PERSONAL CURRICULUM 101

WHAT IS A PERSONAL CURRICULUM?

Coined by Elizabeth Jean @xparmesanprincessx, the personal curriculum trend is about creating a self-directed learning plan focused on areas of personal interest, loosely based on a school curriculum structure, including things like assigned reading, goals, assignments, and final projects.

At its core, the personal curriculum movement is about celebrating lifelong learning and intellectual curiosity. It's about being more intentional about how we spend our time when we're not sleeping, or at work, or doing the basic maintenance or admin or chores to keep our lives going. It's about using our free time to enrich our lives in a way that is purposeful and intentional and joyful, indulging our curiosity as adults, even once we're outside of structured school environments, getting excited about learning and allowing ourselves the freedom to go down those rabbit holes in our special interests, to challenge our brains in ways that we maybe don't get the chance to in our day-to-day lives.

I have been so excited about this concept since first stumbling across it a few months ago, and I’ve finally built my inaugural curriculum to kick off 2026! I wanted to share my process and share some tips & tricks for any of you who might want to try this trend along with me. Watch the video below and scroll down to download the PDF I put together to help you get started on your self-directed learning journey!

Follow along with this blog post, or tap the button below to download the PDF!

REASONS TO MAKE A PERSONAL CURRICULUM…

• It gives structure to your curiosity so your learning has direction.

• It helps you actually follow through on interests rather than letting them fade.

• It turns vague goals into concrete weekly actions.

• It supports slow, deep learning instead of surface-level skimming.

• It creates a fun sense of play by reinventing school for your grown-up self.

• It encourages self-improvement, self-awareness, and personal growth.

• It gives you the opportunity to explore a topic or a skill without the pressure to be perfect.

• It gives you the chance to develop skills that matter for your creative or career goals.

• It keeps you from doom-scrolling or passive consuming because you have a plan.

• It lets you design learning that fits your neurotype, schedule, and energy levels.

• It makes it easier to choose what to read or watch next because you have a curated list.

• It gives you a reason to explore libraries, archives, or media you would not normally discover.

• It lets you explore being a beginner again in a low-pressure way.

• It reminds you that learning is not just for children or formal students.

• It builds self-trust as you keep a promise to yourself and complete your courses.

• It encourages a focus on consistency and longevity that can improve your life in so many different areas.

BRAINSTORMING PROMPTS

• Which topics have I been interested in or curious about for months or years, but never given myself the time to truly study?

• What skills do I wish I had but haven't taken the time to learn or master? Alternatively, which skills have I learned, but then allowed to fester and fall into disuse?

• What problems or questions keep coming up in my life or work that I may want to dig into a little bit deeper?

• Which niche interests or topics do I constantly seek out in the media I consume?

• What are those thumbnails, those topics, those ideas that I will always click on when they show up on my feed?

• If I had all the money and time in the world, what would be my dream degree?

• What would I want to study all day, every day if I had nothing else to worry about?

• What would be my dream career if I didn't have to worry about going back to school or making enough money to sustain my life?

• How would I want to spend my days if I had full freedom?

• What topics or ideas make me excited, passionate, riled up?

• What do I want to be able to debate or discuss with my friends or family?

• What's a snippet of an idea or a concept that you just happened to come across that has wedged itself in your brain and won't let go?

Narrow it down

Once you have a long list, take some time to read over it and really notice which ones get you excited and which ones feel a little bit more like an obligation (or something that maybe you'd be interested in if you watched a 10-minute YouTube video on it but not really something you would want to dive deep into and spend a lot of your free time learning about!)

• Look for patterns. See if there are connections between different ideas - could any concepts on your list be combined in an interesting way in a course?

• Are there certain ideas, themes, or flavours that keep popping up again and again and again?

• Are any of these skills or activities that you already have the equipment for at home?

• Or are any of these things skills, ideas, or topics that could enhance your day-to-day life or could help you get a promotion at work?

• Which ideas light you up? Make you want to drop everything and dive into them right now?

Focus on what makes you excited, what lights you up, what makes you feel joyful and creative and curious, and focus less on the things that feel like they *should* be your interests or they'll benefit you in some way.

Consider Your timeline

You're going to want to take your timeline into account. Do you want to switch up your curricula monthly? Every six weeks? Quarterly? I've seen many monthly personal curricula, but I'm personally doing courses that will last three months (twelve weeks/a quarter of the year). I like having a little more time to dive deep into a subject, and also like the idea of them loosely coinciding with the seasons of the year - feeling like I'm moving through the different seasons of my life as I move through the various curricula that I've built for myself. So when I was looking at my own brainstormed list, I was trying to find topics, ideas, skills, areas of study that I could see myself being interested in and really diving deep into for a full twelve weeks.

Keep in mind, even if you're only doing monthly courses, spending four weeks on one topic is still not an insignificant amount of time and probably a lot more time than what you've previously been dedicating to various topics of interest if you've been less intentional about your self-study in the past. Try to separate out the ideas that are maybe a little too narrow for your selected timeframe, maybe better suited to an afternoon or two of research rather than a longer course, or maybe ideas that interest you on a surface level that you would watch an hour long documentary about, but not the kind of idea that you're so passionate about that it will sustain you again for a whole month or eight weeks or twelve weeks depending on your timeline.

Conversely, if you go too broad with it, you're going to have trouble. You want to make sure that your idea is specific enough that you're not getting stuck in the weeds, that you're not lost in the mire of too many ideas, too many possible directions to take your study!

Tip: Focus on 3-4 courses per ‘term’ at most (especially when you’re just getting started) so you don’t burn out! You can always create another curriculum once you finish this one.

Find resources

Now that you've narrowed down your ideas to three or four core topics, skills, or areas of study that you're really interested in, you're going to want to start actually building your courses. And what I found most helpful at this stage was to focus on finding resources to build my courses around (rather than coming up with a highly specific niche topic and struggling to find resources that explore it!) In my case, that was mostly books - you can find really well-researched, really informative, transformative works of literature and nonfiction in just about any topic you're interested in. Of course, if you're not much of a reader or you just have less time, you could focus on short-form writing like articles, or you could go completely away from reading and focus on visual media with documentaries, for example, or maybe focus on podcasts and interviews. The options truly are endless! But if you're like me and want a reading list for each of your courses, I have some tips and tricks for finding the books that perfectly suit your personal curriculum:

• Many university courses have their syllabi/reading lists/required reading on their websites. So you can peruse those and get lots of amazing ideas curated by experts in the field you want to study!

• If you already own books on a particular topic, you may want to build a course out of them! Focus on the things those books focus on so you can use what you already have, or have fun combining various books on your shelves in unique ways.

• If you already own a book or have read a book on this topic, check out the bibliography - see what that author read to write their book, maybe those books will lead you down a good path!

• See if there are any universities with online courses that you can audit or take for free/at very low cost that can either supplement the course you want to do or can just be a course you want to take in its entirety.

• Go to your local library and ask your librarian for help. I promise they have so much knowledge to share with you, and they will love this idea too!

• Try forums (especially Reddit) for resource recommendations from people interested in your field of study.

Course template

Use the button to download the PDF with the Course Syllabus Template to build your own!

Course Syllabus Template

PDF also includes a printable version with a plain white background and black text.

I love this trend and its focus on intellectual curiosity and self-directed learning. I’d love to know what your personal curriculum looks like and which courses you’re excited to dive into!

How to read critically

Do you ever finish a book and wonder if you really understood it? Do you give 5 stars to pretty much every book you read? Do you watch reviews of a book you enjoyed and find yourself surprised that the reviewer picked up on so many things you didn’t?

If this sounds like you and you want to make a change, this video is for you:

To facilitate reading critically, I’ve compiled a list of questions you can ask while you read (and after, as a reflection) to dive deeper into a variety of aspects of a story. Use this post as a resource or get the printable below!

General

• What stands out to me right now and why?

• What emotions am I feeling? Where are they coming from?

• Do I agree or disagree with what’s being said or shown?

• Is there something here I don’t understand yet?

• Am I actively engaged, or do I feel my attention drifting? Why?

• What expectations did I bring into the book, and are they being fulfilled or challenged?

• Do I feel immersed in the world of the book, or am I constantly aware that I’m reading?

• Am I curious to know what happens next? Why or why not?

• Does anything here remind me of my own life, values, or experiences?

• What is surprising me, and why?

• Do I trust the author to take me somewhere worthwhile?

Genre & Conventions

• What genre is this book and how does it fulfill or subvert that genre’s conventions?

• Does the book blend multiple genres? If so, is it effective?

• Does the book feel formulaic or innovative within its genre?

• How does the book handle common tropes of its genre (romantic rivals, chosen one, unreliable narrator, etc.)?

• Is the genre choice the best fit for the story being told?

• How does the book set up reader expectations through genre signals (cover, blurb, opening chapter)?

• Does the book play with or challenge the boundaries of its genre?

• How does it compare to other well-known works in the same genre?

• Does the book rely on clichés, or does it reinvent familiar elements?

• Are genre conventions used to reinforce or complicate the book’s themes?

• Does the book satisfy the “promises” of its genre (mysteries solved, HEA, etc.)?

• How does the tone align with or contrast the genre (a lighthearted take on horror, a dark take on romance)?

• Would the book still work outside its genre, or is the genre essential to its identity?

• Does the book appeal primarily to fans of the genre, or to a broader audience?

Plot, PACING, & Structure

• What is the central conflict driving the story?

• How is tension built or released?

• Are the major plot beats placed in a way that builds tension and keeps you engaged?

• Are there any major turning points or shifts in tone?

• Is the structure (linear, dual timeline, fragmented) affecting how I interpret the story?

• Does the structure (chapters, POV switches, timeline jumps) support or distract from the narrative?

• Does the story move at a pace that serves its tone and content?

• Are there sections that feel rushed or drag on without purpose?

• Are subplots integrated smoothly, or do they distract from the main story?

• Do events feel inevitable given what came before, or arbitrary?

• How does the opening set up expectations for the rest of the book?

• Does the ending resolve conflicts in a satisfying way, or leave threads hanging?

• Is there a balance of action, reflection, and dialogue?

• Are cliffhangers used effectively, or do they feel manipulative?

• How does the book’s length affect its impact?

Characters

• What does the main character want and what’s stopping them from getting it?

• How are characters changing (or not changing) over time?

• Are character arcs satisfying and earned or abrupt and unconvincing?

• Do the characters have clear motivations, and do those evolve over time?

• Are their actions consistent with their beliefs or motivations?

• Do any characters represent something larger than themselves (ideas, archetypes, ideologies)?

• Are the characters well-developed and believable, or do they feel flat or stereotypical?

• How does the author invite me to feel about this character? Do I agree?

• Does the author show character traits through actions and dialogue, or just tell?

• Do the relationships between characters feel authentic and layered?

• Are secondary characters fleshed out or one-dimensional?

• Do characters face meaningful consequences for their actions?

• How do the characters reveal themselves in moments of stress or conflict?

• Does dialogue feel natural for each character’s background and personality?

• Do characters embody contradictions or complexities that make them feel real?

• Who has the power in the relationships between characters, and how does that shift (if at all)?

Representation

• Are marginalized characters written with depth, agency, and nuance or as tokens or plot devices?

• Is the representation sensitive and thoughtful, or does it rely on clichés and harmful tropes?

• Does the author seem aware of the cultural, historical, or social weight of the identities they’re writing about?

• If the author is writing outside their own experience, does it feel researched, respectful, and responsible?

• Does representation extend beyond surface identity into worldview and lived experience?

• Do marginalized characters have their own goals and arcs?

• Are stereotypes being reinforced or challenged?

• Who gets the narrative focus and emotional depth, and who is sidelined?

• How does the book handle intersectionality (characters holding multiple marginalized identities)?

• Does the representation feel tokenistic or integral to the story?

• How might someone from the represented community feel about this portrayal?

• What responsibilities do I have when reading work that represents identities or experiences not my own?

• How might my interpretation affect how I recommend or discuss this book with others?

Narration & Point of View

• Who is telling the story? Are they trustworthy?

• What information is being emphasized or omitted?

• How would the story change if told from another perspective?

• How close or distant do I feel from the characters and events? What’s contributing to that effect?

• Why might the author have chosen this POV over another?

• How does the narrator’s reliability (or unreliability) affect the story?

• Are there gaps between what the narrator knows and what the reader understands?

• Does the narrative voice change depending on the situation or subject?

• How much access do I have to the characters’ inner thoughts versus their actions?

• Is the distance between narrator and events intentional (ironic, detached, intimate)?

• Does the POV limit or enhance the story’s themes?

Themes & Big Ideas

• What ideas or questions keep coming up?

• What do I think the book is really about underneath the surface? How do I feel about its message?

• How do the characters or plot reinforce the themes?

• Is the book making a moral or political argument? Is it subtle or overt?

• Are the themes woven naturally through the narrative, or are they overly blunt or lost entirely?

• Does the book ask meaningful questions or challenge the reader to think critically?

• Is the book doing something new or insightful with familiar ideas? Does it have a unique perspective?

• Do the themes resonate beyond the story, or feel shallow or surface-level?

• Do the themes emerge through character, plot, or imagery?

• Are the themes consistent, or do they conflict in interesting ways?

• Is the book engaging with broader philosophical, social, or cultural conversations?

• Are there unanswered questions the book leaves me to wrestle with?

• Does the book critique or reinforce dominant ideologies?

• Is the story more concerned with questions than with answers?

• Do the themes feel timeless, or tied to a particular moment?

Setting & Worldbuilding

• Is there a strong sense of place?

• Is the setting or world immersive?

• What kind of world is this (realistic, fantastical, dystopian, historical)?

• Does the world feel fully realized, with rules, logic, and texture?

• How does the setting shape the characters’ choices or values?

• How does the world reflect or challenge real-world systems (power, oppression, identity, etc.)?

• What assumptions does this world make about power, gender, race, class, etc.?

• Is the world internally consistent?

• Are there inconsistencies or gaps that pulled you out of the story?

• Does the author balance exposition with immersion or is it too info-dumpy or underdeveloped?

• Does the physical environment mirror or contrast with the characters’ emotional states?

• How is atmosphere or mood conveyed through the setting and/or language?

• Does the world evolve as the story unfolds, or stay static?

• Are details grounded in sensory experience (sight, sound, smell, etc.)?

• Do cultural norms and social systems feel lived-in or artificially imposed?

• How is setting used symbolically, if at all?

• Would the story work if set somewhere else, or is the setting essential?

Language & WRITING Style

• What kind of tone does the author use? Is it playful, cynical, dispassionate, neutral?

• Does the prose style support the story being told (sparse, lyrical, sharp, experimental, etc.)?

• Is the language doing something unusual? Why might the author have chosen to experiment in this way?

• Are there recurring words, phrases, or images? Does the repetition feel intentional? Why might the author have chosen to emphasize these particular words and ideas?

• Does the writing feel intentional, or overly reliant on clichés and filler?

• Are the dialogue and descriptions distinctive and purposeful?

• Do the tone and voice match the subject matter and emotional stakes?

• How does sentence rhythm affect the reading experience?

• Does the author favour description, dialogue, or internal thought?

• Is there a consistent voice throughout, or does it shift?

• How does word choice affect tone (formal, casual, archaic, modern)?

• Are there moments where the writing itself evokes strong emotion?

• Does the author use silence or the absence of detail for effect?

• Are there passages worth rereading for their beauty, craft, or complexity?

• Do I have any favourite quotes? How and why do they resonate with me?

Symbols, Imagery, & Motifs

• Are there any metaphors or symbols I noticed?

• What recurring symbols or images appear, and how do they evolve?

• Do certain objects, places, or images take on layered meanings?

• Are there visual or sensory motifs tied to certain characters or themes?

• How do metaphors or allegories shape the story’s deeper meaning?

• Do the motifs feel integrated or forced?

• Do particular colours, sounds, or sensory details carry symbolic weight?

• Are natural elements (weather, landscapes, animals, plants) used symbolically?

• How do recurring images connect to the book’s themes or emotional arc?

• Are there cultural, mythological, or historical references embedded in the imagery?

• Do the symbols shift meaning depending on context or character perspective?

• Are there contrasts or opposites in the imagery (light/dark, silence/noise, growth/decay)?

• Does the imagery contribute to mood and atmosphere, or mainly serve a symbolic purpose?

• Are certain images resolved or transformed by the end of the book?

Craft & Construction

• How well do the different elements (plot, character, theme, setting) work together?

• Are there moments that reveal the author’s particular strengths or weaknesses?

• Does the book show signs of careful revision, or does it feel underdeveloped?

• How does the book compare to others by the same author in terms of craft?

• Does the book feel polished, experimental, or somewhere in between?

• Does the book balance originality with accessibility?

• Are there inconsistencies or contradictions that weaken the overall craft?

• Does the author take risks in structure, voice, or content, and do they pay off?

• How effective are transitions between scenes, chapters, or POVs?

• Does the book’s length and scope feel right for what it’s trying to accomplish?

Context & Connection

• Does the book remind me of anything else I’ve read or seen?

• How does this reflect the time it was written or challenge it?

• What do I know about the author, and how might that shape their perspective?

• How would someone from a different background than my own read this differently?

• How does my own cultural context shape what I notice?

• How does this book converse with literary traditions or genres?

• Does it echo historical events or cultural debates of its time?

• Has this book influenced other works, or been influenced by them?

• What intertextual references (myth, art, literature) can I identify?

• Does the book challenge dominant cultural narratives or uphold them?

• Could this story be told in another medium (film, stage, podcast)?

Interpretation & Reflection

• How am I bringing my own biases and worldview into my reading?

• Am I giving the text a fair chance, or am I dismissing it too quickly?

• What was left unresolved or ambiguous? Do I think that was intentional?

• How did my understanding shift as I kept reading?

• Are any aspects of the story resonating differently now that I know how it ends?

• Did the book leave me thinking or feeling something meaningful?

• How does this book affect me emotionally, and why?

• Do I feel manipulated, challenged, comforted, or unsettled?

• How does the book engage with universal human experiences (love, grief, fear, hope)?

• Would different readers (younger, older, different backgrounds) feel differently?

• What questions is the book asking me to consider?

• Were there any moments of brilliance or missed potential?

• Did the author accomplish what they seemed to be trying to do?

• Would I recommend this to someone else? And if so, what kind of reader?

• Did my expectations change from beginning to end?

• What is my primary interpretation of the text? Are there other interpretations of this book I could consider?

• How might my interpretation change if I reread the book in the future?

• What personal biases influenced how I read this?

• Do I think this book will stay with me after finishing, or fade quickly?

• What do I think I will remember most vividly about this book, and why?

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I hope these questions help you to dive deeper into the books you read, develop your critical reading skills, and have even better conversations with other readers!

xox Elizabeth

Reading Around the World

I set out this year to read a book from every country in the world and created a spread in my reading journal to track my progress (see image below). When I mentioned my goal in a YouTube video the suggestions started flooding in, and I realized it was worth taking the time to put together a little resource for us all to share!

When I started this challenge I didn’t know this blog existed - so check it out to learn more about their experiences and for even more book ideas for each country!

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This list is based on my own research and suggestions from my online community (mostly from the comments of this YouTube video) and is a work in progress. I have not been able to verify that each book takes place in the country in which the author was born and/or lived the majority of their life. If you notice a mistake please let me know so I can fix it!

Some suggestions are for specific books, and others are just for authors to check out. If you have more suggestions please let me know so I can add them!

Any books I’ve personally read will be bolded and include a link to my Goodreads review and/or a YouTube video where I discuss it. If I read it prior to joining Goodreads/BookTube it will just be bolded!

An additional note - because I am bilingual and can read in both English and French, some of the books listed here that were originally written in French may not have been translated into English. I will indicate this by italicizing those books! I’ll also italicize books that don’t appear to have an English translation since those reading may also speak more than just English and appreciate those recommendations!

Ok, enough preamble. Let’s get on to the list!

A

• Afghanistan

  • The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

  • Load Poems Like Guns: Women's Poetry from Herat, Afghanistan by Farzana Marie

  • A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

• Albania

  • The Country Where No One Ever Dies by Ornela Vorpsi

  • The File on H. by Ismail Kadare

  • Hana by Elvira Dones

  • The Highland Lute by Gjergj Fishta

  • The Last Journey of Ago Ymeri by Bashkim Shehu

  • Negative Space by Luljeta Lleshanaku

  • Sworn Virgin by Elvira Dones

  • Three Elegies for Kosovo by Ismail Kadare

• Algeria

  • Algériennes 1954-1962 by Swann Meralli

  • The Plague by Albert Camus

  • The Stranger by Albert Camus ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review

  • Women of Algiers in their Apartment by Assia Djebar

• Andorra

  • Authors

  • Albert Salvadó

• Angola

  • A General Theory of Oblivion by José Eduardo Agualusa

  • Granma Nineteen and the Soviet's Secret by Ondjaki

  • Patriots by Sousa Jamba

  • Authors

  • Agostinho Neto

• Antigua and Barbuda

  • Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review | YouTube Review

• Argentina

  • The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enríquez ⭐⭐ Goodreads Review

  • Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro

  • Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin ⭐⭐ Goodreads Review

  • Martin Fierro by José Hernández

  • Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review

  • Authors

  • Jorge Luis Borges

  • Julio Cortazar

  • Liliana Bodoc

• Armenia

  • The Gray House by Mariam Petrosyan

• Australia

  • The Animals In That Country by Laura Jean McKay

  • Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray by Anita Heiss

  • The Boy From The Mish by Gary Lonesborough

  • Cloudstreet by Tim Winton

  • Eggshell Skull by Bri Lee

  • First We Make the Beast Beautiful by Sarah Wilson

  • Flames by Robbie Arnott

  • Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia edited by Anita Heiss

  • Herron by Robbie Arnott

  • The Killing Code by Ellie Marney (set in USA)

  • Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

  • The Man from Snowy River by A.B. Paterson (Poem)

  • On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

  • Picnic At Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

  • Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington, Nugi Garimara

  • Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

  • Scission by Tim Winton

  • Tell Me Why by Archie Roach

  • This One Wild and Precious Life by Sarah Wilson

  • The Yield by Tara June Winch ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ YouTube review | Goodreads review

  • Authors

  • Bryce Courtenay

  • Cate Kennedy (short stories)

  • Colleen McCullough

  • Di Morrissey

  • Kate Forsyth

  • Lynette Noni

  • Traci Harding

• Austria

  • The Wall by Marlen Haushofer

• Azerbaijan

  • All Russians Love Birch Trees by Olga Grjasnowa (set in Germany)

B

• The Bahamas

  • An evening in Guanima: A treasury of folktales from the Bahamas by Patricia Glinton-Meicholas

  • Learning to Breathe by Janice Lynn Mather

• Bahrain

  • The Pearl Thief by Noor Al Noaimi

• Bangladesh

  • Black Ice by Mahmudul Haque

  • Gouripur Junction by Humayun Ahmed

  • In Blissful Hell, 1971: A novel by Humayun Ahmed

  • Of Blood and Fire by Jahanara Imam

  • Authors

  • Ahsan Habib

  • Bankim Chandra

  • Muhammad Zafar Iqbal

  • Rabindranath

  • Tahmima Anam

• Barbados

  • How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House: A Novel by Cherie Jones

  • Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord

• Belarus

  • The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich

  • Voices from Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich

• Belgium

  • Histoire d'Alice qui ne pensait jamais à rien (et de tous ses maris, plus un) par Francis Dannemark

  • The Melting by Lize Spit

  • Authors

  • Amélie Nothomb

• Belize

  • Beka Lamb by Zee Edgell

• Benin

  • L'esclave par Felix Couchoro

  • Authors

  • Adelaide Fassinou

  • Colette Senami Agossou Houeto

  • Paulin Joachim

• Bhutan

  • The Circle of Karma by Kunzang Choden

• Bolivia

  • Affections by Rodrigo Hasbun

• Bosnia and Herzegovina

  • The Fortress by Mesa Selimovic

  • My Heart by Semezdin Mehedinović

• Botswana

  • Call and Response by Gothataone Moeng

  • The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (series - takes place in Botswana, author born in Zimbabwe)

• Brazil

  • Amora: Stories by Natalia Borges Polesso

  • Captains of the Sands by Jorge Amado

  • Here the Whole Time by Vitor Martins

  • The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector

  • I Didn't Talk by Beatriz Bracher

  • Macunaima by Mário de Andrade

  • Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas by Machado de Assis ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review | YouTube Review

  • O Menino Azul by Cecilia Meireles

  • Where We Go From Here by Lucas Rocha

• Brunei

  • The Fisherman King by Kathrina Mohd Daud

  • I Am Not Your Eve by Devika Ponnambalam

• Bulgaria

  • The Physics of Sorrow by Georgi Gospodinov

  • Authors

  • Ivan Vazov

• Burkina Faso

  • Crépuscule des temps anciens par Nazi Boni

  • Histoire de l'Afrique noire par Joseph Ki-Zerbo

  • Ma part de vérité par Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo

  • Le Parachutage par Norbert Zongo

• Burundi

  • Au nom des miens par Jeanne D’Arc Mpitabakana

  • Small Country by Gael Faye

C

• Cape Verde / Cabo Verde

  • The Madwoman of Serrano by Dina Salustio

• Cambodia

  • In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner

  • Survival in the Killing Fields by Haing Ngor

• Cameroon

  • A Long Way from Douala by Max Lobe

  • Mission to Kala by Mongo Beti

  • The Old Man and the Medal by Ferdinand Oyono

• Canada

  • The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review | YouTube Review

  • Une Dernière Fois par Catherine Francoeur ⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review | YouTube Review

  • Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space by Amanda Leduc ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review | YouTube Review

  • Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review | YouTube Review

  • Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars by Kai Cheng Thom ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review | YouTube Review

  • Gutter Child by Jael Richardson ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review

  • A History of My Brief Body by Billy-Ray Belcourt ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review

  • I’m Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review

  • Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction edited by Joshua Whitehead ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review | YouTube Review

  • Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review

  • Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review

• Central African Republic

  • Co-Wives, Co-Widows by Adrienne Yabouza

• Chad

  • Nimrod : Selected Writings by Nimrod

  • Told by Starlight in Chad by Joseph Brahim Seid

• Chile

  • The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

  • The Old Man Who Read Love Stories by Luis Sepúlveda

  • The Story of A Seagull and The Cat Who Taught Her To Fly by Luis Sepúlveda

  • My Tender Matador by Pedro Lemebel

  • Authors

  • Antonio Rojas Gomez

• China

  • In the Face of Death We Are Equal by Mu Cao

  • The Three Body Problem by Liu Cixin ⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review

  • Wild Swans, Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang

• Colombia

  • Living to Tell the Tale by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

  • Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

  • Oblivion: A Memoir by Héctor Abad Faciolince

  • One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  • Our Lady of the Assassins by Fernando Vallejo

  • The Sound of Things Falling by Juan Gabriel Vasquez

  • Authors

  • Alvaro Mutis

  • Andres Caicedo

  • Gonzalo Arango

  • Hector Rojas Herazo

  • Jose Asunción Silva

  • Leon De Greiff

  • Porfirio Barba Jacob

• Comoros

  • A Girl Called Eel by Ali Zamir

  • The Kaffir of Karthala by Mohamed A. Toihiri

• Congo, Democratic Republic of the

  • La Danse du Vilain par Fiston Mwanza Mujila

  • Tram 83 by Fiston Mwanza Mujila

  • Authors

  • Sony Lab'ou Tansi

• Congo, Republic of the

  • The Fire of Origins by Emmanuel Dongala

• Costa Rica

  • Concherias by Aquileo J. Echeverría

  • Cuentos de angustias y paisajes by Carlos Salazar Herrera

  • En una silla de ruedas by Carmen Lyra

  • Única Looking at the Sea by Fernando Contreras Castro

• Côte d’Ivoire

  • In the Company of Men by Véronique Tadjo

  • Suns of Independence by Ahmadou Kourouma

• Croatia

  • Belladonna by Daša Drndić

  • Croatian Tales of Long Ago by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić

  • Cyclops by Ranko Marinkovic

  • Farewell, Cowboy by Olja Savičević Ivančević

  • The Hill by Ivica Prtenjača

  • Trieste by Daša Drndić

  • The Witch of Grič by Marija Jurić Zagorka

  • Authors

  • August Šenoa

  • Hrvoje Hitrec

  • Tin Ujević

• Cuba

  • Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina Garcia

  • Frigid Tales by Pedro De-Jesús

  • Kingdom of this World by Alejo Carpentier

  • A Planet for Rent by Yoss

  • Trumpets in the Mountains by Laurie Frederik

  • Authors

  • Leonardo Padura

  • Nicolás Guillén

  • Wendy Guerra

• Cyprus

  • Afentis Batistas by Costas Montis

  • Ledra Street by Nora Nadjarian

  • The Maidens by Alex Michaelides (takes place in England) ⭐ YouTube Review

  • Authors

  • Vasilis Michaelides

• Czech Republic

  • The Good Soldier Švejk by Jaroslav Hašek

  • The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka (takes place in Germany)

  • Too Loud a Solitude by Bohumil Hrabal

  • The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

  • War with the Newts by Karel Čapek

D

• Denmark

  • The Copenhagen Trilogy by Tove Ditlevsen

  • The Discomfort of Evening by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld

  • Seven Gothic Tales by Isak Dinesen, Karen Blixen

  • The Shamer’s Daughter by Lene Kaaberbøl

  • The Tenant by Katrine Engberg ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review

  • Authors

  • Harry Mulisch

  • Tommy Wieringa

• Djibouti

  • The United States of Africa by Abdourahman A. Waberi

• Dominica

  • Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

• Dominican Republic

  • In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

E

• East Timor (Timor-Leste)

  • The Crossing: A Story of East Timor by Luís Cardoso

• Ecuador

  • Cumanda by Juan León Mera

  • Poso Wells by Gabriela Aleman

  • The Villagers (Huasipungo) by Jorge Icaza

  • Authors

  • Demetrio Aguilera

  • Enrique Gil Gilbert

  • Joaquin Gallegos

  • Medardo Angel Silva

• Egypt

  • Beer in the Snooker Club by Waguih Ghali

  • Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz

  • The Queue by Basma Abdel-Aziz

  • The Thief and the Dogs by Naguib Mahfouz

  • What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad

  • Authors

  • Nawal El Saadawi

• El Salvador

  • Slash and Burn by Claudia Hernández

  • Tyrant Memory by Horacio Moya

• Equatorial Guinea

  • By Night the Mountain Burns by Juan Tomás Ávila Laurel

  • La Bastarda: A Novel by Trifonia Melibea Obono

• Eritrea

  • African Titanics by Abu Bakr Kahal

  • Gratitude in Low Voices by Dawit Gebremichael Habte

  • Heart of Fire by Senait Mehari

  • I Will Not Grow Downward - Memoir of an Eritrean Refugee: My Long and Perilous Flight from Africa's Hermit Kingdom by Kenneth James Howe, Yikealo Neab

• Estonia

  • The Man Who Spoke Snakish by Andrus Kivirähk

  • The Willow King by Meelis Friedenthal

• Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland)

  • A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn

  • When the Ground is Hard by Malla Nunn

• Ethiopia

  • Love Unto Crypt by Haddis Alemayehu

  • Les Nuits d’Addis Abeba par Sebhat Gebre-Egziabher

  • The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste

F

• Fiji

  • A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao

  • Kalyana by Rajni Mala Khelawan

  • A Remarkable Rotuman Woman by Jacinta Tonga

• Finland

  • A Charming Mass Suicide by Arto Paasilinna

  • The Egyptian by Mika Waltari

  • Fathoms of the Fenlake by Ante Aikio

  • Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot

  • Moominsummer Madness by Tove Jansson

  • Purge by Sofi Oksanen

• France

  • Antigone by Anouilh

  • Candide by Voltaire

  • La Belle et la Bête by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve ⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review | YouTube Review

  • La Belle et la Bête by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont ⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review | YouTube Review

  • La Chanson de Roland by Unknown

  • The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

  • L’Empire des Loups by Jean-Christophe Grangé

  • Feux by Marguerite Yourcenar

  • Les Larmes de L'Assassin by Anne-Laure Bondoux

  • Luisa: Ici et La by Carole Maurel

  • Memoires d'Hadrien by Marguerite Yourcenar

  • Le Misanthrope by Molière ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review | YouTube Review

  • Authors

  • Franck Thilliez (Sharko & Hennebelle series)

  • Françoise Sagan

  • Jean Teulé

  • Simone de Beauvoir

G

• Gabon

  • Awu's Story: A Novel by Justine Mintsa

  • The Fury and Cries of Women by Angèle Rawiri

• The Gambia

  • Folk Tales and Fables from The Gambia by Dembo Fanta Bojang, Sukai Mbye Bojang

  • Reading the Ceiling by Dayo Forster

  • The Sun Will Soon Shine by Sally Singhateh

• Georgia

  • Kvachi by Mikheil Javakhishvili

  • The Knight In The Panther Skin by Shota Rustaveli

  • A Man Was Going Down the Road by Otar Chiladze

  • Authors

  • Aka Morchiladze

  • Ana Kordzaia-Samadashvili

• Germany

  • The Swarm by Franz Schatzing

  • The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers

  • Demian by Hermann Hesse

  • Der Räuber by Friedrich Schiller

  • Der Vorleser by Bernhard Schlink

  • Effi Briest by Theodor Fontane

  • Eine Tüte Grüner Wind by Gesine Schulz

  • The End of Loneliness by Benedict Wells

  • Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada

  • Faust by Goethe

  • The Flying Classroom by Erich Kästner

  • The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzsch

  • Harold by Einzlkind

  • How the Soldier Repairs the Gramophone by Saša Stanišić

  • Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

  • Intrigue and Love by Friedrich Schiller

  • Look Who's Back by Timur Vermes

  • The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

  • Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind

  • The Ruby Red trilogy by Kerstin Gier

  • Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse

  • Über Menschen by von Juli Zeh

  • A Very Special Year by Thomas Montasser

  • Authors

  • Andreas Séché

  • Ferdinand von Schirach

  • Friedrich Dürrenmatt

  • Gretchen by Einzlkind

  • Jenny-Mai Nguyen

  • Kai Meyer

  • Sebastian Fitzek

  • Tom Finnek

• Ghana

  • Changes: A Love Story by Ama Ata Aidoo

  • Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi

  • North to Paradise by Ousman Umar ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Review

• Greece

  • If Not, Winter by Sappho

• Grenada

• Guatemala

  • Men of Maize by Miguel Angel Asturias

  • Human Matter by Rodrigo Rey Rosa

  • Severina by Rodrigo Rey Rosa

• Guinea

• Guinea-Bissau

• Guyana

H

• Haiti

• Honduras

  • Revulsion by Horacio Castellanos Moya

  • The Dream of my Return by Horacio Castellanos Moya

  • Senselessness by Horacio Castellanos Moya

• Hungary

I

• Iceland

• India

  • The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

  • A State of Freedom by Neel Mukherjee

• Indonesia

  • The Wandering by Intan Paramaditha

• Iran

  • Disoriental by Negar Djavadi

  • Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

  • Suvashun by Simin Daneshvar

• Iraq

  • Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi

• Ireland

• Israel

  • With Eternity Not Afraid by Shani Boingjo

• Italy

  • Alda Merini

  • My Brillant Friend by Elena Ferrante

  • Dante

  • Durrenmatt

  • Eva Sleeps by Francesca Melandri

  • If This Is a Man (se questo è un uomo) by Primo Leviconcentration camp

  • Italo Calvino

  • Luca di Fulvio

  • Luigi Pirandello

  • Manzoni

  • The Name of the Rose (il nome della rosa) by Umberto Eco

  • Se questo è un uomo by Primo Levi

J

• Jamaica

• Japan

  • Beauty and Sadness by Yasunari Kawabata

  • My Brother's Husband by Gengoroh Tagame

  • Confessions of a Mask by Yukio Mishima

  • Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

  • The Genji Monogatari by Murasaki Shikibu

  • The Housekeeper and the Professor. It is a beautiful book by Yōko Ogawa

  • Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

  • The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

  • Tokyo Ueno Station by Miri Yu

• Jordan

K

• Kazakhstan

• Kenya

  • Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi wa Thiong'o

  • The Havoc of Choice by Wanjiru Koinange

• Kiribati

• Korea, North

  • In Order to Live: a North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park

• Korea, South

  • Human Acts by Han Kang

  • Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

  • To the Warm Horizon by Jin-Young Choi

• Kosovo

  • Crossing by Pajtim Statovci

• Kuwait

• Kyrgyzstan

L

• Laos

• Latvia

• Lebanon

• Lesotho

• Liberia

• Libya

  • Gold Dust by Ibrahim al-Koni

• Liechtenstein

• Lithuania

  • Balys Sruoga

  • Kristina Sabaliauskaite

  • Ruta Sepetys

  • Vincas Mykolaitis-Putinas

• Luxembourg

M

• Madagascar

• Malawi

• Malaysia

• Maldives

• Mali

• Malta

• Marshall Islands

• Mauritania

• Mauritius

• Mexico

  • The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

  • The Diary of Frida Kahlo by Frida Kahlo

  • Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

  • Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

• Micronesia, Federated States of

• Moldova

• Monaco

• Mongolia

• Montenegro

• Morocco

  • Blood Feast by Malika Moustadraf

  • Dreams of Trespass by Fatema El Mernissi

• Mozambique

  • Rain: And Other Stories by Mia Couto

• Myanmar (Burma)

N

• Namibia

• Nauru

• Nepal

• Netherlands

  • The Book of Everything by Guus Kuujer

  • Minoes by Annie M.G. Schmidt

• New Zealand

  • Auē by Becky Manawatu

  • Pūrākau: Māori Myths Retold by Māori Authors edited by Witi Ihimaera and Whiti Haereaka

  • No Man's Land by AJ Fitzwater

  • Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera

• Nicaragua

  • The Inhabited Woman by Gioconda Belli

  • The Country Under My Skin by Gioconda Belli

  • Infinity in the Palm of her Hand by Gioconda Belli

• Niger

• Nigeria

  • The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

  • Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

  • The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma

  • The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare

  • How You Grow Wings by Rimmi Onoseta

  • An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma

  • Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

• North Macedonia

  • Pirey by Petre M. Andreevski

• Norway

  • The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder

O

• Oman

  • Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharti

P

• Pakistan

• Palau

• Palestine

  • Mother of Strangers by Suad Amiry

  • The Dance of the Deep-Blue Scorpion by Akram Musallam

  • Wild Thorns by Sahar Khalifeh

  • Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa

  • My First and Only Love by Sahar Khalifeh

  • Minor Detail by Adania Shibli - 5 stars - Goodreads Review

  • Salt Houses by Hala Alyan (diaspora)

  • Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad (*diaspora) - 5 stars - Goodreads Review

  • Behind You Is the Sea: A Novel by Susan Muaddi Darraj (diaspora)

  • You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat (diaspora)

  • The Question of Palestine by Edward W. Said

  • I Saw Ramallah by Mourid Barghouti

  • Power Born of Dreams: My Story is Palestine by Mohammad Sabaaneh

  • In the Presence of Absence by Mahmoud Darwish

  • Exhausted on the Cross by Najwan Darwish

  • Rifqa by Mohammed El-Kurd

  • They Fell Like Stars from the Sky & Other Stories by Sheikha Helawy

• Panama

• Papua New Guinea

• Paraguay

• Peru

  • The Complete Poetry by Cesar Vallejo

  • Julio Ramón Ribeyro

  • Mario Vargas Llosa

  • Violeta by Isabel Allende (translated by Frances Riddle)

  • A World for Julius by Alfredo Bryce Echenique

• Philippines

  • Noli Me Tángere (Touch Me Not) by Dr. Jose Rizal

• Poland

  • Dorota Maslowska

  • Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk

  • Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz

  • Stanislaw Lem

  • Szepan Twardoch

  • Szymborska (poetry)

  • Witcher by Andzrej Sapkowski

  • Zygmunt Miłoszewski

• Portugal

  • Blindness by José Saramago

  • Death with Interruptions by José Saramago

  • The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by José Saramago

Q

• Qatar

R

• Romania

  • Life Begins on Friday by Ioana Parvulescu

  • Night Watch by Sergei Lukianenko

• Russia

  • Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

  • Crime and Punishment by Fydor Dostoevsky

  • Kolyma Tales by Varlam Shalamov

  • The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

  • Playing a Part by Daria Wilke

  • The Village by Ivan Alekseyevich Bunin

  • War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

• Rwanda

S

• Saint Kitts and Nevis

• Saint Lucia

• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

• Samoa

• San Marino

• Sao Tome and Principe

• Saudi Arabia

• Senegal

• Serbia

• Seychelles

• Sierra Leone

• Singapore

  • The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds by Selina Siak Chin Yoke

• Slovakia

• Slovenia

• Solomon Islands

• Somalia

  • The Last Nomad: Coming of Age in the Somali Desert by Shugri Said Salh

• South Africa

  • Circles in the Forest by Dalene Mathee

  • Fiela's Child by Daleen Mathee

  • Spud by John van de Ruit

  • Woman in the Blue Cloak by Deon Meyer

• Spain

  • All This I Will Give to You by Delores Redondo

  • Un Appartement sur Uranus by Paul B. Preciado

  • Arturo Pérez Reverte

  • La Celestina by Fernando de Roja

  • Finis Mundi by Laura Gallego

  • Iacobus by Matilde Asensi

  • Interior Castle by Saint Teresa of Avila

  • Marina by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

  • Patria by Fernando Aramburu

  • The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

  • Santiago Posteguillo

  • Where the Trees Sing by Laura Gallego

  • Wings of Fire by Laura Gallego

• Sri Lanka

  • A Passage North by Anuk Arudpragasm

  • Upon a Sleepless Isle by Andrew Fidel Fernando

• Sudan

  • Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih

• Sudan, South

• Suriname

• Sweden

  • Astrid and Veronika by Linda Olsson

  • Astrid Lindgren

  • Beartown by Fredrik Backman

  • Camilla Läckberg

  • City of my Dreams by Per Anders Fågelström

  • Doctor Glas by Hjalmar Söderberg

  • The Emigrants by Vilhelm Moberg

  • The Evil by Jan Guillou

  • The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

  • Handling the Undead by Johan Ajvide Lindqvist

  • The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Johansson

  • Jonas Hassen Khemiri

  • Lagom: Not Too Much, Not Too Little by Niki Brantmark

  • Let the Right One In by Johan Ajvide Lindqvist

  • A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

  • My Mother Gets Married by Moa Martinsson

  • Sandhamm Murders by Viveca Sten (series)

  • Sofie Sarenbrandt

  • The Wolf and the Watchman by Niklas Natt och Dag

• Switzerland

  • Friedrich Duerrenmatt

  • Max Frisch

• Syria

T

• Taiwan

  • The Membranes by Chi Ta-wei

  • Notes of a Crocodile by Qiu Miaojin

• Tajikistan

• Tanzania

• Thailand

  • Bright by Duanwad Pimwana

• Togo

• Tonga

• Trinidad and Tobago

  • Crick Crack, Monkey by Merle Hodge

  • Salt and The Dragon Can't Dance by Earl Lovelace

• Tunisia

• Turkey

  • Snow by Orhan Pamuk

  • The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali

• Turkmenistan

• Tuvalu

U

• Uganda

  • A Bigger Picture: My Fight to Bring a New African Voice to the Climate Crisis by Vanessa Nakate

  • Kintu by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

• Ukraine

  • A City in Its Fullness by S.Y. Agnon

  • Fieldwork in Ukrainian Sex by Oksana Zabuzhko

  • Grey Bees by Andrey Kurkov

  • Good Citizens Need Not Fear: Stories by Maria Reva

  • Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

  • Kobzar by Taras Shevchenko

  • The Museum of Abandoned Secrets by O.S. Zabuzhko

  • The Orphanage by Serhiy Zhadan

  • Sweet Darusya: A Tale Of Two Villages by Maria Matios

  • Your Ad Could Go Here by O.S. Zabuzhko

• United Arab Emirates

• United Kingdom

  • Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

  • Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

  • Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson

  • Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

  • Pink Mist by Owen Sheers

  • We Are Made of Diamond Stuff by Isabel Waidner

• United States

  • Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

  • Even as We Breathe by Anette Saunooke Clapsaddle

  • Gichigami Hearts: Stories and Histories from Misaabekong by Linda LeGarde Grover

  • An Indigenous People's History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

• Uruguay

• Uzbekistan

V

• Vanuatu

• Vatican City

• Venezuela

• Vietnam

  • On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

  • She Weeps Each Time You're Born by Quan Barry

Y

• Yemen

Z

• Zambia

  • The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell

• Zimbabwe

  • The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (series - takes place in Botswana)

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That’s the whole list! I’ll keep adding to it over time. I’d love to know if you read any of these books!

Maintaining Optimal Health as a Vegan of 7 Years

One of the most common questions I have received over the past 7 years as a vegan is “How do you get enough [insert macro- or micronutrient here]?” This is a question I have explored in great detail on this blog, with dedicated posts focusing on protein, iron, B12, and so much more. And while I will always believe that getting your nutrition from whole plant foods is the best first choice, it’s not always a possibility for every person. Whether you live in a food desert with little access to fresh foods or struggle with digestive complications that make eating large amounts of high fiber foods a painful experience, sometimes supplementation is the only answer.

Today I will be sharing with you my favourite vegan gummy vitamins for maintaining optimal health as a vegan of over 7 years!

First things first... 

WHY GUMMIES?

The short answer? They’re delicious. The long answer? They’re delicious, and that makes me want to take them instead of avoiding taking them.

I used to judge myself for being lax about taking my tablet vitamins, thinking that as an adult I should be able to suck it up and do what’s best for my health. But honestly? That only ever worked in short bursts before I would forget for months on end.

As a responsible adult who doesn't eat candy 11 months out of the year (in October all bets are off) taking my daily vitamins in the form of gummies feels like a little treat… and has kept me far more consistent in taking them than I ever have been before!

But not all gummies are created equal, and that’s why today I am sharing the best vegan gummies I have ever tried from the Canadian company, Herbaland!

Herbaland is Canada’s largest nutritional gummy manufacturer with a commitment to providing products that have a positive impact on both people and the planet. Herbaland’s core values are community, inclusivity, and sustainability. Their gummies are always vegan, sugar-free, soy-free, palm oil derivative-free, nut-free, halal, and kosher!

This post is in collaboration with Herbaland, but all opinions are 100% my own. I was taking Herbaland gummies consistently for over a year before I reached out to them, and I continue to take a variety of gummies from their line on a daily basis.

I’m a new vegan/new to supplementation. What should I start with?

This will obviously vary from person to person, and I don’t know your unique physiology, diet, or goals, but I will share my top three picks to get you started!

As always, it is best practice to consult your physician before beginning to take any supplements and I am not a medical professional and am not qualified to give medical advice.

1. Herbaland Multivitamin Gummies for Adults

Herbaland’s Multivitamin gummies are a great place to start if you want a boost in all major areas. They have 13 essential vitamins and minerals for the maintenance of good health and come in a delicious mixed berry flavour!

Formulated to support daily metabolic processes and for maintaining a healthy immune system, the Herbaland Multivitamins include:

- Vitamin A | vital for growth and development, cell recognition, vision, immune function, and reproduction and helps the heart, lungs, and kidneys to function properly

- Vitamin C | boosts the immune system, helps lower blood pressure and maintain healthy heart function, and improves the absorption of non-heme iron (iron from plant-based sources - learn more here)

- Vitamin D3 | aids in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus and the maintenance of strong bones, helps to reduce inflammation, and aids in maintaining proper immune function

- Vitamin E | aids in the regulation of gene expression, cell signaling, and other cell processes as well as helping to maintain healthy immune function

- Vitamin B6 | promotes healthy heart function and plays a role in cognitive development and aids in proper brain function

- Folate | required for the production of DNA and cell division

- Vitamin B12 | aids in maintenance of healthy nerves and blood cells and helps to prevent megaloblastic anemia (read more about why B12 supplementation is important for vegans here)

- Biotin | plays an important role in the maintenance of healthy hair, skin, and nails

- Panthothenic Acid (B5) | aids in triglyceride synthesis and lipoprotein metabolism

- Iodine | essential for the production of thyroid hormones that regulate many vital biochemical reactions and appears to aid in the body’s immune response and the maintenance of healthy breast tissue

- Zinc | involved in cellular metabolism, wound healing, immune function, DNA and protein synthesis, and cell division *daily intake of zinc is required to maintain healthy levels as the body has no specialized zinc storage system

- Choline | required for the maintenance of our cells’ structural integrity and needed to produce the neurotransmitter acetylcholine which is important for memory, mood, and muscle control

- Inositol | aids in the maintenance of proper brain functioning and blood sugar control

I usually go for the multivitamins when I know I’ve been eating a less than balanced diet to make sure I’m still getting everything I need. It’s a great option for the winter here in Canada when fresh produce is imported and carries with it a hefty price tag and a heavy environmental impact, or whenever I’m too busy to spend a lot of time making fresh meals!

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2. Herbaland Vegan D3 and B12 Gummies for Adults

Herbaland’s Vegan D3 and B12 raspberry flavoured gummies are a great option if you already eat a varied and rich diet of whole plant foods. While this kind of diet will leave most of your nutrient bases covered, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D3 are common exceptions to the rule.

Vitamin B12 aids in your body’s metabolic processes and red blood cell formulation and helps to maintain healthy nerves. Vitamin B12 is difficult to get from plant-based sources, and it is often recommended that those on a plant-based diet supplement to maintain healthy levels of this essential vitamin (read more about why B12 supplementation is important for vegans here).

Vitamin D3, synthesized naturally in the skin as a chemical reaction to sun exposure, helps to support the immune system, boost energy, encourage a positive mood, and maintain strong bones and teeth. Many people are deficient in Vitamin D3 due to a lack of exposure to strong sunlight, especially those in the Northern Hemisphere at latitudes greater than around 40°N from October to March, and supplementation is often recommended.

These are my holy grail gummies, and I take them every single day come rain or shine!

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3. Herbaland Eye Care Gummies for Adults

Herbaland Eye Care gummies are a great add-on to your supplement routine, especially if you spend your days staring at a screen like I do! Formulated with Lutein and Zeaxanthin, two powerful carotenoids, these strawberry flavoured eye care gummies help maintain eyesight in those with cataracts and age-related muscular degeneration and protect the eyes from the harmful effects of sunlight, blue light, and free radicals.

As I grow older and spend more and more of my time looking at screens, eye care is becoming a bigger priority. I have incorporated these gummies into my routine as a preventative measure to keep my eyes as healthy as possible!

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What does your supplement routine look like?

I would love to know what vitamins and minerals you take on a regular basis, and if you’ve ever considered switching to gummies to make a chore into a treat!

Don’t forget to check out Herbaland’s numerous gummy offerings and get 20% off your order with code ‘plantbasedbride20’!

Until next time...

xox Elizabeth

Sources

• https://www.herbaland.com/

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3936685/

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4288313/

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB6-HealthProfessional/

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-Consumer/

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-HealthProfessional/

• https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/folic-acid/

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Biotin-HealthProfessional/#h7

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/PantothenicAcid-HealthProfessional/#h7

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-HealthProfessional/

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional/

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5666868/

• https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Zeaxanthin

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164534/