The November Novella Challenge starts here and, for once, I am announcing my reading plans ahead of time – because if I don’t, I’ll divert and I’ll acquire more books …. and I really, really,really don’t need to. Except there is a new edition of one of my favourite books of all time being published at the end of this month. I’ll keep you guessing for now but I will reward myself once I’ve completed this list.
For the purpose of this challenge, a novella is a single story between 60 and 160 pages long.
This is the plan. I live in Scotland, so this world tour starts and ends with Scottish authors. Perhaps we can to meet up along the way …
From left to right:
1. The Island – R J Price (Scotland)
2. Aquis Submersus – Theodor Storm (Germany) (From the NYRB edition of “The Rider of The White Horse”. )
3. Visitation – Jenny Erpenbeck (Germany)
(As it’s New York Review of Books Reading Week, I’m making a quick diversion into Belgium to visit Georges Simenon and his Red Lights.)
4. Portrait of the Mother as a Young Woman – Friedrich Christian Delius (Switzerland, set in Italy)
5. A Castle in Romagna – Igor Stiks (Bosnia, also set in Italy)
(While in Italy, it seems churlish not to read Thomas Mann’s Death In Venice ……)
6. Gasoline – Quim Monzo (Spain)
7. Joseph Conrad – Heart of Darkness (Poland, set in Africa)
(Got to read Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart now!)
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All those diversions, no wonder I didn’t finish in November. As we go into December, I’m now crossing the Atlantic …….
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8. Bonsai – Alejandro Zambra (Chile)
9. Chronicle of A Death Foretold – Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombia)
10. Alphabet of the Night – Jean-Euphele Milce (Haiti)
11. Ethan Frome – Edith Wharton (USA)
12. My Life – Anton Chekhov (Russia)
13. Faustine – Emma Tennant (Scotland)
13 novellas, authors from 11 countries, books from 12 publishers. That should satisfy my literary wanderlust for a while. So if I go missing in the meantime, at least you’ll know where I am.
Great selection lizzie ,the stiks Monzo are two I want to read at some point ,best luck working through them ,all the best stu
Great list. I’ve just posted mine tonight for the Novella Challenge too. I’ve read two from your list and enjoyed them thoroughly, Heart of Darkness and Ethan Frome. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on those you complete. Happy reading.
http://freshinkbooks.blogspot.com/2010/10/novella-reading-challenge-2010.html
I had not heard of this challenge before today and I promised myself no more challenges, but this one sounds perfect. Good luck on your list, it looks really interesting!
This sounds like so much fun. I look forward to hearing all about the books.
PB
I did not know Emma Tennant was from Scotland and hadn’t heard about Faustine. I was much impressed with her novel “Sylvia and Ted”.
Author’s biog from my copy:
“Emma Tennant spent her childhood in Scotland. She now lives in West London …..”
Does that make her Scottish? It does for the purpose of this challenge! 😉
I am looking forward to seeing what you have to say about “Chronicle of a Death Foretold”.
Very cool challenge. I’ve not heard of this one before. I wanted to take a moment to say I’m so glad you’re joining in the fun of What’s in a Name 4. Hope you like the categories.
Cool challenge and good choice of reading! hope you will enjoy your round-the-world trip and will review all these titles 🙂