Introduction

This is my own personal reading challenge.  As a geographer, who also loves reading, I don't know why I didn't think of it years ago.   I have decided to read my way around the world in 80 books travelling across land borders between adjacent countries where possible and taking short sea journeys where necessary, as if I were on a real journey.  I have chosen mainly fiction but have also included some travel writing when I have been unable to obtain a novel set in a particular country.   My criteria is that at least half of the novel is set in the country I am travelling through but the author does not have to be from that country.  Some of the books have been translated into English and some are novels written for children or young adults.  I have used the current names for the countries, although several of the books are set in the past when some of the countries' names were different.

It is an environmentally friendly way to travel with a very low carbon footprint, especially as I will be borrowing all the books from my local public library service.  I would never be able to afford to visit most of these countries during my lifetime or indeed have the time to do so.

I will give the books a mark out of ten for enjoyment.  I estimate that it will take me about 2 years to complete my journey.  I actually started my journey in January 2010 but have only now got round to setting up this blog, so some of the reviews will be posted in retrospect.