1Book1Country

Read one book from every country in the world

What is 1Book1Country?

1Book1Country is a reading challenge and journey tracker that encourages you to read books from every country in the world. It's about discovering new voices, perspectives, and stories from across all 249 UN-recognized territories.

This project transforms reading into a global adventure. Instead of just reading books, you're exploring the world through literature — one country at a time.

How It Works

1

Search & Add Books

Find books from our Open Library catalog. Choose a book and assign it to a country of origin.

2

Track Your Progress

Watch your personal world map fill in as you complete each country. See at a glance which continents you've explored.

3

Add Personal Notes

Write notes about what you learned, how the book connected you to the country, or any thoughts worth remembering.

4

Share Your Journey

Collaborate with friends, share your maps, and discover what others are reading around the world.

Why Read Globally?

  • Expand Your Perspective: Literature reveals how people in different cultures think, feel, and experience the world.
  • Discover New Authors: Move beyond bestseller lists and find incredible writers from every corner of the globe.
  • Make Reading a Quest: Transform reading from a passive activity into an active, goal-oriented adventure.
  • Connect with Others: Join a community of readers on the same mission to read the world.

Create Custom Maps & Collaborate

Create Custom Maps

Build themed reading maps beyond country-based ones. Create maps for specific genres, time periods, cultures, or your own creative challenges. Share your custom maps with the community.

Collaborate with Friends

Invite friends to join your maps. Collaborate in real-time, see what others are reading, share notes and recommendations. Build reading communities around shared interests.

How People Use 1Book1Country

The Global Explorer

Systematically reads literature from every country, creating a personal world atlas. They carefully select acclaimed authors from each region and take detailed notes about cultural insights. After 5 years, they've completed 180 countries and invite others to join their quest.

The Book Club

A local book club creates a shared "European Literature" map where members pick countries to explore each month. They collaborate on the same map, share what they're reading, and meet to discuss how each book reveals cultural identity. It transforms their traditional discussions into a geographic journey.

The Travel Planner

Before visiting a new country, they read a book by a local author to prepare. They build a "Places I'm Visiting" map and record insights from each book. Years later, it becomes a beautiful memory of all the places they've been and the stories that shaped their experiences.

The Teacher

Uses 1Book1Country with their students to teach geography, cultural awareness, and comparative literature. Creates a shared classroom map where students can select countries, contribute book recommendations, and learn from each other's discoveries.

The Language Learner

Creates maps organized by language families. Reads books translated from languages they're learning, and uses the platform to track their linguistic journey. Connects with other learners studying the same language family.

Ready to Start Your Journey?

Join readers from around the world in this global literary adventure.

Get Started