Six Degrees of Separation – from Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow to The Empathy Exams

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 Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.

My first link is based on amputation – that sounds grim, but the main character in Tomorrow and the main character in Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life were both in car accidents that resulted in a leg being amputated.

I heard Yanagihara speak many years ago and at that time she distanced herself from the film version of A Little Life, so I was surprised to see that she’d co-written the play. I am always a little nervous when favourite books get turned into films, but I can’t wait to see what is done with Sloane Crosley’s Cult Classic.

Cult Classic pokes fun at the wellness industry, which Amanda Montell does in a more researched way in Cultish.

Cultish describes things such as SoulCycle and Peloton as ‘socially acceptable’ cults. This links to Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey which includes some hilarious descriptions of a spin class (as I’ve mentioned, I am totally obsessed with spin and yes, it’s a cult that I’m happy to be a part of).

Really Good, Actually was just one of the books that made me laugh out loud last year. Another was Big Swiss by Jen Beagin.

An obscure link to finish – Beagin makes reference to Morgellons disease, as does Leslie Jamison in The Empathy Exams.

Amputations, cults and laughs – where will other chains go? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.

Next month (February 3, 2024), start with the book you finished on this month (or the last book read).

22 responses

    • Anne, I love your chain – your ideas, and how you’ve presented it, but your blog won’t let me comment with my WordPress account (and when I try to do it with Google it wants to share my details with Disqus. I just don’t want to spread my details from platform to platform. I’m sorry. Some Blogspot blogs will let WP bloggers comment under their own name. Are you able to add that option?)

      • I am so frustrated that Disqus and Blogger. I don’t know how to “fix” it. If you sign up with Disqus, it is easy. I had to sign up an account in order to make comments on Word Press. I guess it is what the formats do. Sigh.

        Thanks for the positive comments about my post.

  1. I haven’t heard of most of your books Kate, and the one I have, A little life, I haven’t read. Enjoyed your links however. Our next book is a challenge as I like to prepare 6 Degrees in advance, but I think I know a way around it, as my reading group meets on the last Tuesday of the month, which will be 30 January, so that will very likely be my last book read as I tend to try to time my reading up to the wire. Phew, I’m set.

    Here is my chain for this month: https://whisperinggums.com/2024/01/06/six-degrees-of-separation-from-tomorrow-and-tomorrow-and-tomorrow-to/

  2. Pingback: Six Degrees of Separation: From Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow to The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (January 2024) – Literary Potpourri

  3. You’re not the first to make a connection between Tomorrow and A Little Life, but I’m afraid neither of them quite hit the spot for me. Perhaps I just view friendship differently, I don’t know… Just writing my chain this weekend, hope to have it ready to link on Monday.

  4. Sam’s ongoing struggles with his leg and the amputation were so upsetting to read about, particularly the parts set in Cambridge where I have slipped and slid on ice often myself (with two perfectly good legs). It was odd he lived off campus (hardly anyone does) but I guess that was necessary so there would be an apartment they could stay in for free during the summer. I don’t think accessibility is the issue as most dorms have ground floor rooms.

    Anyway, yes, spinners are so cultish one doesn’t want to get in their way at the gym. The cultier, the fancier the clothes?

    Here is my chain: https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2024/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-tomorrow.html

  5. Pingback: #6Degrees of Separation January 2024 – findingtimetowrite

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