I used to think of myself as a fairly open person, but my bookshelves told a different story.
I
used
to
think
of
myself
as
a
fairly
open
person
,
but
my
bookshelves
told
a
different
story
.
Apart from a few Indian novels and the Australian and South African book, my literature collection consisted of British and American titles.
Apart
from
a
few
Indian
novels
and
the
Australian
and
South
African
book
,
my
literature
collection
consisted
of
British
and
American
titles
.
Worse still, I hardly ever read anything in translation.
Worse
still
,
I
hardly
ever
read
anything
in
translation
.
My reading was limited to stories by English-speaking authors.
My
reading
was
limited
to
stories
by
English-speaking
authors
.
So, at the start of 2012, I set myself the challenge of trying to read a book from every country in a year to find out what I was missing.
So
,
at
the
start
of
2012
,
I
set
myself
the
challenge
of
trying
to
read
a
book
from
every
country
in
a
year
to
find
out
what
I
was
missing
.
As I was unlikely to find publications from nearly 200 nations on the shelves of my local bookshop, I decided to ask the planet's readers for help.
As
I
was
unlikely
to
find
publications
from
nearly
200
nations
on
the
shelves
of
my
local
bookshop
,
I
decided
to
ask
the
planet
's
readers
for
help
.
I created a blog called A Year of Reading the World and put out an appeal for suggestions of titles that I could read in English.
I
created
a
blog
called
A
Year
of
Reading
the
World
and
put
out
an
appeal
for
suggestions
of
titles
that
I
could
read
in
English
.
The response was amazing.
The
response
was
amazing
.
Before I knew it, people all over the planet were getting in touch with ideas and offers of help.
Before
I
knew
it
,
people
all
over
the
planet
were
getting
in
touch
with
ideas
and
offers
of
help
.
Some posted me books from their home countries.
Some
posted
me
books
from
their
home
countries
.
Others did hours of research on my behalf.
Others
did
hours
of
research
on
my
behalf
.
In addition, several writers sent me unpublished translations of their novels, giving me a rare opportunity to read works otherwise unavailable to the 62% of the British who only speak English.
In
addition
,
several
writers
sent
me
unpublished
translations
of
their
novels
,
giving
me
a
rare
opportunity
to
read
works
otherwise
unavailable
to
the
62
%
of
the
British
who
only
speak
English
.
Even so, selecting books was no easy task.
Even
so
,
selecting
books
was
no
easy
task
.
With translations making up only around 4.5 percent of literary works published in the UK and Ireland, getting English versions of stories was difficult.
With
translations
making
up
only
around
4.5
percent
of
literary
works
published
in
the
UK
and
Ireland
,
getting
English
versions
of
stories
was
difficult
.
But the effort was worth it.
But
the
effort
was
worth
it
.
I found I was visiting the mental space of the storytellers.
I
found
I
was
visiting
the
mental
space
of
the
storytellers
.
These stories not only opened my mind to the real life in other places, but opened my heart to the way people there might feel.
These
stories
not
only
opened
my
mind
to
the
real
life
in
other
places
,
but
opened
my
heart
to
the
way
people
there
might
feel
.
And that in turn changed my thinking.
And
that
in
turn
changed
my
thinking
.
Through reading the stories shared with me by bookish strangers around the globe, I realised I was not alone, but part of a network that spread all over the planet.
Through
reading
the
stories
shared
with
me
by
bookish
strangers
around
the
globe
,
I
realised
I
was
not
alone
,
but
part
of
a
network
that
spread
all
over
the
planet
.
I used to think of myself as a fairly open person, but my bookshelves told a different story. Apart from a few Indian novels and the Australian and South African book, my literature collection consisted of British and American titles. Worse still, I hardly ever read anything in translation. My reading was limited to stories by English-speaking authors.  So, at the start of 2012, I set myself the challenge of trying to read a book from every country in a year to find out what I was missing. As I was unlikely to find publications from nearly 200 nations on the shelves of my local bookshop, I decided to ask the planet's readers for help. I created a blog called A Year of Reading the World and put out an appeal for suggestions of titles that I could read in English.  The response was amazing. Before I knew it, people all over the planet were getting in touch with ideas and offers of help. Some posted me books from their home countries. Others did hours of research on my behalf. In addition, several writers sent me unpublished translations of their novels, giving me a rare opportunity to read works otherwise unavailable to the 62% of the British who only speak English. Even so, selecting books was no easy task. With translations making up only around 4.5 percent of literary works published in the UK and Ireland, getting English versions of stories was difficult.  But the effort was worth it. I found I was visiting the mental space of the storytellers. These stories not only opened my mind to the real life in other places, but opened my heart to the way people there might feel.  And that in turn changed my thinking. Through reading the stories shared with me by bookish strangers around the globe, I realised I was not alone, but part of a network that spread all over the planet.