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 What Are You Going Through by Sigrid Nunez. The novel focuses on a woman spending time with her dying friend, as does The Spare Room by Helen Garner.
I recently saw Garner interview Charlotte Wood about her new book, The Luminous Solution.
I haven’t read The Luminous Solution yet, but it immediately reminded me of Phosphorescence by Julia Baird, if only for the focus on our inner life and how that links to the world around us.
My favourite bits of Phosphorescence focused on nature, however, a couple of the essays are about the meaning that religion provides, which links to Lapsed by Monica Dux.
Lapsed examines the extent of ‘belief’, as does The Believer by Sarah Krasnostein.
Krasnostein focuses on a case study in The Believer about Mennonites. In Jonathan Franzen’s new novel, Crossroads, the main character is a pastor in a church which is not specified in the blurb, however, at a recent author talk, Franzen identified the Mennonites – I will confirm when I tackle this chunkster over summer!
I didn’t stray too far this month, sticking with the themes of spirituality and belief. Where will other chains go? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (December 4, 2021), we’ll start with the classic novella, Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton.
I thought I wouldn’t be the only one to link to The spare room, but I wanted to anyhow. I enjoyed your links from that to Wood to Baird, which I’ll be reading very soon.
Love Ethan Frome, so will enjoy thinking about links from it.
Anyhow, here is mine: https://whisperinggums.com/2021/11/06/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-what-are-you-going-through-to/
I’m looking forward to the new Wood but probably won’t pick it up until December, with November being a crazy reading month (Nonfiction; Novellas; German Lit; Aus Reading….).
Ethan Frome felt like a good way to sign-off Novella November.
Excellent chain. I’ve only really heard of Phosphorescence. I admit I threw back What Are You Going Through…
Have read your chain now, and can understand why you weren’t a fan of the Nunez. It’s the first of hers I’ve read but I have another couple – the topics really appeal to me.
I began with the Garner but then got myself stuck in a dark place (all my books seemed to be about people kept against their will or trapped in some way) so I ditched it and started all over again. My chain is here: https://readingmattersblog.com/2021/11/06/six-degrees-of-separation-november-2021/
Extra points for abandoning one chain and picking up another – I struggle to change courses once a book pops to mind!
Sorry, I commented, but here is my chain: https://hopewellslibraryoflife.wordpress.com/2021/11/06/six-degrees-of-separation-what-you-are-going-through-by-sigrid-nunez/
I started on a lighter note, but ended up with crime books.
Here’s my chain: https://www.damyantiwrites.com/2021/11/05/novels-read-2/22/00/20/12065/featured/damyantig/
I had a stroke of luck at the library the day before yesterday. I went to return some books when they were still only open for Click and Collect, and they had a display of new books… including The Luminous Solution. 7 day loan only which means I’ll have to get cracking…
oops, forgot to give you my chain: https://anzlitlovers.com/2021/11/06/six-degrees-of-separation-from-what-are-you-going-through-to/
Okay then… I guess I’ll be reading Ethan Frome a bit sooner than I had planned. I took it down from the Gutenberg Project for Novellas in November, which they’re reading for the last week in month! Here’s my chain (and thanks again for this meme) https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2021/11/06/tcls-6degrees-of-separation-for-november-6-2021/
Mine’s a rather dark chain too. I should have followed Kimbofo’s example! https://residentjudge.com/2021/11/06/six-degrees-of-separation-from-what-are-you-going-through-by-sigrid-nunez-to/
Inevitably, your links aren’t my links, but that’s the fun of this: https://margaret21.com/2021/11/06/six-degrees-of-separation-in-november-2/
I began with The Spare Room too and thought of continuing with more books about cancer, but changed my mind.
My chain is here – https://booksplease.org/2021/11/06/six-degrees-of-separation-from-what-are-you-going-through-to-the-man-on-a-donkey/
I had a lucky break with my first link that allowed me to bypass The Spare Room which had immediately occurred to me too! Would love to read the new Krasnostein book.
Some interesting non-fiction titles in your chain this month. I’m not a Franzen fan but I heard him interviewed recently and have been persuaded to give Crossroads a try.
Such an interesting link. I remember “Phosphorence” was one of the first chains I participated in. Same as my pre-writer, I am not a Franzen fan at all but I am very interested in “Lapsed” (having grown up Catholic myself) and “The Believer”, so a great chain for me.
My Six Degrees of Separation is a lot lighter. It led me to The Inimitable Jeeves through a few other books with cats on their cover.
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I didn’t have time to take part this month, but had the Garner lined up for my second link at one point. Time to start thinking for next month!
I struggled to think of a first link this month, but I have read Ethan Frome so should find next month easier! Here’s my chain:
https://shereadsnovels.com/2021/11/06/six-degrees-of-separation-from-what-are-you-going-through-to-tomorrow/
The pastor in Crossroads grew up in a Mennonite church, but the church he serves as an adult is very different and quite liberal.
Thank you! I knew there was a link to the Mennonite church somewhere but as I hadn’t read it (yet), I couldn’t be sure.
Well, Ethan Frome is an old friend as Wharton is practically a neighbor! I know Phosphorescence had not come out in the US when you first mentioned it but it must be in the library by now. Not a big Franzen fan – he is just too arrogant. The others I don’t know.
I think I mentioned last month that my “Former Judge’s Clerks Book Group” has been reading lots of Hemingway and the Lottery. On Wednesday, it was unexpectedly my turn to pick the next reading but I was asked to select something short. Figuring it was important to educate these men I chose The Yellow Wallpaper, so we shall see.
Re 6 Degrees, for once I didn’t look up the starting book – perhaps just as well or I might have gone in a very depressing direction instead of to uplifting (or not) historical fiction and then abusive spouses… here is my chain:
https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2021/11/six-degrees-of-separation-from-what-are.html
Constance
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A great chain as ever, Kate.
I wandered around on my chain this month – getting to phone boxes, libraries, dogs and food!!
https://travelwithintent.com/2021/11/06/a-spot-of-reading-for-november/
Now where will Ethan Frome take me?
Your chain is introducing me to so many titles I have never heard of. I’m going to look into the one with a Mennonite. Mine is the usual quirky https://wordsandpeace.com/2021/11/06/six-degrees-of-separation-from-asking-to-spelling/
I’m intrigued by your list, Kate, and will follow up on a couple of your entries. And I’m very excited about the chance to revisit Ethan Frome for next month. In the meantime, my entry for this month is here: https://www.notesinthemargin.org/2021/11/06/6-degrees-of-separation-messy-messy-lives/
It’s been a while – I’ve missed you all! I enjoyed your chain as always, Kate. Here’s mine and I look forward to Ethan Frome too. 🙂 https://leapinglife.com/2021/11/06/six-degrees-of-separation-from-what-are-you-going-through-to-artful/
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Love this idea, and as a new book blogger I’m keen to give this a lash. I found once a book suggested it to me as the next on the chain, it was hard to shift it. Anyway, I’m over here https://www.bookshelfdiscovery.com/blog/six-degrees-of-separation-november-21
Such a good idea, as a new book blogger I’m new to this but thought I’d give it a lash. I found it hard to dislodge a book from my head once I thought of it, but I had good fun doing this.
https://www.bookshelfdiscovery.com/blog/six-degrees-of-separation-november-21
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Ethan Frome gets a big YES from me – one of my favourite books, thank you for choosing it for next month’s starting point, Kate.
Meanwhile, only a couple of days late, here’s my chain for November https://thinkaboutreading.wordpress.com/2021/11/08/six-degrees-of-separation-from-what-are-you-going-through-to-the-essex-serpent/
Love this chain, Kate. Thanks for the nudge on Phosphorescence which I’ve been wanting to read for ages. You’ve listed several more which grab me too. Here’s mine
https://acornerofcornwall.com/2021/11/07/six-degrees-of-separation-from-what-are-you-going-through-to/
I really struggled to start this chain – hence I’ve only just posted mine:
https://sconesandchaiseslongues.blogspot.com/2021/11/six-degrees-of-separation-november-2021.html
I’m looking forward to Ethan Frome, however, as I heard this read on BBC Sounds relatively recently and enjoyed it very much. When I said so on social media, many Americans replied that it had been ruined for them by being a set text in school or college!
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