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 Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen.
My prompt for the Roll to Read reading challenge last month was a book about music. I selected The Guts by Roddy Doyle – it’s part of The Commitments/ Barrytown story, and the main character is Jimmy Rabbitte.
Rabbitte took me to Bunny by Mona Awad. I loved this book for all sorts of reasons, including the simple cover.
The last book I read with only an animal on the cover was Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh.
There were parts of Lapvona that quite literally turned my stomach. I don’t read many books that have that effect on me and other than those by Moshfegh, the last was Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis, which included one of the most repulsive, graphic scenes I’ve read.
Thinking memorable scenes, I leap to Of a Boy by Sonya Hartnett, which has one of the most heartbreaking scenes I’ve ever read.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to tell Sonya Hartnett that Of a Boy was possibly the saddest story I’d read, and that I was mentally preparing for a reread. She looked at me hard and said “Don’t go back.” Huh.
My final link is based on ‘memorable interactions with authors at their author talks’ – Sloane Crosley fits the bill because I asked her a question about her latest book, Cult Classic, and she gave a very revealing answer (which prompted applause from the audience).
Where will other chains go? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (May 6, 2023), we’ll start with a book on the Stella Prize 2023 shortlist – Hydra by Adriane Howell.
Oh, Of A Boy is heartbreaking! But I love that book! Also like Roddy Doyle’s The Guts, although I find his later work sometimes slips into (unnecessary) sentimentalism
I think Of A Boy is the best thing Hartnett has ever written, and yes, it is heartbreaking.
My chain took me to unexpected places this time! https://anzlitlovers.com/2023/04/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-born-to-run-to/
Love your chain Kate … particularly Sonya Hartnett’s comment and then that taking you to the author talk. Well done! Here is mine, but I think you’ve seen it already! https://whisperinggums.com/2023/04/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-born-to-run-to/
Are you trying to make sure I read Hydra! But that’s not the one on my TBR, darn it!
I was sure you’d pick something vaguely royal for next month because May 6’s is King Charles’ coronation! Hydra does sound interesting, however.
Also, wouldn’t you sort of *expect* that Bret Easton Ellis would provide unbearably graphic scenes? Which I suppose some might enjoy but I would stay pretty far away from him.
I am getting a late start this month.
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Great chain, none of which I’ve read through I do know of Bunny and Lapovna! Here’s mine: https://potpourri2015.wordpress.com/2023/04/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-born-to-run-to-the-case-of-the-gilded-fly-april-2023/
I find Sonya Hartnett’s books too sharp and painful, and I was disappointed in ‘Butterfly’. Here’s my chain: https://residentjudge.com/2023/04/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-born-to-run-to/
Nice… a bit more elusive with your links this time, but they still work. Here’s mine https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2023/04/01/tcls-6degrees-of-separation-for-april-1-2023/
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That last link’s intriguing, particualry as I have Cult Classic on the TBRF shelves. If you’ve not seen it, I’d recommend the film of The Commitments.
Here’s my chain: https://alifeinbooks.co.uk/2023/04/six-degrees-of-separation-born-to-run-to-mouth-to-mouth/
Or even the TBR shelves…
I enjoyed The Commitments – the book and the film, which is appropriate to my chain this month – and hadn’t realised that there were more Barrytown books.
Here’s my chain https://thinkaboutreading.wordpress.com/2023/04/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-born-to-run-to-dangerous-liaisons/
Nice chain, I think ‘the guts’ was the last Roddy Doyle book I enjoyed. Hard to believe ‘The barrytown’ trilogy is 30 years old. Anyway, here’s mine, from bruce to birnam wood, via 70’s London punk rock and tipperary. https://www.bookshelfdiscovery.com/blog/six-degrees-of-separation-april-23
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Loved Lisa’s post about writers awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom!
I am a moderate Bruce fan and have seen him in concert but am not one of those people who has the time (or money) to see him multiple times. However, a friend of mine got to sing with him in some benefit concerts after 9/11 and I was impressed by how kind he was to her (an amateur) and how willing he was to give his time to a good cause. Here is my post:
https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2023/04/six-degrees-of-separation-from-born-to.html
Once again, I’m finding way too many TBR books than I’ll ever be able to read in a lifetime. Thanks to everyone who contributes, and thanks to Kate for hosting. My entry for this month is here: https://www.notesinthemargin.org/2023/04/01/6-degrees-of-separation-11/
Nice work–all sound like they could be “cult classics” from the titles alone. The other cover of Bunny makes it even look so!
I haven’t read any of the books on your chain, but based on what I am seeing, I think I am going to find myself teary-eyed over reading Of a Boy soon enough..
My 6ds is here: https://www.ladyinreadwrites.com/admiring-avvaiyars-for-all-each-one-alone-was/#Six_Degrees_of_Separation_Born_to_Run_and_Then%E2%80%A6 (also linked to the linky)
Interesting chaine. Mi Six Degrees of Separation are very musical. They took me from Born to Run to <a href="https://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2013/10/pamuk-orhan-silent-house.html"Number One in Heaven by Jeremy Simmonds.
My Six Degrees of Separation took me from Born to Run to Number One in Heaven by Jeremy Simmonds.
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I’m late this month!! But better late than never?
Here’s my chain: https://tasmanianbibliophileatlarge.wordpress.com/2023/04/01/6degrees-of-separation-from-born-to-run-by-bruce-springsteen-to-watkin-tenchs-1788-by-watkin-tench-and-tim-flannery-editor/
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