian or Pakistani roots). And nothing so far this year from Germany, or China, and a whole continent of South America missed out. What other gaps can you see?
| Australia A Long Way from Home Barbados Washington Black Bulgaria The Unbeliever Burma Miss Burma Croatia Ukelele Jam Czech Republic Spaceman of Bohemia Finland The Summer House France Smoking Kills Ghana The Hundred Wells of Salaga Greece The Athenian Women Iceland The Sealwoman’s Gift Indonesia The Tree of the Toraja Iran Disoriental Ireland Rainsongs Italy The Eight Mountains Japan Convenience Store Woman Kenya Dance of the Jakaranda | Latvia Soviet Milk Lebanon Shatila Stories Madagascar Beyond the Rice Fields Micronesia The People in the Trees Nigeria Speak No Evil Northern Ireland Milkman Norway The Gradual Disappearance of Jane Ashland Oman Celestial Bodies Philippines America Is Not the Heart Poland Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead Russia The Forged Coupon Spain Court of Lions Syria States of Passion Uganda Kintu Zimbabwe House of Stone |
When I’m so inclined I might look further back to when I began reviewing to see if I can plug some reading gaps. Ideally, I’d choose a favourite novel for each country, preferably written by an author who is based or hails from there. Although what constitutes a country is contested, the consensus seems to be that there are 195 countries in the world. How many do you think Annecdotal should have visited (in total) by the end of next year?
| I drafted this post a couple of weeks ago for my end-of-month series on reading, but a summons for the Ranch necessitated some tinkering with my schedule. While the 99-word story it prompted isn’t particularly inspired, I doubt I’d ever find a more fitting accompaniment to a parade of nations prompt. |  |
A scorcher of a summer
“How was your summer? Did you get away?”
“It depends what you mean by away.”
“Oh, I forgot, you don’t go away anymore, do you? Don’t blame you, this year. Who needs to go abroad with the scorcher of a summer we’ve had?”
“Me, actually.”
“You did go away? Where?”
“Barbados and Madagascar most recently.”
“Most recently? You went other places earlier on?”
“Sure.”
“Where?”
“Finland, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, and Poland, as far as I recall.”
“As far as I recall? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I watch a parade of nations in the pages of a novel.”
“How was your summer? Did you get away?”
“It depends what you mean by away.”
“Oh, I forgot, you don’t go away anymore, do you? Don’t blame you, this year. Who needs to go abroad with the scorcher of a summer we’ve had?”
“Me, actually.”
“You did go away? Where?”
“Barbados and Madagascar most recently.”
“Most recently? You went other places earlier on?”
“Sure.”
“Where?”
“Finland, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, and Poland, as far as I recall.”
“As far as I recall? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I watch a parade of nations in the pages of a novel.”
 | Charli’s flash fiction challenges are on hiatus for a month from now to make way for the contests. First up is on dialogue (or dialog in American) – looks like I’m going to need more practice! |
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