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.
