British and American literature is well known around the world – if only because of the universality of the language. In Poland, we also know a little better the book markets of our neighbors and of Europe in general. But do we know what we read in African countries? Or in the Antipodes? In short, what can we find in bookstores and libraries far from our geographical latitudes? Sometimes it is good to go beyond the canons of reading and look at the world from a literary point of view.

The map below – prepared with careful attention to detail by one of Reddit’s users – provides some answers. Its author has compiled books that make certain countries famous. Those that are popular in particular markets (usually for decades, sometimes for centuries) and to which people still return.

Of course you can discuss and have a different opinion. There would probably be a canonical work in each country different from that chosen by the creator of the map. But it’s hard not to appreciate his efforts. To create the map, he had to overcome language barriers and a lot of diverse data – the effect is breathtaking. The map is extremely popular on the Internet, which is also an encouraging phenomenon, taking into account various alarming data on readership (or rather, its crisis).

The author of the map ultimately attributed “The Doll” of Bolesław Prus to Poland. Right on point, because it’s still one of the best-written and most interesting Polish novels.

Here’s what people are reading in other countries: