Fiction from around the world

[christmaspresentaibu]

I'm off camping for a few weeks in the summer, so should hopefully have lots of reading time in the sunshine (we'll be outside the UK ). It's be great to hear some of your book recommendations!

At the moment I'm adding to my 'international' list and I'd love to read some great fiction from outside Europe - looking mainly at Asia, Africa and South America but anywhere faraway and outside my everyday greyish, British world would be great (quite a broad brief, sorry!)! I've already added 'Monkey Bridge' by Lan Cao and 'The Sympathizer' by Viet Thanh Nguyen to my list because I'd love to know more about Vietnam.

Which books from farflung corners of the world do you really love?

sorry last recommendation The Poisonwood Bible is excellent set in The Congo.

I love The Cairo Trilogy!

We lived in Hong Kong for a few years. John Lancaster's The Fragrant Harbour was the best fiction I read there. I also liked The Piano Teacher and The Expatriates by Janice Lee, both based in HK.

Also, from my Goodreads over the last year:
The Shadow of the Wind (Spain)
A Man Called Ove (Sweden)
The Luminaries (New Zealand)
China Rich Girlfriend (China)
Barracuda (Australia)
The Alexandria Quartet (Egypt)

I loved Archipelago by Monique Roffey. It's about a boat journey from Trinidad to the Galapagos. Quite sad but uplifting at the same time.

I’ve just finished (literally, ie 5 minutes ago!) Family Life by Akhil Sharma. I started it late yesterday evening and couldn’t put it down. It’s a very powerful and sensitive book, full of humour and sadness,about an Indian family who emigrate to America.
Upon finishing it I decided to Google the author to find out who exactly he was, as the book is outstanding. I discovered that the story is autobiographical.
I recommend it unreservedly.