BookRiot’s Around the World in 80 Books is a fantastic selection of literature that offers resounding insight into the world’s 80 most populated countries.
Featuring a range of both fiction and non-fiction, the books found on the list all share a common theme: resilience. It comes in many forms; the struggle under dictatorship, racism, sexism, and war are but a few of the stage-setters for the stories found within these pages. The characters are as varied as the lands they inhabit, but are a symbol of the strength of all humanity.
The memoirs of two leading humanitarian activists feature as some of the list’s highlights. From Pakistan, I Am Malala is the remarkable tale of Malala Yousafzai, the girl who was struck by a Taliban bullet as she stood up for young Pakistani girls’ rights to education. Then there’s Yeonmi Park’s In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom. Published in late September 2015, the book recounts Park’s journey as she and her mother fled oppression, facing death and abuse in a search for their next meal, and Park’s sister, Eunmi. Both authors are young, but have persevered through remarkable events that few their ages ever manage to overcome.
Other highlights include Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, and the inspired inclusion of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird as the selection from the United States.
Australia’s selection is Colleen McCullough’s record-breaking novel, The Thorn Birds.
The full list can be viewed here.
Which selections are your favourites? Are there other books you would have liked to see included on the list?
Let us know in the comments below.