It’s time for #6degrees. Start at the same place as other wonderful readers, add six books, and see where you end up.
This month we begin with Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner. It’s a New York story, and although I had every intention of reading it over my summer holiday, I didn’t. Instead, I read another New York story – Rachel DeLoache Williams’s memoir, My Friend Anna.
In My Friend Anna, there is a reference to rapper, Lil Wayne. I’m alert to mentions of Lil Wayne because I sat next to his manager on a flight from LA to Miami – there’s a lot more to this story and if I’ve had a few g&ts, it’s a better yarn but, in the absence of gin, trust that I have good reason to notice references to Lil Wayne. Which leads me to John Kenney’s Truth in Advertising – the main character, Fin, plans to use Lil Wayne in an advertising campaign for orange soda.
The orange soda links to Lil’ Wayne’s use of sizzurp, as discussed by Louis Theroux in Gotta Get Theroux This. What are the chances of reading three books in a row that mention Lil Wayne? Is it a sign that I need another holiday in Miami…?
The same week I saw Louis, I also went to see the My Dad Wrote a Porno crew read the next instalment of Rocky Flinstone’s Belinda Blinked.
Belinda Blinked is a wildly successful series of erotic novels set in the cut throat world of pots and pans sales. I think the less said the better. Pots and pans leads me to a gorgeous novel about cooking – Mãn by Kim Thúy.
I’ve read dozens of books set in restaurants, but I’m closing this chain with a terrific story about a restaurant in New York – Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler.
I started and ended with New York, and linked to a con artist, salespeople, and kitchens along the way. Where will other chains go? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (March 7, 2019), we’ll begin with Lucy Treloar’s Wolfe Island.
