It’s time for #6degrees. Join in and see where your book chain takes you.
This month we begin with the book that topped the critics list in 2017 – Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. I haven’t read it (yet) but I know that a Greek chorus is an important part of the narrative.
A Greek chorus was also used in The Mothers by Brit Bennett.
To be honest, I picked The Mothers for the cover alone. Another book that I have selected using this highly dicey method is Call Me Zebra by Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi.
I was excited to get approved for an ARC of Call Me Zebra but then crushed to discover that it was in a format that doesn’t work for my Kindle. That happened once before (and I was equally disappointed), with Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia.
I still haven’t read Bellweather Rhapsody but I do know that it’s about a school band competition. I was in the school band (flute) and every year we attended the South Street eisteddfod in Ballarat. Obviously the highlight was the fierce competition between concert bands, not the visit to Maccas on the way home. Anyway, I do recall cursing the arrival of the bus in Ballarat one year (85 or 86?) because it meant I had to put down the engrossing Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks and pick up my flute…
Apparently 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher is the ‘Go Ask Alice of this generation’. Have told my teenagers they have to read it before they can watch it.
Most of the time, my rule is ‘read before watch’ but every so often I break that rule – as I did with Dangerous Liaisons by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos (and I’m not sorry because I loved the movie version).
From superficial choices and reading format issues (the struggle is real, people!) to significant books for generations and French literature, my chain took some odd turns this month. Where will other chains lead? Join in and link up!
Next month (March 3, 2018), we’ll begin with a controversial book that had everyone talking in the nineties – The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf.
I saw your headline and wondered how the hell you were going to get to Dangerous Liaisons……
It’s a tenuous link 😀
Haha, great chain Kate… I enjoyed learning about your reading decisions (covers) and challenges (formats) plus love of fluting (or was it Maccas! Haha). BTW my daughter loved The mothers. Must read it.
Anyhow, here is my chain: https://whisperinggums.com/2018/02/03/six-degrees-of-separation-from-lincoln-in-the-bardo-to/
Will be interested to hear your thoughts on The Mothers if you get to it. I went in with HUGE expectations which weren’t met but I guess that’s always the risk when people are raving about a book.
I haven’t heard a lot about it, except she loved it so I’m trying to keep my expectations low!
It occurred to me after we completed and approved this meme, that our books are all related by the same theme, the death of a child, not exactly a chain.
https://bookclub9.blogspot.ca/2018/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-lincoln.html
Well it’s a chain that is complete… so a circle?! Well done!
Ah Thank you! Now I don’t feel as if we screwed up!
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Thank you for mentioning Go Ask Alice, as it sent me down memory lane. I remember reading it my grandmother’s house when I was a teenager, and now that I think about it, I’m not quite sure why she would have had it on her bookshelf. I am yet to read 13 Reasons, but would be interested to know whether it romantacises suicide as much as the television show appears to.
Go Ask Alice was certainly one of those books that got passed around among my school friends.
I haven’t read or watched 13 Reasons yet but I’m aware of the controversy. Without having seen it, I have a strong and automatic reaction to the concept of ‘romanticising suicide’ – firstly, I think if you are in that place, a movie/book/song doesn’t ‘make’ you do it. Secondly, there is a fear among parents and adults that it will give kids ‘ideas’ – I see it as an opportunity to have a very frank discussion about suicide and depression and books like 13 Reasons create a good opening. Anyway, stay tuned, I’ll be reading and watching it soon!
No, 13 Reasons Why is a cautionary tale—of the ways we ignore people who are hurting and the things we can do to intervene before it is too late. I used to tell kids who were checking it out from the library that they had to promise me to read all the way to the end otherwise I didn’t want them to start it. It was very popular for years. A rarity these days.
I’ve read your beginning and end for this chain, and loved both Lincoln and Liaisons to pieces. Like you I watched Liaisons before reading the book, one of the few times that the movie and the book are as good as each other.
http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/6degrees-february.html
It’s a movie I really should re-watch – it’s been too long since I saw it last. What a stellar cast!
I love the variety of your links, Kate.
P.S. I played flute in the school band, too – just 30 years earlier than you did. 😉
Yes, and I played in the primary school fife band – we were a plainer, poorer country Queensland school! And yes, around 30 years earlier than Kate too
Just realised I gave myself a ten year bonus! My flute playing was in 1985!
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I love how varied these chains can be, thanks as always for prompting me to think about books in a different way
My pleasure and so glad you’ve joined us 🙂
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I also have a very clear memory when I read Go Ask Alice. It would have been the early 80’s! Here’s my chain.
https://kathryngossow.net/2018/02/03/from-lincoln-to-scarlet/
Just accidentally made myself ten years younger (!) – my flute playing and reading of Go Ask Alice was 1985/86!
Haha, Kate. I applaud your honesty!
That’s funny!
Oh dear, I’ve not read any of these! I did love the film Dangerous Liaisons though 🙂
I’m sure if I read Go Ask Alice now, I’d pick it to pieces but it was the ‘cautionary tale’ of its time (which makes me wonder if parents deliberately ‘black-listed’ it so that all the kids would read it… and be very scared… and pledge never to take drugs…?!).
That’s a tour de force – what a clever route you weave!
Brilliant chain! I’ll have my up in the next few days, I wonder where it’s going to take me?
I’ve only read Liaisons – which I loved – both the book (which I read first) and the film. There’s quite a lot of death in my chain, but no crime fiction (for once).
I love your chain! My younger sister loved Go Ask Alice. She wasn’t much of a reader, but that one was really a favorite. I don’t think I ever read it. I realized that I do have Bellweather Rhapsody on my Kindle. Ought to read it.
Interesting connections. I’m intrigued by Call me Zebra. here’s my quirky post: https://wordsandpeace.com/2018/02/03/six-degrees-of-separation-from-lincoln-to-alexandria/
Awesome chain. I love reading the connections people make to get from one book to another. Finishing up my post for this and will join the link on Monday. This was really fun to put together.
Glad you have had fun!
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I completely forgot that it was a new month but got my chain done today 🙂 As usual, it went in a very different direction than yours.
(Also, the struggle. Yes, it happens too often.)
Interesting chain!
I had no idea where I would end up but I was still surprised when I landed on The Rosie Project. Ha! https://headfullofbooks.blogspot.com/2018/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-lincoln.html
Argh! I think Blogger ate the comment I left on your post! Anyway, wanted to say that I saw the stage play of Curious Incident last week – it was AMAZING and so cleverly done.
Your connections are much more inventive and personal than mine, but I loved doing this meme. I thought it would be too much work (and it was a bit) but well worth it. And as Bernadette notes, there is so much variety between the chains.
Thanks for joining in Tracy (I tried to leave a comment on your blog but it wouldn’t let me… I suspect the usual toff between WordPress and Blogger!)
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Just linked in… finally 😉
These chains are so interesting.
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I’ve just tried this for the first time – so much fun, thank you! https://geejenmotw.wordpress.com/2018/02/11/six-degrees-of-separation-a-new-meme/
This is so fun, even when I haven’t read the book! Can’t wait for the next chain! https://smithereens.wordpress.com/2018/02/13/six-degrees-of-separation-february-game/
Here’s my link! https://luvtoread.com/2018/02/19/six-degrees-of-separation-lincoln-in-the-bardo/ Such a fun meme!