Read Around the World: My Favorite Authors

Posted on by

I am on an epic journey to read a book by an author from every country in the world in alphabetical order. When I finish a book, I often think, Damn, I want to read everything this author has written, but if I do that, I’ll never finish this quest. I’m going to keep track of my favorite authors here for future reading ambitions.

p.s. I have created an Amazon storefront with lists of all the books I’m reading on my Read Around the World quest. It’s no extra cost to you, and I receive a tiny commission if you buy through my storefront. I greatly appreciate your support!

  1. Ismail Kadare (Albania)
  2. Assia Djebar (Algeria): I definitely want to finish her Algerian Calvacade. The book I read, Fantasia, was so lush, I could see someone using this book as an amazing starting point for a college thesis. (And if you write that thesis, send it to me!)
  3. Jamaica Kincaid (Antigua and Barbuda):
  4. Narine Abgaryan (Armenia): I’ll read anything she writes. Even a shopping list.
  5. Kate Grenville (Australia)
  6. Ella Leya (Azerbaijan): but Leya is primarily a jazz musician, so not sure if she has more novels she wants to write.
  7. Janice Lynn Mather (The Bahamas)
  8. Taslima Nasrin (Bangladesh)
  9. Cherie Jones (Barbados). She’s also an attorney and the book I read was her debut, so I really hope she writes more. LOTS MORE.
  10. Svetlana Alexievich (Belarus). 4/5/24 – I’m not quite halfway done with Secondhand Time but already this feels like one of the best books I’ve ever read, and damn, I want to inhale to everything she’s written. 4/11/24 – I finished the book yesterday and Alexievich is now one of my favorite authors of all time. Absolutely incredible.
  11. Jacqueline Harpman (Belgium). Hopefully more of her books are translated into English though honestly, I will be happy to reread I Who Have Never Known Men every few years for the rest of my life.
  12. Ivo Andric (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  13. Gothataone Moeng (Botswana)
  14. Machado de Assis (Brazil). If I can only read one author for the rest of my life, I’ll probably pick him, end of discussion.
  15. Kapka Kassabova (Bulgaria)
  16. Michelle Good (Canada)
  17. Adrienne Yabouza (Central African Republic)
  18. Isabel Allende (Chile)
  19. Jung Chang (China)
  20. Gabriel García Márquez (Colombia)
  21. Ali Zamir (Comoros)