Read a book from each country in Europe.

[sonjadog]

I was just reading an article about someone who had a goal to read one book from each country in the world and it has inspired me to start my own project to read a book from each country in Europe.

I want to read a novel or a biography or something along those lines and it must be set on the country with an author from the country.

So, do you have a favourite author from your country? Do you have a book recommendation?

I'm thankful for all suggestions, even if you aren't from the country the book is from.

Soooo excited about this thread. I am a Mumsnet book blogger and have ALWAYS taken novels with me, set in the place I am visiting. Way back I started to collate books, because I could never easily find books set in location. So decided to start a website www.tripfiction.com - I would be only too happy to suggest books to add when you feel stuck - though there are already LOTS of wonderful suggestions! Just about to start The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook set in Hamburg, Germany for the blog - Waterstone's book of the month.

That should be part of the mumsnet blogging network! Got so carried away by this!

bril idea!

Thank you!! It's a lot of hard work and research.... but fun!

As stated...
Portugal: Eca de Quieroz, O crime do Padre Amoro
Spain: Ildefonso Falcones, Cathedral of the Sea.
Couldn't see these mentioned on the quick scan.
As it stands, I think that I will start in cold countries. It's winter (?) and then move south as the year progresses.

For Estonia: The Saviour of Lasnamae, by Mari Saat. Set in the late 1990s/ early 2000s, it's about a woman of Russian origin who lives in Tallinn and how she and her teenage dd are adjusting to the realities of life after the fall of the USSR. Written by an Estonian of Estonian(not Russian) ethnicity. V interesting novella from a prize winning author.

Fascinating project. I will read the thread and tripfiction properly when I have more time.

Do you think there are going to be all the books you need translated into English, where you don't read the native Language?

I love travel books and have read quite a few set all over Europe, but I don't know how many fit in with the rules that you have set yourself.

If you find yourself needing to relax your rules, can I suggest 'Playing the Moldovans at Tennis, and One Hit Wonderland by Tony Hawks, which is set in Albania.

Red Quest and Balkan Odyssey by Jason Smart will also you to tick off a lot of Eastern Europe.

Brilliant idea. I am shamefully written-in-English-centric in my reading habits (not deliberately but out of laziness, I suspect).

I'll start as soon as I've finished my current read.

I'm not the OP. I have change my mind about North to South. I'm going to do the core countries of the EU first. Starting with Germany.
I've actually read quite a few already, that did surprise me.
I have never read any books (I don't think) about the Iberian Peninsula.
One book that I picked up in Prague (and doesn't fit any rules) is 'Czechoslovakia, the state that failed' by Mary Heimann.

My German book list is looking healthy and a relatively new addition is 'Alone in Berlin' Hans Fallada. Only recently translated.