It’s time for #6degrees. Start at the same place as other wonderful readers, add six books, and see where you end up.
I had every intention of reading this month’s starting book, Three Women by Lisa Taddeo, but didn’t quite get to it. My understanding is that it tracks the personal lives of three women over the course of many years.
I did read Stephanie Wood’s memoir, Fake, in which she reveals the details of her relationship with a man who was duplicitous and manipulative.
As part of Wood’s recovery from her damaging relationship, she swims at a women’s sea baths. It’s on my itinerary for next time I visit Sydney.
Wood makes reference to fearless Australian professional swimmer of the 1900s, Annette Kellermann. Kellermann was also a vaudeville star, a film actress, and author of two books, including the partly autobiographical, How to Swim.
Mention ‘partly autobiographical swimming stories’ and I immediately think of Turning by Jessica Lee. It’s a superb account of swimming in the lakes around Berlin, and maps the history of the lakes as well as Lee’s mental health.
I profiled a book last week that combined Berlin and swimming – Berlin 1936 by Oliver Hilmes. Hopewell reminded me that Boys in the Boat by Daniel Brown also tells the story of the Berlin 1936 Olympics.
I would love rowing stories almost as much as swimming stories if there were more of them! Alas, only one pops to mind, The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich. It’s the story of the Winklevoss twins – Olympic rowers and business partners of Mark Zuckerberg, when Facebook was just starting.
From internal lives and swimming to Berlin and rowing… Where will other chains go? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (November 2, 2019), we’ll begin with a classic, Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
Well this is getting harder and harder but still a good challenge. Here is the Muse & Views Bookclub Six Degrees attempt!
https://bookclub9.blogspot.com/2019/10/six-degrees-of-separation-from-three.html
I imagine next month will be a cinch!
Well I like your Six Degrees, from I would say, sex to swimming and rowing, quite logical it seems to me! We shall see what the members of Muse & Views say.
The only one of these I’ve heard of is The Accidental Billionaires. They don’t come across very well in the film The Social Network (the story of Facebook’s origin). Maybe they fare better in this book
They don’t fare particularly well in the book either!
I’m hyperventilating now over next month’s book which is probably my most favourite book EVER!
Here’s this month’s chain from me:
https://theresasmithwrites.com/2019/10/05/six-degrees-of-separation-from-three-women-to-the-summer-of-impossible-things/
When I was choosing a book I had to double-check that we hadn’t done Alice before – couldn’t quite believe we hadn’t! (I love Wonderland but my favourite is Looking Glass).
I’m tempted to read both ahead of next month. It’s been too long!
Me too, I loved Alice!
(And I know already how I’m going to launch!!)
I have a bit of a collection of Alice books. My daughter loves it too. We have a beautiful adult pop up book (by adult, more expensive and intricate) and some lovely illustrated ones too. Folio Society had one available recently which was leafed in actual gold with original paintings inside but it was over $1000. I’m not that much of an avid collector!
Gosh, that would be something special.
All I have is an annotated paperback, and somewhere among the CDs, a copy of the much-loved old LP that we used to listen to as children, with Joyce Grenfell narrating it.
My nanna used to have a collection of LPs that had classic stories on them. I used to love listening to them. Gosh, that takes me back.
Am about to go out, but here is mine: https://whisperinggums.com/2019/10/05/six-degrees-of-separation-from-three-women-to/
What a good choice for next month. BTW I haven’t read any of yours this month.
I’ve only read three of mine 😀 (but will be reading the others).
I’m sure Alice will lead us in many different directions next month.
I reckon it will.
I reckon it will. So many ideas.
I will post late. Thanks for the link! Fun chain. Read Boys in the Boat and watch the documentary. Amazing.
Oh good, didn’t know there was a doco as well.
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You read so many good books that I haven’t even heard of! I’m particularly interested in The Fake, as there are some similarities (albeit from a ‘slant’) to a character in one of my works-in-progress.
Which is the joy of this meme! I add so many to my TBR stack because of the links people make.
Fake is well worth a read – it’s a new release so you should be able to get hold of it easily.
Great fun, Kate, as always. I may have mentioned this before (apols if yes), but Diana Nyad’s book Find A Way, and her TED talk, are marvellous on open sea swimming. 😀
No, I didn’t know about the Nyad. Thanks, I’ll check out her book and talk.
I don’t think I’ve ever read any books that feature swimming or rowing. Gymnastics was my sport of choice, has anyone read any with that sport which they can recommend?
I have been thinking hard about books featuring gymnastics and can’t come up with any! (apart from kids books) :-O
I remember as a child reading a gymnastics series : The Gymnast, but that won’t really help you out I don’t think :p
All new to me but there’s so much swimming here I have to mention Roger Deakin’s Waterlog about wild swimming but I’m sure you know about it already.
Waterlog is on my TBR list – clearly a swimming classic that is a great hole in my swimming reading.
I think you’d love it. He writes beautifully.
All new books to me too. The Fake interests me the most.
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I haven’t read these books, but nice links! Crazy me has 2 chains today: https://wordsandpeace.com/2019/10/05/six-degrees-of-separation-from-three-women-to-a-riddle/
Well why do things by halves?!
Fake is on my to read list. My link turned dark https://bookdout.wordpress.com/2019/10/06/six-degrees-of-separation-three-women-to-unmentionables/
I’m sure you’ll zip through Fake – it’s compelling.
I haven’t read any of the books in your chain this month, but the swimming ones all sound interesting! I’m looking forward to starting with Alice next month.
I have such a weakness for books about swimming. A few previous posts if you’re keen on swimming stories – https://booksaremyfavouriteandbest.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/swimming-deserves-a-good-book/ and https://booksaremyfavouriteandbest.wordpress.com/2018/11/24/sample-saturday-three-swimming-stories/
I always enjoy this monthly exercise. My current entry is here: http://www.notesinthemargin.org/weblog/2019/10/05/6-degrees-of-separation-from-three-to-eight/
Thanks for joining in Mary.
Annette Kellermann sounds fascinating. I will check my library for her. The only one of these I’ve read is The Boys in the Boat, which my whole family enjoyed. I had not read Three Women but chose a castle theme for my chain.
@Rosie, I can’t think of any fiction about gymnastics (except some feeble series for 8 year olds – note, I like many series) but Little Girls in Pretty Boxes/Ryan is pretty interesting.
I am still trying to get my hands on the Kellermann – the bits included in Wood’s book were incredible.
I’m back because I just read that Jojo Moyes is reading Three Women, which made me laugh as it sounds few of us did. https://parade.com/931884/meganoneill/jojo-moyes-talks-her-new-novel-the-giver-of-stars-inspirational-women-and-3-books-shes-reading-now/
Interesting! I’m not really into Jojo Moyes but I like her reading choices!
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Continue to love visiting this meme, thanks Kate!! My addition https://geejenmotw.wordpress.com/2019/10/11/six-degrees-of-separation-from-three-women-to-redeeming-love/