Project 196
Week One
If you are a publisher that has an anthology that is done in the 196 spirit, please contact me as I will be spotlighting appropriate collections.
Today is the first day of The Reading Life 196 Short Stories From 196 Countries in 196 weeks project. The idea is simple. UNESCO says there as of today 196 sovereign countries in the world. Over the next 196 weeks I hope to post on a short story by an author from each one of these countries. All of the stories will have to be in or translated into English and must be readable either online or in a purchasable E-book.
The biggest challenge will be finding stories from all of the countries. Some may turn out to be impossible but I do have 1372 days and a huge amount of literature will go online during that period. I am not going to count any of the stories I have previously posted on unless I cannot find any other stories from the country. I will give where I can precedence to the living over the dead and try to balance the already famous with emerging writers. I will also try to discover some information about the background and literary culture of the writers from many of the countries. For living writers, I will seek contact with them.
Short stories can open up new worlds to us. Part of my idea is to involve people from all over the world in this project and unite the readers of the world.
All of my existing projects will continue unabated, the Irish Quarter, Short Stories of The Indian Subcontinent, and the various author projects.
In terms of reading volume, if the stories average ten pages then it will be under 3000 pages, less than four Trollope novels!.
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| "Let go around the world together"-Carmilla |
This will be a very multi-cultural event. If more sovereign countries develop in the next 196 weeks I will add them. I will proceed in no special order.
I recently read and totally loved Don Quixote. I know this is a crazy project but I think one of the great heroes of the reading life, Don Quixote would have seen the logic of this project.
Mel u
This is an exciting project. Wow!
ReplyDeleteThis is a fantastic challenge, Mel, and very unique too. Let me know if you need any help digging up short stories from any of the 196 countries — I'd be delighted to lend you a hand. I surf a lot and manage to dig up all sorts of stuff to read. All the best to you...
ReplyDeleteOh this is such a fantastic idea, Mel.
ReplyDeleteI hope I can participate somehow.
In any case, I'll be very interested to discover stories from countries from which I haven't read anything or very little so far.
Tea Norman-thanks so much for your kind comment and visits
ReplyDeletePrashant C. Trikannad -thanks so much for your offer of help-maybe if you spot any short stories from Asian countries that were once part of the Soviet Union or a story from Tibet you could let me know
Che-I hope you can participate somehow-thanks so much for your many comments in 2012
Tea Norman-thanks so much for your kind comment and visits
ReplyDeletePrashant C. Trikannad -thanks so much for your offer of help-maybe if you spot any short stories from Asian countries that were once part of the Soviet Union or a story from Tibet you could let me know
Che-I hope you can participate somehow-thanks so much for your many comments in 2012
It's a great project! WOnderful idea. I shall be following with interest.
ReplyDelete