What's your favorite book that takes place in a culture other than your own?

Question

Where does it take place, and what did you learn (if anything)?

Answer 1

Bangkok 8 (though it is written by an Englishman... Burdett, I think).

It's set in Bangkok, Thailand (of course). The protagonist often refers to Bangkok as "Krung Thep" which is a (very) shortened version of Bangkok's real name. The novel is about a city detective trying to figure out a couple of murders (including his partner's murder). It eventually involves sex-changes, jade, and the path to nirvana (Buddhism).

The novel opened my eyes up to how a different culture views things. It intriguied me enough that I've been to Thailand twice since reading it.

Answer 2

This question made me think, because I haven't read many books, especially ones relating to other cultures. So I thought for a while and remembered one I read when I was in Elementary School, called "Number the Stars". It's about a girl trying to help her Jewish friend in Denmark during the Nazi occupation of that country, and how her friends and family survive. I was a little kid at the time so of course I learned more about Jewish culture and World War 2 in general. And I don't know of many books who delve too deep into Denmark's history during that time, so it was a bit informational in that respect, too.

It's an easy read of course, might not hold your attention now but at the time I read it, it was an interesting novel.

Answer 3

Someone already mentioned Naguib Makhfus's "Cairo Trilogy" which impressed me very much, too, so I'll add Rohinton Mistry's novels set in the Parsi community of Bombay (Mumbai). I've read three of them, "Such a Long Journey" (1991), A Fine Balance (1996) and Family Matters (2002) and found the immersion in the tragedy and comedy of a world totally different from mine very exciting.

Answer 4

My favorite book, "The Cairo Trilogy" takes place in Egypt spanning World War I in the midst of British imperialism in a Muslim country. I have never been there nor have any Muslim friends, therefore, the novel has informed me informally on their ways of life, family affairs, ideologies, etc. Naguib Mahfouz, the author, received his 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature from this masterpiece, the only one ever in the Arab world. It's highly readable, understandable and enjoyable; it's a must for you to acquire better understanding on Muslim culture.

Answer 5

i would say gone with the wind, because, while i am from the south, society today is so vastly different. it takes place during and after the american civil war in georgia. i learned that what is popular philosophy to a given people, however ludicrous, is never-the-less extremely powerful.

Answer 6

I like books by Enid Blyton. She was British and I'm American. I first started reading her "Mallory Towers" series about a girls' boarding school, and then moved on to some of her mystery series. They are excellent childrens' books!

Answer 7

I love Wilbur Smith's books on africa . He's just so much an excellent writer , you feel as if you are right there and you understand the situation. His courtenays of south africa series is very good.

Answer 8

Most recently, The Kite Runner, set in Afghanistan. People are people everywhere.

Answer 9

i admire the indian custom the music and the flicks. The nutrition no longer plenty. The african and the community indian custom via fact of there spirituality and there closeness to nature. And the italians for there kinfolk traditions,nutrition,language and there way of existence in italy. And ultimately chinese language via nutrition and martial arts.

Answer 10

lost boy no more about the lost boys and girls of Sudan.
How boy and girls can group together and survive no parents, with little food. they walked from Sudan to Ethiopia then back to Sudan to Kenya.