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 Elizabeth Day’s exploration of friendship, Friendaholic.
One of my favourite quotes about friendship comes from Phosphorescence by Julia Baird, who describes long friendships as the ‘…crossbeams of our resilience.’
The main theme of Baird’s book was the concept of ‘awe’. When I was browsing the new releases at Readings a couple of weeks ago, I came across Awe by Dacher Keltner.
On that same bookshop visit, I bought Heartbake by Charlotte Ree. It is a beautiful book to hold. A quick glance at my bookshelf, and the last cloth-bound and embossed book I bought was The Novel Cure by Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin.
I opened The Novel Cure to see what the authors recommended for reading about friendship but before I got there, I saw a list of the ‘Ten Best Novels for Fifty-Somethings’. I turned 50 last year – reason enough to make my next link to a book on that list, Young Hearts Crying by Richard Yates.
I’ve read nearly all of Yates’s work but one that is still on the list is a short story collection, Eleven Kinds of Loneliness.
Where will other chains go? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (July 1, 2023), we’ll start with the winner of the International Booker Prize, Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov and translated by Angela Rodel.
My time is short so I’ve done another of my little poems, that I haven’t done for a while. I do enjoy doing them, though this time I had to rescue a near boo-boo. https://whisperinggums.com/2023/06/03/six-degrees-of-separation-from-friendaholic-to/
Enjoyed your chain. Phosphorescence and the friendship quote is good. I nearly started with a book with a friendship quote, Lessons in chemistry, but I haven’t finished my review, and then decided to do the poem route.
I haven’t read any of these books. But i always enjoy reading about the threads of connection.
That book, The Novel Cure… I thought it was a mockumentary, not to be taken seriously, and I think the authors intended that too.
Here’s my chain:
https://anzlitlovers.com/2023/06/03/six-degrees-of-separation-from-friendaholic-to/
Here’s my chain: https://tasmanianbibliophileatlarge.wordpress.com/2023/06/03/6degrees-of-separation-from-friendaholic-confessions-of-a-friendship-addict-by-elizabeth-day-to-matthew-flinders-cat-by-bryce-courtenay/
And once again, I haven’t read your starting book- or any of the other books either. I do have Julia Baird’s book on the pile beside the bed- does that count? My chain is at:
https://residentjudge.com/2023/06/03/six-degrees-of-separation-from-friendaholic-to/
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I was intrigued by Phosphorescence when you chose it as our starting point two years ago. It wasn’t out in the US then so I appreciate the reminder. Here is my chain:
https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2023/06/six-degrees-of-separation-from.html
I had The Novel on my shelf somewhere but it may have been victim to a recent purge, however I’m intrigued to know what they recommend for Friendship, Middlemarch perhaps? I think it is an interesting reference book, just takes up a lot of bookshelf space.
Oh, Yates is so good! Thanks for reminding me it’s time to pick up another of his books. Here’s my offering this month: https://margaret21.com/2023/06/03/six-degrees-of-separation-from-friendaholic-to-best-of-friends/
Ah, Phosphorescence was a starter book a while back. That’s where I heard of it! Here’s mine! http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2023/06/03/tcls-6degrees-of-separation-for-june-3-2023/
The Yates short stories are great and thanks for reminding me of The Novel Cure. Haven’t dipped into that for ages! Here’s my chain: https://alifeinbooks.co.uk/2023/06/six-degrees-of-separation-from-friendaholic-to-march/
As usual, I haven’t read the starting book, but I could be tempted by this one. My chain: https://stargazer-online.com/2023/06/03/six-degrees-of-separation-from-friendships-to-opioid-crisis/
Intriguing list, and I also hit the half century mark soon so I’ll have to have a look at that list you mention. I go from friendship to fields, brains, hearts, and finish at a factory in tyrone.
Great chain. Nice idea to start with a friendship quote.
My Six Degrees of Separation took me from Friendaholic to Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami.
Here’s my entry for this month: https://www.notesinthemargin.org/2023/06/03/6-degrees-many-forms-of-friendship/
This was a nice loop!
https://wordsandpeace.com/2023/06/03/six-degrees-of-separation-from-friends-to-home/
I haven’t read any of the books on your list though each one intrigues me.. The Novel Cure has been on my mind /tbr for a while now..
Linked up in the linky but here is my chain: https://www.ladyinreadwrites.com/finding-friends-everywhere-six-degrees-of-strong-connections/
Having entered 6 Degrees for a second time, I realise that I am not spending nearly enough time reading new books (or even old ones) but I know where to come for pointers… My books, as I discuss, were mainly read a long time ago!
https://how-would-you-know.com/2023/06/6-degrees-of-separation-friendaholic-by-elizabeth-day.html
I keep meaning to read Phosphorescence, I’ve had it on my wish list since you highlighted it on a previous chain.
Oh no!! I thought it was next week. Ugh
Pingback: #6Degrees of Separation June 2023 – findingtimetowrite
It’s been a week and a half for me, so I’m very late to the party, hope it’s still ok to link up. I haven’t read Friendaholic, but can relate very much to the ‘doing everything for one’s friends’.