It’s time for #6degrees. Start at the same place as other wonderful readers, add six books, and see where you end up.
Honestly, I picked this month’s starting book, Second Place by Rachel Cusk, because of the gorgeous yellow cover. Yellow is my absolute favourite colour.
But yellow is not my first link. Instead it’s to My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff – there’s a superb scene in Rakoff’s memoir that features Rachel Cusk.
I enjoyed watching the film version of My Salinger Year earlier this year. Also watched this year was the film version of French Exit by Patrick deWitt.
I loved French Exit but haven’t written a review yet… why is that?! I never wrote a review of one of my 2020 favourites either, Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner.
Fleishman is in Trouble focuses on the continuing friendship between three college friends, which provides the link to Life After Truth by Ceridwen Dovey.
Most of the action in Life After Truth takes place at a reunion, which links to Fred Uhlman’s novella, Reunion.
My review of Reunion was brief and it makes reference to my equally short review of Akhil Sharma’s brilliant novel, Family Life.
I planned a yellow-themed chain but instead went with films, friends, reunions and reviews. Where will other chains go? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (October 2, 2021), we’ll start with a (frightening) short story, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson.
That’s odd, the colour of the cover isn’t yellow on my screen. It’s orange.
This is odd!
When I was a magazine production editor my screen had to be professionally colour calibrated every month – it’s amazing how colours change on a screen! That’s why it’s tricky buying clothing online if you are after a particular colour because what you see ain’t necessarily what you get. And now my TED talk is over 😀
So someone in IT goes around and fixes all the computer screens…?
Yep. They used to stick this little machine on the screen that did its magic. The screen colours had to be as closely aligned to the print colours as possible, which is difficult because screens use three colours (red/green/blue) but printing uses four (cyan/magenta/yellow/green) so they will NEVER be 100% the same but calibrating your screen to match print output is the closest way to do it. I know a *lot* of useless stuff about printing.
The large colour is orange on my screen, the smaller one a dirty-ish yellow and then the small one black. Yes, pretty weird. Remember that dress that went through the internet, some saw it in blue, others in gold, I believe. I saw the blue one.
I nearly chose that cover for the book in my post as it’s so stunning, but for some reason I didn’t. Was trying to work out the original edition cover on GoodReads. Wish they made it easy to tell!
Anyhow, enjoyed your links. Here are mine https://whisperinggums.com/2021/09/04/six-degrees-of-separation-from-second-place-to/
Have a good day following links. what else is there to do.
And, you’ve chosen a short story for next time, Woo hoo!
I think the cover that is a painting in dark colours might be the original cover? (That’s the cover that was with my ARC).
I might be wrong, but I think The Lottery is the first time we’ve started with a short story – no excuses for not reading the starting book, right?! 😉
If I haven’t read the book, I usually choose the British edition because that ‘s the one I’m mostly going to get when I buy it here. As to no excuse for not reading the starting book … ehm … I don’t really like short stories. The longer a book, the better. LOL
My chain is here: https://readingmattersblog.com/2021/09/04/six-degrees-of-separation-september-2021/
I’ve read three on your list – Reunion, French Exit and Family Life, all of which I adored. But I’m afraid I don’t get on with Cusk 🤷🏻♀️
Pingback: Six Degrees of Separation – From Cusk to Good | Beverley A Baird
Ha ha, a cunning ploy to make it hard for us not to have read the starter. BTW I found an online free version of it, which makes me think that I’ve read it before. Anyway, the link is at the bottom of my #6degrees.
https://anzlitlovers.com/2021/09/04/six-degrees-of-separation-from-second-place-to/
I haven’t read any of your books except The Lottery. Here is mine:
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2021/09/six-degrees-of-separation-from-second.html
And here’s mine: https://residentjudge.com/2021/09/04/six-degrees-of-separation-from-second-place-to/
Pingback: #6Degrees of Separation September 2021 – findingtimetowrite
Glad to see I am not the only one not to have read the first book any given month! However, I have read the short story by Shirley Jackson that will be next month’s starting point and am a HUGE Shirley Jackson fan, so will have to try very hard not to make an exclusively Jackson chain!
Of course, a full Shirley Jackson chain is perfectly okay!
This is why I love this meme… every month the links change and morph to somewhere unexpected, and you never know what about a book will inspire the next link! (By the way, I never succeeded in writing a review of my all-time, #1 favorite novel, The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje, so I get why you didn’t write that review.) https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2021/09/04/tcls-6degrees-of-separation-for-september-4-2021/
Have you considered writing a review now, even though time has passed? I still intend to write one for French Exit but Fleishman was read last year, so that ship has sailed!
Yes, I’ve thought about it… but I’m still in such awe of the book that I’m sure I’d sound like a gushing teenager with a crush.
As ever, I’ve not read any of your choices. Must Try Harder. And funnily enough, I think a short story may be harder to source than a whole book. I’ll try though. Here’s my chain: https://margaret21.com/2021/09/04/its-time-for-six-degrees-of-separation-in-september/
Lisa at anzlitlovers has posted a link to the short story – we might have a month of #6degrees where everyone has read the starter!
Thanks! We’ll all have to make the effort then. Hooray!
I love the Cusk jacket too but suspect I won’t read it. I’ve just packed Fleishman in Trouble as part of my holiday reading and am feeling pleased about that now!
Fleishman is PERFECT holiday reading.
Pingback: Six Degrees of Separation – From Second Place to The Perfect Girlfriend #6Degrees – Secret Library Book Blog
My chain ended up being mostly about domestic thrillers that I’ve enjoyed. Funny how it goes!
https://thesecretlibrarysite.wordpress.com/2021/09/04/six-degrees-of-separation-from-second-place-to-the-perfect-girlfriend-6degrees/
Pingback: Six Degrees Of Separation - From Second Place to Assembly - For Book Lovers and Random People
I love the cover of Second Place as well, but from what I’ve heard, I don’t think Rachel Cusk is for me. Here is my chain.
https://stargazer-online.com/2021/09/04/six-degrees-of-separation-from-second-place-to-assembly/
Btw. I put the wrong link in Mr Linky, don’t know if you can remove it…
I’m reading Second Place at the moment – my first Cusk experience and so far, so good.
PS. Don’t think I can remove the link 😕
I like how your chain went – and you’ve made me want to read Cusk when I was unsure before.
I’m halfway through it at the moment and it’s easier reading than I anticipated (not sure why I expected it to be ‘challenging’!).
For once I have read the starting book! And I’ve read The Lottery too. I haven’t read any of the other books you’ve mentioned. I like the idea of writing short reviews, but I find it so difficult.
Kicking goals! 😀
I love seeing all the links and where everyone ends up. I enjoyed the link through films, friends, reunions and reviews–it sounds like it should be a relaxing weekend. I ended up with water-related locations.
Pingback: Six Degrees of Separation: Second Place to Woman on the Edge of Time | Bookish Beck
I love My Salinger Year but had completely forgotten about a Cusk connection — I’ll have to go back and look for that!
It’s the scene at lunch where she doesn’t realise who Cusk is – it was funny.
Pingback: Six Degrees of Separation: From Second Place to Unreliable Memoirs – What I Think About When I Think About Reading
I’ve only heard of the start book and My Salinger Year in your chain, Kate, and read neither of them, but want to. One day!
This month, I’ve mostly gone with reimaginings of real lives.
https://thinkaboutreading.wordpress.com/2021/09/04/six-degrees-of-separation-from-second-place-to-unreliable-memoirs/
I haven’t read any of those books, although I would like to read French Exit. Looking forward to starting with Shirley Jackson next month!
Here’s my chain: https://shereadsnovels.com/2021/09/04/six-degrees-of-separation-from-second-place-to-the-leopard/
Wow, I haven’t even heard of any of your books or the authors which is really, really weird. I should try one or two, I’m sure there are some among them I would like.
My Six Degrees of Separation led me to Burma/Myanmar.
Very creative linkage!
I tried posting earlier but it doesn’t seem to have appeared, waited a while and it’s still not there though my other comments are. So, if it still appears, please, disregard.
My Six Degrees of Separation led me to Burma/Myanmar.
I always look forward to the first Saturday of the month! My entry for this month is here: https://www.notesinthemargin.org/2021/09/04/6-degrees-of-separation-prize-worthy-coming-of-age-novels/
I liked your review connections, nice idea to consider
Here’s my list, and how I got from Second Place to The Pilgrim’s Progress
I enjoyed your chain – interesting connections. I also have unwritten reviews for books I absolutely loved. You’d think these would be the easiest to write!
Pingback: French Exit by Patrick deWitt – a literary mix tape | booksaremyfavouriteandbest