One country, one book

What inspired you to read one book from every country? When did you begin working towards it?

It was in March 2016 when I realised that most of the books that I have read are written by British or North American authors and wanted to do something about it. I started searching, and read about Ann Morgan, who in 2012 took the challenge to read a book from every country in a year. I got inspired by her and in April, I began my own project of reading books from 197 countries. Our lists are slightly different and I don’t want a time limit as I want to freely explore the country as I read each book. My project isn’t a challenge but a quest to bring about a change inside me and appreciate authors from underrepresented nations.

Who encouraged you to read? What is your favourite genre?

In my childhood, my mother used to buy me fantasy books like Cinderella, and even though I loved the movies, the books never really caught my interest. I picked up reading after my brother gave me A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. Right now, I take more interest in military non-fiction as well as fiction.

Tell us about your three favourite books.

The first of these would be A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah (Sierra Leone). This is one of the most heartbreaking books I’ve ever read! It focused more on the mindset and psychology of the child which made it unusual. I’ve learnt that you will gain freedom and success one day but you have to keep trying. Two, Girl at War by Sara Novic (Croatia) — a truly haunting story. And the third would be Miguel Street by VS Naipaul (Trinidad and Tabago). My mom picked this one for me, and it was a fun read for a beautiful spring afternoon.

How many hours do you spend reading every day?

I like to spend around two-three hours on books every day (not at the same time). But it all depends on how interesting the book is and how much school work I have. I make sure that I have time for leisure, reading, reviewing books and doing my school work everyday.

What is the best and worst thing about this challenge?

I have learnt and accomplished a lot with this project. I have also faced some setbacks, but everything is an experience.

Authors, translators and publishers from around the world are sending me their work. So many people are visiting their local bookstore to pick out books for me! Overall, I have become a more confident person because of interacting with so many people from around the world, and I’ve also become better at multitasking. I think the different tales that I have read about misery, pain and poverty have allowed me to empathise better.

As for setbacks, in December 2016, Facebook deleted my page because I was under-age. With the support of my family, I created a new page.

What are your hobbies other than reading?

Cycling. I really enjoy biking down the road. Another hobby is writing. I really enjoy writing reviews for books, participating in essay writing contests and blogging.