Armchair BEA: Beyond the Borders

Day Four of Armchair BEA! What a week, eh? So fun. Today we are talking about Beyond the Borders. Some questions to get us thinking:

It’s time to step outside your comfort zone, outside your borders, or outside of your own country or culture. Tell us about the books that transported you to a different world, taught you about a different culture, and/or helped you step into the shoes of someone different from you. What impacted you the most about this book? What books would you recommend to others who are ready or not ready to step over the line? In essence, let’s start the conversation about diversity and keep it going!

One of my favorite things about reading is experiencing other cultures. In fact many of my all time favorite books would fall into this category. So I thought I'd just highlight a few of them.

The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye: The first book that I remember reading that takes place in India. I was fascinated. The book is huge and I was so so sad when it ended. Man, I really need to re-read this one sometime to see if it holds up to that initial coolness!

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry: Later, I read this one also taking place in India. This one is even more real than the first one. (That one you see how the royalty lives, this one, not so much!) Again, I was blown away.

Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende: This one shows the cultures of both South America (I forget which exact country now) and Chinese, and how those two cultures come together in San Francisco during the gold rush. Awesome story.

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck: An intense look into Chinese culture. It haunts me, the decisions made in this book!

A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park: A YA (maybe even middle grade?) book about a Korean boy. I loved it. So very moving.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: Taking place in Afghanistan, and I learned so much about this country that we hear so much about but have a hard time relating to.

Fiesta of Smoke by Suzan Still: A book I read last year about the Mexican revolution.. and so many more things. Mostly an amazing love story.

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The Rent Collector by Camron Wright: A book I just finished and mentioned in a post already this week. A great insight into the lives of extremely poor Cambodians.... in our current day. Based on real people that the author and his son met and befriended

Ah... there's so much more! I need to put these sorts of books on my list more often because I truly do love them. And they make me want to travel and see the world. But even if I don't get the chance, I can through the books. Which is the best thing ever.