Read My Country
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If you had to recommend three books or poems that would deepen a visitor's understanding of your country and culture, what would they be?
The Strand has spoken to some of the world's finest writers to uncover their personal literary guides to the countries they call home.
Hamid Ismailov - Uzbekistan
Hamid Ismailov, the 91热爆 World Service writer in residence, launches the series with three books about Uzbekistan.
1. (Modern Library Classics)
2. Kalvak Mahzum by Abdullah Kadyri
3. by Andrey Platonov
In his latest Hamid is asking for the audience's help to write a short story...
Helon Habila - Nigeria
Helon Habila is a Nigerian novelist and poet. His first novel Waiting for an Angel won the Commonwealth Writers Prize (Best First Book, Africa Region) in 2003.
His three choices for Nigeria are;
1. by Chinua Achebe
2. by Wole Soyinka
3. by Ben Okri
Assaf Gavron - Israel
Assaf Gavron is an Israeli novelist and writer. His novel Hydromania won the Israeli Geffen award in 2009.
His three choices for Israel are;
1. by Etgar Keret
2. by Meir Shalev
3. by Mark Twain
Tamara Chalabi - Iraq
Tamara Chalabi is an Iraqi writer. Her memoir, Late for Tea at the Deer Palace, was published in 2010.
Her three choices for Iraq are;
1)
2)
3) Love Song for Words by Nazik Malaika
Mukoma Wa Ngugi - Kenya
Mukoma Wa Ngugi is a Kenyan writer and poet. He is the author of Hurling Words at Consciousness, a poetry anthology published in 2006.
His three choices for Kenya are;
1. - Mwangi Ruheni
2. - autobiography of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
3. - Ngugi wa Thiong'o
Yang Lian - China
Yang Lian is a Chinese poet. He has held writers' fellowships in Australia and Germany and since 2005 he has been Professor at the European Graduate School in Switzerland.
His three choices for China are;
1.
2. by Zhang Wei (novel)
3. One Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems by Arthur Waley (collection of classical chinese poems)
Miguel Syjuco - Philippines
Miguel Syjuco is a Philippino writer hailing from Manila. His novel Ilustrado won the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2008.
His three choices for the Philippines are;
1. Noli Me Tangere - Jose Rizal
2. America is in the Heart - Carlos Bulosan
3. Dogeaters - Jessica Hagedorn
Santiago Roncagliolo - Peru
Santiago Roncagliolo is one of Peru's rising generation of writers with novels such as Red April.
His three choices for Peru are;
1. Alfredo Bryce Echenique: A World For Julius
2. Mario Vargas: The Bad Girl ()
3. Jos茅 Maria Arguedas: Deep Rivers ()