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 Curtis Sittenfeld’s Romantic Comedy.
When I read her short story collection, You Think It, I’ll Say It, I thought it was one of the best, most consistent collections I’d read. I still think that, although Katherine Heiny’s recent collection, Games & Rituals comes very close – again, a fantastic and even collection.
The last short story collection I read was Antarctica by Claire Keegan.
Linking to the titular story is Alexa Thomson’s memoir about her time as a cook for a station in Antarctica – Antarctica on a Plate.
Extreme cooking provides a link to Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines.
Patrick Radden Keefe included an essay about Bourdain in his book, Rogues. It’s a marvelous and insightful piece of writing.
Short stories and icy places to cooks. Where will other chains go? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (September 2, 2023), we’ll start with Wifedom by Anna Funder.
My chain: https://tasmanianbibliophileatlarge.wordpress.com/2023/08/05/6degrees-of-separation-from-romantic-comedy-by-curtis-sittenfeld-to-sincerely-ethel-malley-by-stephen-orr/
Nice work! I want to read Antarctica on a Plate now!
It was really interesting to read about the challenge of cooking with limited facilities and ingredients (especially because everyone was so hungry because of the cold and the work they were doing).
I’ve known two people who have gone there–one cleaned ovens, toilets, etc., and listened to her co-workers having sex while she was trying to sleep (very much like our Peace Corps training!) the other, a college professor, did similar but nearly lost her mind with the people–she “expected better”. It seems like it is a kind of Island of Misfit Toys, lol, just with science degrees so I’m not sure what she was envisioning!! Also, I love to watch videos on things like cooking on a nuclear submarine so I’m sure this would be interesting for the reasons you state.
Forgot to say–love next month’s pick!
It provides lots of starting points for chains!
My post https://hopewellslibraryoflife.wordpress.com/2023/08/04/6-degrees-of-separation-romantic-comedy-by-curtis-sittenfeld/
Oh now, I haven’t read Wifedom, but I sure plan to – though I’d like my reading group to do it which means I may not get to it until next year!
Loved that your chain included so many short stories, and that memoir Antarctica on a plate. Did I hear the author interviewed? I feel I did.
Meanwhile here is my post for this month: six-degrees-of-separation-from-romantic-comedy-to
Wifedom will be on many book group lists I suspect – it provides LOTS to talk about!
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Wifedom and Antarctic are both on my wishlist!
I’m yet to tackle my review for Wifedom. I loved it, and although very readable, it was in its own way a complex book – so many themes, interesting structure, memorable.
I’m trying to get my hands on Antarctica, since I’ve fallen in love with Keegan, and I adore short stories, and in September I’m going to be going to one of her weekend seminars! Here’s mine https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2023/08/05/tcls-6degrees-of-separation-for-august-5-2023/
I hope you write about Keegan’s seminar. I saw her at the Melbourne Writers Festival this year and she was not at all what I expected (yes, I’ll leave it cryptic!).
This looks an appetising chain! I like the way you went with this, just as I like the look of next month’s starter. Here’s mine this month: https://margaret21.com/2023/08/05/six-degrees-of-separation-from-romantic-comedy-to-go-went-gone/.
Enjoyable chain, as ever. I loved Games & Rituals.
Here’s my link: https://alifeinbooks.co.uk/2023/08/six-degrees-of-separation-from-romantic-comedy-to-anatomy-of-a-soldier/
My chain: https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2023/08/six-degrees-of-separation-from-romantic.html
I’ve been reading Claire Keegan but no short stories; she has been a good choice for my lawyers’ book group (if I pick something long we lose them, although I am pleased that the man in the group who is judge for the Massachusetts Supreme Court is a real reader and almost always asks for a recommendation, then emails me when he reads it, which is gratifying). I just got Romantic Comedy from the library yesterday so haven’t started it yet. I have to admit I resisted reading her books because everyone else was!
I haven’t read any here, but that was a fun chain!
https://wordsandpeace.com/2023/08/05/six-degrees-of-separation-walking-the-line-between-romance-and-comedy/
I haven’t read even one of the books on your chain, although I have read two Claire Keegan novellas. Looking forward to next month too. My link: https://residentjudge.com/2023/08/05/six-degrees-of-separation-from-romantic-comedy-to/
You have two short story books on your chain that I want to read and I love to read about Antarctica. So I am looking into Antarctica on a Plate.
I missed last month but am back this month with https://www.notesinthemargin.org/2023/08/05/6-degrees-of-separation-love-stories/
I would certainly like to look up Antarctica on a Plate–looks very interesting.
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Why oh why do I keep forgetting to link, even as I read all of your wonderful contributions! This was a tough start for me this month, as I haven’t read the book nor am likely to. I may have a slight rom-com prejudice…
Interesting chain. I read another book by Patrick Radden Keefe not too long ago, Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland. Brilliant.
My Six Degrees of Separation took me from Romantic Comedy to The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith.
I loved Say Nothing!
Indeed, it is fantastic. Thanks, Kate.
They don’t allow me to correct or even comment on my comment, so, please, delete the one above and I’ll post it again with the correct link.
Interesting chain. I read another book by Patrick Radden Keefe not too long ago, Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland. Brilliant.
My Six Degrees of Separation took me from Romantic Comedy to The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith.
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I know I want to read all the books on your chain now!! My six degrees sure took me on a completely different journey, as expected.. https://www.ladyinreadwrites.com/from-romantic-comedies-to-love-poems-through-long-times/
I really enjoyed Romantic Comedy although Noah was too good to be true (his only flaw was lack of hair, which I think was just thrown in so he wouldn’t be quite so gorgeous). I was ready to jump in a car and drive to California myself!