It’s time for #6Degrees, the easiest and, without question, most fun book meme (because there aren’t any rules). Join in! Link Up!
We begin this month’s chain with the Richard Yates classic, Revolutionary Road. I love Yates – he’s so goddamn depressing but he gets to the nitty-gritty of feelings. Although books brimming with feelings don’t always make the best movies, Revolutionary Road is an exception. The 2008 movie, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, is brilliant.
I’m using Leonardo to link to Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr Ripley (he starred in the movie version of that book as well). ***Tracey has pointed out that it was Matt Damon who starred in the movie, not Leonardo… Arghhhh! Those two are interchangeable in my mind…. What was I saying about no rules for this meme?***
Patricia Highsmith is the subject of the play Switzerland, written by Joanna Murray-Smith. I saw this play a few months ago and I can’t praise it enough – I loved the sharp dialogue and the character of Highsmith. Of course, it wouldn’t be Highsmith/Murray-Smith without a twist or two and the fact that Melbourne Theatre Company sent an email after the performance asking audience members to ‘keep the secrets of Switzerland‘ added to the experience.
Murray-Smith’s play is set in Switzerland, as is part of Stefan Zweig’s dark, wonderful novel, The Post Office Girl.
The Collected Novellas of Stefan Zweig has been sitting in my TBR stack for some time – acquired after reading The Post Office Girl.
Heather really enjoyed Zweig’s Collected Novellas, as she did The North Water by Ian McGuire.
The North Water isn’t a book that immediately attracted me however I will read it based on Heather’s recommendation (and that of the ABC Book Club). The story focuses on the whaling industry, as does Shirley Barrett’s delightful Rush Oh!.
From urban America to the Swiss Alps and whaling boats – all about as far apart as you can get! Where will other chains lead?
Next month (January 7, 2017), the chain will begin with a book that I suspect everyone in the world has read but me – Stieg Larsson’s Nordic thriller, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (thanks to Maria Helena for the suggestion).
I have Post Office Girl buried in the TBR. Very tempted to dig it out now!
I thought it was brilliant. If you know nothing about Zweig, read Post Office Girl and then google him… Prepare to say OMG.
Wooo! Love this one, though I didn’t do brilliantly with it—here’s mine: https://ellethinks.wordpress.com/2016/12/03/six-degrees-of-separation-revolutionary-road/
Oh no, everyone does brilliantly at this meme 🙂 I have to check out the Berne book you included – sounds good.
I agree with Kate – absolutely nothing wrong with yours, Elle. I enjoyed reading it.
Yay!
Wow – you really travelled this month!
I did! I might set myself the task next time of going to six different countries (no doubt there will be some tenuous links there…).
Correct me if I am wrong but wasn”t Matt Damon the star of The Talented Mr Ripley? I dont think Leo was in it?? But you are forgiven as Revolutionary Road is one of my all time favourite books…
Arghhhhhhhhh! YOU’RE RIGHT! My whole chain is ruined! But I’ll take your endorsement and pretend it’s okay :-/
I love love love this on all levels – I wonder if the actors see themselves as interchangeable! Doesn’t matter – it’s the connection in your head that matters!
I had fun with this one but ended in a very different place to you – of course.
BTW I have the Collected novellas of Stefan Zweig too, but need to find time to read them – even just one for a start would be good!
Imagine if their agents knew that we all thought them interchangeable?!
Have you read any Zweig before? From memory he mostly wrote short stories and novellas – I’ll take this collection on holiday with me because I like short stories for beach reading.
I won’t tell them if you won’t!
And no, I don’t believe I have. I reckon you’re right that that collection of novellas would make good holiday reading.
Oops, am I supposed to give you my link here? I haven’t quite learnt the protocol. If I am, here it is: https://whisperinggums.com/2016/12/03/six-degrees-of-separation-from-revolutionary-road-to-fateless/
Oh, and you’re not alone. I haven’t read (or seen) those Girl novels/films.
A link anywhere is fine 🙂
I’m not sure how those Girl books passed me by. They’re not really the kind of thing I’d go for but if there’s a book that’s breaking sales records (as that did, I think), I usually read it out of curiosity (hence why I’ve read books such as Gone Girl and Girl on a Train).
Thanks Kate — I tried the Mr Linky too but it behaved weirdly and seemed to want to link to some Mr Linky I’d done on someone else’s blog yonks ago. Did it come through at your end?
I guess I rarely read books breaking sales records out of curiosity – not out of snobbery but because I am so behind in what I want to read that I have to be more than curious to add another book to the pile, if that makes sense.
Some more great links here! I think I’ll give this a go today!
Please do! I usually find that once I make the first link, the rest unfold very quickly – no need to overthink it 🙂
Smoothly done as ever!
Thank you!
Great chain! I had to try really hard to not use the film adaption of Revolutionary Road as my first link, because I was worried I would just end up just redoing one of my old chains 🙂 Thanks for going with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo for the starting book next month! (Does this mean you will finally read it?)
And the irony that I did use the film and buggered up the link 😀
I will certainly read Dragon Tattoo one day but probably won’t get to it before the next chain. I will be interested to see what people link it with – could be quite telling!
Good that there are no rules…
Love the links! Haha! I’m glad I’m not the only one who gets the film stars confused. I decided to use Kate Winslett as my link from Rev Road – and promptly had to check it was actually her who was in it! Still working on my chain… 🙂
That’s funny because I often get Kate Winslet mixed up with Renee Zellweger and Cate Blanchett – they all blur. Wouldn’t their agents be HORRIFIED to hear that?!
Finally made it! Here’s my link… 🙂 https://fictionfanblog.wordpress.com/2016/12/08/six-degrees-of-separation-from-yates-to/
Fascinating – and I haven’t read any pf these books! My chain is very different!
You are not the only one who hasn’t read ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’ – I’ve had all three of the ‘Girl’ books on my shelves for years and haven’t read any of them yet.
I possibly have the first in the series as an ebook but I certainly don’t have the others – at least by coming to them late, I won’t be on a wait-list at the library!
As usual, this has been fun to play. Kate, your links just show me how many books I haven’t yet read – too many great books and not enough time!!
Here’s the link to mine: http://www.melindatognini.com.au/6-degrees-of-separation-revolutionary-road/
I know, I know – every month I end up adding books to the wish-list after reading others chains. I suspect that linking books makes unread books more enticing.
Thanks again for joining in.
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How fun is this! So original. I discovered a couple new books to boot!
Join us!
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Great meme and I am participating for the first time. I hear so much about Stefan Zweig so I just have to read one of his books. Or novellas. I think he wrote mostly short stories. Here is my link to Revolutionary Road. http://thecontentreader.blogspot.be/2016/12/6-degrees-of-separation-meme.html
It is really interesting read how we all link differently. So many variations, which is why it is such a good meme!
Welcome!
Yes, you’re right, Zweig wrote mostly short stories and novellas. I think a lot of his work was out-of-print for many years but has enjoyed a resurgence over the last few years – certainly worth tracking down.
This is the second 6Degrees I won’t be able to do but I DID purchase the starter book in an attempt to be organised. Haven’t read it thus can’t do the challenge. Maybe I could do a chain of books purchased and not read. Hey… stay tuned.
Having read the book is not a prerequisite (think I’ve done whole chains of books I haven’t read!).
Love it. As it should be. Loose and wild with the form!
Okay I’ve done it. It’s super dodgy but here it is anyway (looking forward to Girl with Dragon Tattoo cause I actually have read it!)
https://jennyackland.com/2016/12/07/6degrees-dashed-off-in-a-rush-so-excuse-all-typos-and-weirdness/
No such thing as a dodgy #6degrees chain 😉
I haven’t read Tattoo and not sure where I’ll start!
thanks Kate. You’ll think of something re Tattoo. (I don’t recommend reading it necessarily, although it is quite compelling. SUPER violent though, and it felt gratuitous. Something about men writing violence to women that bothers me. Also women writing violence to women as well for that matter. Something about violence to women… that lingers. Not good. 🙁
I was too disorganised (ie bogged down with reports and marking) for this month, but I have written a post ready for January’s and am excited to join in! I love this whole idea.
You’re a step ahead of me – I’m not sure where I’ll start with Tattoo! See you here next month 🙂
This idea looks absolutely hilarious and super fun! I’ll definitely be joining in on The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo! 🙂
-Amy
It’s great fun – look forward to seeing your Dragon chain.
Hahaha, thanks so much! Me too! 🙂
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