Book curator and influencer Noku Khanya has launched the third year of her #AroundTheWorldInBooks reading challenge, inviting readers to explore literature from twelve countries spanning four continents. The 2026 edition features Australia, Iran, Senegal, South Africa, Russia, Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Thailand, Uganda, Singapore, Venezuela, and Haiti—a deliberately curated selection designed to push readers beyond familiar literary territory.
Khanya’s challenge merges her dual passions for literature and travel, offering what she describes as a way to “travel the world through the pages of a book.” The approach is straightforward: participants select an author from each featured country and read their work, ideally choosing books set in those locations that illuminate the lived experiences of their people. The geographical spread reflects intentional curation, balancing countries with robust literary traditions against those requiring more discovery work, though Khanya notes she’s already done “a fair bit of the leg work” to make the challenge accessible.
The initiative speaks to a broader movement in global reading culture. While various “read around the world” challenges exist online, Khanya’s version has gained traction for its focused annual approach and aesthetic presentation. Her Instagram-based challenge operates on the principle that reading diversely makes people “better citizens of the world,” but she grounds this lofty claim in practical appeal: it’s simply more interesting than retreading familiar literary ground. The challenge doesn’t demand reading from all 195 countries—just twelve thoughtfully chosen ones per year. The challenge runs throughout 2026, giving participants flexibility to engage at their own pace while remaining connected to a broader reading community pursuing the same literary expedition.
Join the challenge here:
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