It’s time for #6degrees. Start at the same place as other wonderful readers, add six books, and see where you end up.
If you’d told me a year ago that anything about Cormac McCarthy’s dystopian novel, The Road, would be even remotely relevant to real life in May 2020, I wouldn’t have believed you…. and yet, here we are.
The Road gets a mention in David Foster Wallace’s examination of global warming, The Uninhabitable Earth, when Wallace describes another book about climate existentialism as a cross between The Road and Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
Between the World and Me is still on my TBR list, as is the latest by Coates, The Water Dancer.
The cover of The Water Dancer immediately reminded me of the cover of The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel A. van der Kolk.
To stop this chain taking a traumatic turn, my next link is on title words alone – The Body by Bill Bryson.
The Body was included on the Not the Wellcome Prize Blog Tour, as was a book I reviewed for the Tour – The Faculty of Dreams by Sara Stridsberg (it was absolutely mad!).
Hmmm… that was all rather grim! I wonder where other chains will go? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (June 6, 2020), we’ll begin with Sally Rooney’s best seller (and now a TV series), Normal People.
i don’t think I could manage any of these right now as I need comfort reads, but a really interesting chain as always Kate!
I think the lightest of the mix is the Bryson (which I haven’t read yet but certainly will).
My husband is reading it now and keeps sharing bits. There’s an early section on how easy and extensively the common cold spreads – can’t help draw the connection to the current health crisis
Aren’t you guys lucky that we SFers have been thinking about today’s problems for half a century now.
When do the aliens land with a pandemic solution? 😉
I’m afraid it’s more common for them to land here to solve their own pandemics.
. . . or a cookbook.
I know very few of these books, Kate, though I have heard of Wallace of course, and was given The body for my birthday in March. I enjoyed your list … and your decision to relieve the grimness.
I took a more obvious approach this month and stuck to roads and journeys https://whisperinggums.com/2020/05/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-road-to/
As often the case, I haven’t read everything on my list (in fact, this month I’ve only read three (The Road, Earth, and Faculty). The Body Keeps the Score is the ‘go-to’ text on trauma – I’ve dipped in and out of it but it’s on my ‘lockdown’ reading list, so will read it from start to finish soon.
I’ve been AWOL for a few months, but joining in again now. Mine took a decidedly Western Australian turn, which is probably because I’ve been thinking about the Love to Read Local campaign that’s just been launched here.
https://www.melindatognini.com.au/6-degrees-of-separation-from-the-road-to-the-salt-madonna/
Interesting selections, Kate, I’ve not read any apart from The Road and have been tempted to buy The Faculty of Dreams ever since it was longlisted for last year’s International Booker…
Oh, and forgot to say my chain is here: https://readingmattersblog.com/2020/05/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-road-to-twins/
Well, my chain isn’t grim at all. https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2020/05/02/6degrees-of-separation-for-may-2-2020/
Haha – well done on retrieving your chain from eternal grimness! Great links as always. Here’s mine – I have avoided reading your review of the McEwan until i have finished the book 😀 https://leapinglife.com/2020/05/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-road-to-murmur/
I liked seeing the thinking behind your chain. I’ve taken a different route for when my post is up toorrow.
Pingback: Six Degrees Of Separation: From The Road to Persuasion - For Book Lovers and Random People
I am tempted to read The Road, but I am not sure, I can face it at the moment. Very appropriate as starting book, though. My chain:
https://stargazer-online.com/2020/05/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-road-to-persuasion/
Yes! Normal People 👏😊
Thanks for mentioning the Not the Wellcome Prize! The Bryson is a terrific read, especially great for people who are new to medical themes or want an overview. I need to have a think about my chain — I had two different routes in mind — and will post later in the week.
Pingback: #6Degrees: Starting from The Road by Cormac McCarthy – findingtimetowrite
I had to think really hard from keeping this chain from turning too dark and grim… so I completely understand!
Those Coates/Kolk jackets are perfectly linked!
I moved away from The Road straight away – not the right time for me to read it!
I took the easy approach this month: road as metaphor. https://www.notesinthemargin.org/6-degrees-of-separation-all-roads-lead-to/
Pingback: Six Degrees of Separation: from The Road to The Hearing Trumpet – What I Think About When I Think About Reading
I adored The Faculty of Dreams. The only other book in your chain that I’ve read is Between the World and Me, which was powerful and tough to read.
I’ve gone off at a tangent for my chain this month: https://thinkaboutreading.wordpress.com/2020/05/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-road-to-the-hearing-trumpet/
Pingback: Six Degrees of Separation: The Road to This Wont End Well | book'd out
I rather leaned into the theme this month.
https://bookdout.wordpress.com/2020/05/03/six-degrees-of-separation-the-road-to-this-wont-end-well/
Be well Kate x
Well done!
It’s still Saturday where I am ! Of Kate’s books, I have only read the Coates, which I found convincing but very repetitious. I liked All the Pretty Horses, which actually reminds me of Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Giles, my last book; however, I was not in the mood for any more dystopia than what we are already experiencing so I tried to be more upbeat.
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2020/05/six-degrees-of-separation-from-road-to.html
Pingback: Six Degrees of Separation: From The Road to News of the World | Big Reading Life
I’ve never joined in before but this was so much fun to do – will definitely be doing this every month now! Your book chain is really different to mine, which I love; it’s so interesting to see the different directions everyone goes. Here’s the link to my 6 degrees blog post:
http://thisgirlsbookroom.com/2020/05/03/six-degrees-of-separation-a-journey-in-6-books/
I’ve been meaning to join in for ages and now I have the time to do so… of our books I want to read The Water Dancer and loved Between the World and Me. Here’s my list:
https://bigreadinglife.wordpress.com/2020/05/03/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-road-to-news-of-the-world/
Thank you for hosting this meme. I’ve been meaning to participate and finally did it. So much fun! Loved seeing your links and haven’t read any of those books but some are definitely going on my TBR.
I’m late with mine, sorry: https://anzlitlovers.com/2020/05/06/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-road-to/
Off to read everybody else’s… after I’ve finished a bit of painting I have to do in our family room (otherwise known at The Left Wing). New bookshelves coming soon, yay!
Pingback: Six Degrees of Separation: From The Road to On Being Different | Bookish Beck
I read The Road just as the pandemic was beginning and for whatever reason I was mesmerized by it- not frightened. His writing is so beautiful. Like you, I have The Water Dancer, but could not stay with it when I started it. I hope I return to it later.
These days almost all my reading is ‘mood’, which is not great for reviewing. I feel as if I’m being unduly harsh and DNFing a lot more than usual.
I loved The Road when I read it years ago. My chain this month came so naturally. Evidently I read a lot of books with a post-apocalyptic feel to it. I haven’t read Water Dancer yet, but it’s one I hope to read.
https://www.literaryfeline.com/2020/05/six-degrees-of-separation-road-to-after.html