Around the World in 80 Books by Damrosch

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 BOOKS by David Damrosch sounded very intriguing to me. Damrosch, Professor of Comparative Literature at Harvard University, explores titles that range from settings in London (Great Expectations and others), across more European cities (Paris, Krakow, Venice and Florence featuring Dante’s The Divine Comedy and many more) through Cairo, Istanbul and Muscat (e.g., One Thousand and One Nights).  From there, he explores the Congo and Nigeria with works like Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. The next sections cover numerous titles from the Middle East, India, China, and Japan, before turning to the Western Hemisphere and South America, The Antilles, and New York. Each of the 80 books is presented in a three to five page description, often featuring personal connections and a summary/analysis of the text. Damrosch’s “Literary Journey” was a bit too literary for me and hence my favorite chapter was centered on Bar Harbor, Maine with works like McCloskey’s One Morning in Maine, Lofting’s The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, and White’s Stuart Little. Damrosch rightly points out, “we may never know when a book may prove to be a life-changing experience.” AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 BOOKS received a starred review from Publishers Weekly who said, “Travel fans and literature lovers alike will find something to savor.”