Reddit user Backforward24 has created a map where every country in the world represented by (arguably) the best book of that nation.
(click on the map to go to the original source)
The idea behind the map is quite brilliant considering reading is a wonderful way to learn about different cultures, but the selection of books included has received substantial criticism. Some are branding it as 'literature of the world as seen by the Western eye', as the books which feature are generally all translated into English most often feature in Western 'foreign favourites' book lists. They are not necessarily books that are valued a great deal outside of the Western world, and may not accurately represent the people of the country from which the author originates.
Another criticism is the lack of usability when it comes to the smaller countries on the map, Jordan and Lebanon for example are almost invisible, and the map only zooms to a minimal extent.
Let us take a closer look at how the Middle East has been represented:
Some novels which feature are Egyptian author Naguib Mahfouz's 'Palace Walk' and Saudi Arabain classic 'Cities of Salt'. The Kite Runner also makes an appearance on behalf of Afghanistan as well as Persepolis for Iran, now better known for its animated film adaptation. It's unclear from the map whether a Palestinian author made it in due to the size issue.
The good news, however, is that the creator of the map has promised to release a list of all the books which feature to accompany the map, and has even promised to create a 2.0 version of the map taking viewers recommendations into consideration!
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