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 Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov and translated by Angela Rodel. The novel is about a project that creates a space for dementia.
I recently read Sarah Holland-Batt’s poetry collection, The Jaguar, and although it is not about dementia per se, there was a poignant poem that highlighted how the body persists but the mind does not when a person suffers from dementia –
We’ve said our goodbyes –
you’re elsewhere now.
Here, but nowhere really.
We only talk in poetry.
I’m not sure when
I last saw the you I knew –
whenever it was
I didn’t make a note of the date.
My next link is to The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka, which features Alice, a character with dementia who is moved into permanent care (and we realise that she’s had her ‘last’ swim).
Swimming is a vital part of my life. Although I loathed Heather Rose’s Nothing Bad Ever Happens Here, there was one quite lovely passage about ageing and swimming –
It’s a gift to my future self, all this swimming. I watch women in their sixties, seventies and eighties come down to the beach through the frosty months…
‘Gift to my future self’ – I love that. My gift to my future self is to keep learning, which links to Beginners by Tom Vanderbilt.
I recently learnt some new skills at a botanical drawing class with Emma Mitchell, author of The Wild Remedy.
Botanical drawing provides my next link to the story of Sara Plummer, who, in 1870 taught herself botany and discovered hundreds of new plant species. Her work was largely credited merely as “J.G. Lemmon & wife.” Wynne Brown’s narrative nonfiction account of Plummer’s life is The Forgotten Botanist.
From dementia and swimming to new skills and plants. Where will other chains go? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (August 5, 2023), we’ll start with Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld.
Nice work. I had to DNF Swimmers–it was hitting too close to home. My Mom is 86 and swims 3 times a week–it is everything to her.
I love botanical drawing. I can’t draw a straight line, so I am always lost in admiration for those who do it.
Oops, forgot, here’s my link: https://anzlitlovers.com/2023/07/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-time-shelter-to/
Some more books for my reading list! Here’s my link: https://tasmanianbibliophileatlarge.wordpress.com/2023/07/01/6degrees-of-separation-from-time-shelter-by-georgi-gospodinov-translated-by-angela-roden-to-death-and-the-penguin-by-andrey-kurkov-translated-by-george-bird/
Here’s mine https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2023/07/01/tcls-6degrees-of-separation-for-july-1-2023/
I love your ‘gift to my future self’ link! Here’s my chain:
https://shereadsnovels.com/2023/07/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-time-shelter-to-beauvallet/
The Emma Mitchell class sounds divine. My daughter would probably like that.
Great chain Kate … loved you gift to yourself to keep learning. Also interested in the Swimmers book, because as my MIL got old I suddenly realised the “lasts” and that you often don’t know is the last time you do something until after the event. Sometimes you might, you might say I’m going to give up my licence after this last trip. But I can imagine that most of them come upon you, like the last book you actually read. The last one my mum finished was Pip Williams’ The dictionary of lost words which was so apposite for a lexicographer, but she didn’t know it was going to be her last.
Anyhow, here’s my chain, https://whisperinggums.com/2023/07/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-time-shelter-to/
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That IS a touching poem. Learning all the time is something I completely agree with and I hope I never stop either. Very much like the sound of The Forgotten Botanist.
Very much like the idea of a ‘gift to my future self’. Shame about the rest of the book, though. I loved The Museum of Modern Love. My gift to my future (and present) self is Alexander technique lessons!
Here’s my Six Degrees: https://alifeinbooks.co.uk/2023/07/six-degrees-of-separation-from-time-shelter-to-the-half-moon/
I realized just now I could have gone from Time Shelter to Elizabeth is Missing, which I enjoyed and was in the news last week due to Glenda Jackson’s death. The Forgotten Botanist sounds good; I will recommend it to a friend in Santa Barbara.
Here is my chain: https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2023/07/six-degrees-of-separation-from-time.html
I haven’t read any of these, but I like how you connected them.
https://wordsandpeace.com/2023/07/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-bulgarian-to-japanese-literature/
Lovely chain Kate, and next month’s choice is brilliant – could go in any direction!
Here’s my link though it is in linky. I notice I often can’t see the link to that in your posts–it is just a blank outline sometimes. https://hopewellslibraryoflife.wordpress.com/2023/07/01/six-degrees-of-separation-time-shelter-by-georgi-gospodinov-translated-by-angela-rodel/
Love Julie Otsuka (though I haven’t read The Swimmers yet), and The Forgotten Botanist sounds fascinating. Here’s my chain: http://www.davidsbookworld.com/2023/07/01/six-degrees-of-separation-time-shelter/
Here’s my link for this month
http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2023/07/six-degrees-of-separation-time-shelter.html
Brilliant idea. I had not read the starter book, so my Six Degrees of Separation took me all around Eastern Europe, from Time Shelter to Primeval and Other Times by Olga Tokarczuk.
Lovely chain! I have a copy of The Wild Remedy too, a beautiful book.
Here’s my link – https://booksplease.org/2023/07/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-time-shelter-to-the-girl-who-died/
Another fascinating chain, and what a touching poem. Mine is https://www.bookshelfdiscovery.com/blog/six-degrees-of-separation-july-23
This may have been my favourite chain to do yet and I immediately ordered Time Shelter and it is headed to the top of my TBR list. I liked you chain too and may return to it’s recommendations later…
https://how-would-you-know.com/2023/07/6-degrees-of-separation-time-shelter.html
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Never too late!
Am unforgivably late with this one (SO MUCH STUFF going on in my life this past month and week, above all), but I had to take part, as I’ve just started reading Time Shelter and am really enjoying it so far (although I expect it will be hard to read about dementia). https://findingtimetowrite.wordpress.com/2023/07/09/6degrees-july-2023-the-extra-late-edition/
Completely forgot about this earlier this month.. here is mine – (better late than never).. https://www.ladyinreadwrites.com/to-soar-high-on-creativity-with-sand-elephants-and-more/#Then_to_Soar_High_With_Books_to_Last_a_Week
I am so tempted to add all the books on your chain this week to my TBR but will start with The Jaguar and The Forgotten Botanist..