Making progress on my Read the World Challenge, where you read a book by an author from each country in the world. I’m going alphabetical by country, limiting myself to the 193 member states of the UN, and including a mix of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Next four books finished:

Australia – The Dry by Jane Harper
A crime fiction mystery featuring Federal Agent Aaron Falk, who returns to his drought-stricken hometown of Kiewarra for his childhood best friend’s funeral, only to investigate the friend’s apparent murder-suicide, uncovering long-buried secrets and old wounds that connect to a past tragedy. Rating: 4/5

Austria – Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
Consists of ten letters written to a young, aspiring poet in 1903, offering profound advice on writing, love, solitude, and the creative life. Published posthumously in 1929, the letters encourage the recipient (and readers) to look inward, live their questions, and find answers within themselves, making it a timeless guide for artists and anyone seeking self-discovery. Rating: 3/5

Azerbaijan – Ali and Nino by Kurban Said
A classic 1937 novel by the pseudonymous Kurban Said, telling the tragic love story of Ali Khan Shirvanshir, a Muslim Azerbaijani nobleman, and Nino Kipiani, a Christian Georgian noblewoman, set against the backdrop of World War I, the Russian Revolution, and Azerbaijan’s fight for independence in early 20th-century Baku. Rating: 3/5

Bahamas – Guanahani, My Love: Poems by Marion Bethel
An award-winning poetry collection that explores Bahamian history, culture, and identity through themes of nature, colonialism, and womanhood, often using magical realism and lyrical language to reclaim heritage. The title refers to the Amerindian name for the Bahamas, and the poems are known for their sensuous imagery, connection to the sea, and exploration of Caribbean life. Rating: 3/5

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