Read the World Reading Challenge: Read a Book From Every Country You Visit

Do you want to read more diverse literature? Explore different cultures through books? And connect your travels more deeply to what you’re reading?

Then this is the reading challenge for you.

Back in 2017, I set myself a personal reading challenge: to read at least one book by an author from every country I travelled to that year.

This started as a quiet experiment (mostly for myself) to make my travels feel more intentional and to push myself to read beyond the same familiar authors and genres.

Over the years, I’ve done my best to stick to this challenge, and it’s become one of my favourite reading habits.

Welcome to the Read the World reading challenge (originally called the Travelling Bookworms reading challenge) – a simple but rewarding idea that combines travel and reading.

What is ‘Read The World’ reading challenge?

The premise is simple: for every country you travel to in a given year, read at least one book by an author from that country.

That’s it.

The book can be fiction or non-fiction, classic or contemporary, long or short. It can be something you read on the plane, while you’re there, or once you’re home – the timing is flexible.

What matters is the intention: using literature to engage more thoughtfully with the places you visit.

Translated works absolutely count, as do books by authors who were born in that country or who belong to that cultural background, even if they grew up elsewhere.

How it works

So here’s an example of how this works…

If you’re off to Paris this summer, you could read books set in Paris by French authors such as Flaubert or Amelie Nothomb.

If you’re off to Nigeria, you could try something by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie or my current read, Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo.

If you’re off to Croatia, you could look for books set in Croatia by Croatian authors such as Our Man in Iraq by Robert Perisic.

You don’t need to overthink it. One book per country is enough to make a difference.

What counts (and what doesn’t)

One important rule I’ve always kept with this challenge is this:

Books simply set in a country do not count unless the author is from that country.

I made this rule deliberately.

While there are many authors who write beautifully and respectfully about places outside their own culture, there are also plenty of examples where books rely on clichés or misunderstandings.

I’ve personally experienced this as a reader, and it’s something many people mention in reviews too.

By prioritising authors who are writing from within a culture (or very close to it) the reading experience often feels richer, more nuanced, and more grounded.

Why I love this challenge

Over the years, this challenge has helped me:

• Discover authors I would never have found otherwise
• Read more translated and international literature
• Deepen my understanding of places beyond surface-level travel
• Create lasting memories tied to specific trips and destinations

Some books are now inseparable from the places I read them. Certain cities instantly remind me of a particular novel, and certain journeys are defined by what I was reading at the time.

How to make this challenge work for you

A few tips if you want to try this yourself:

• Plan loosely: Have a shortlist before you travel, but leave room to change your mind
• Use bookshops and libraries: Especially when travelling – local recommendations can be brilliant
• Don’t aim for perfection: Missing a country one year doesn’t mean the challenge has failed
• Count audiobooks and e-books if that suits you

This challenge is meant to enhance your reading life, not make it stressful!

Want to join in?

If you’d like to take part, you can adapt the challenge in whatever way works for you – one book per country, one per trip, or even one per region if you’re travelling slowly.

If you do share your reading online, please tag me so I can see what you’re reading and where your books are taking you!

What began as a personal challenge in 2017 has become one of the most meaningful reading habits I’ve ever started, and it’s one I intend to stick to.

Hopefully it sticks for you, too.

If you liked this post, check out these:
28 Books Set in Paris
15 French Classics to Read
9 Korean Books to Read
Japanese Books to Read

[This challenge was first launched in 2017 and was renamed in 2025]