Each year Gilion at Rose City Reader hosts a European Reading Challenge. This year is the eighth year for this challenge and each year I’ve wondered about joining in. But this year I’m in, for the first time!
The idea is to read books by European authors or books set in European countries (no matter where the author comes from). The books can be anything – novels, short stories, memoirs, travel guides, cookbooks, biography, poetry, or any other genre. You can participate at different levels, but each book must be by a different author and set in a different country – it’s supposed to be a tour.
These are the standard European countries:
Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Vatican City.
Looking at the books I’ve already read this year and the books on my shelves and Kindle I reckon I should be able to read at least five, maybe more.
So, I’m going to aim for the FIVE STAR (DELUXE ENTOURAGE) which is to: Read at least five books by different European authors or books set in different European countries.
BooksPlease 
That sounds like a fun challenge, Margaret. I hope you’ll enjoy it, and I’ll be interested in the books you choose.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Awesome challenge! Wish I had known about this challenge earlier, as I’ve already had a few European reads this year and have quite a few coming up. Maybe next year. Good luck!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think you can still join in Sarah.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Sarah — There’s still time to join the challenge. you can sign up any time in 2019 and you have until the end of January 2020 to finish your books. We hope you join us. If not in 2019, then in 2020!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much!
LikeLike
Lovely to have you doing this too, Margaret. It’s such an interesting one. I’ve just finished Dancer at the Gai-Moulin by Georges Simenon for Belgium, reviewed by you last year I think? So I’m off and going. I wonder if you can count any books you’ve already read this year? And I’m wondering if a Greenland book would count for Denmark. Might be stretching it a bit. LOL
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes I did read Dancer at the Gai-Moulin last year – a good one to read for the European challenge. I think we can count books we’ve read already this year as the rules state that you have to have read all the books between January 1, 2019 and January 31, 2020 – so that’s good. I’ve read two – for Ireland and Iceland. I’m not sure if a Greenland book can count for Denmark – maybe because it is an autonomous constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark.
LikeLike
This is a great challenge and I am glad you are joining in. I will watching for which books you read for this challenge, in case I need suggestions.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Good luck with that challenge. Being able to choose books set in a particular country makes it a little easier than finding authors from a certain country – some of the smaller nations don’t have a lot of texts available in English
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I think it is easier to find books set in a particular country rather than finding specific European authors. And it’s good being able to use either option.
LikeLike
hope you find some good ones…..
LikeLike
Sounds like fun! Who knew there were that many countries in Europe?? *goes off to the dunce’s corner* 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, you’re not the only one in the dunce’s corner – my European geography is not very good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank for joining the 2019 challenge!
LikeLike