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 Tom Lake by Ann Patchett.
Tom Lake is centered around the performance of a play (Thornton Wilder’s Our Town), as is The Performance by Claire Thomas (where the play is Happy Days by Samuel Beckett).
Thomas’s novel is structured like a play, with Act I, intermission, and Act II, instead of traditional chapters. Allee Richards does the same in her novel, A Light in the Dark.
A Light in the Dark links to Charlotte Wood’s latest, Stone Yard Devotional, as both have characters central to the plot who were bullied in high school.
The overseas death of a significant person links Stone Yard Devotional to Hotel Milano by Tim Parks.
A black cat plays an important role in Hotel Milano, and she reminded me of the cat, Small Frank, in Patrick deWitt’s French Exit.
My final link is to deWitt’s latest novel, The Librarianist, which I’ve read but yet to review.
Very much a theatrical theme for my chain this month. Where will other chains go? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (April 6, 2024), I’m changing it up a little: look to your bookshelf – do you see a Lonely Planet title there? Or an Eyewitness Travel title? Or any other travel guide? That’s your starting book.
The performance! A great first link. I have still to read that. I have also yet to review one of my links, but I hope to post the review tomorrow.
I love the idea of starting with a travel guide, and I’m pretty sure I know which one it was be.
I ended up doing one of my “poems”. Here it is: https://whisperinggums.com/2024/03/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-tom-lake-to/
I enjoyed your links, I was going to go a completely different way to how I did but this was the easier way. https://clairesreadsandreviews.home.blog/2024/03/02/6degrees-of-separation-2-march-2024/#like-6261
Nice work! I especially like the cat! Mine:
https://hopewellslibraryoflife.wordpress.com/2024/03/02/six-degrees-of-separation-tom-lake-a-novel-by-ann-patchett/
Well, next month will be lively:) What a clever idea!
Here’s mine:
https://anzlitlovers.com/2024/03/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-tom-lake-to/
I enjoyed this theatrical chain, so different from my own: https://margaret21.com/2024/03/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-tom-lake-to-meadowland/
Oh, cool idea for next month! Here’s mine for this month. https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2024/03/02/tcls-6degrees-of-separation-for-march-2-2024/
A great chain. Apart from Tom Lake, I haven’t read any of yours. I’m already thinking about next month’s travel starter!
Here’s mine for March: https://portobellobookblog.com/2024/03/02/6degrees-of-separation-for-march-2024-from-tom-lake-to-the-fair-botanists/
Great chain – and I’ve actually read the starting book this month! I nearly went in a theatrical direction as well, then decided on something else: https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/03/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-tom-lake-to-the-cellist-of-sarajevo/
Nice first link Kate, from play to play!
Pingback: Six Degrees of Separation: From Tom Lake to The Enchanted April (March 2024) – Literary Potpourri
French Exit looks like fun and with a cat in the mix. even more so!
Here’s mine: https://potpourri2015.wordpress.com/2024/03/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-tom-lake-to-the-enchanted-april-march-2024/
Great chain, Kate. I loved The Performance – such a clever structure – and any mention of deWitt is welcome.
Here’s mine: https://alifeinbooks.co.uk/2024/03/six-degrees-of-separation-tom-lake-to-death-comes-for-the-archbishop/
Nice idea for next month.
And would you believe it? I have not read a single book from your list. Time to explore.
My Six Degrees of Separation ended with Silent House.
I really enjoyed Tom Lake and am contemplating a trip in April, so that should be fun. Here is my chain: https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2024/03/six-degrees-of-separation-from-tom-lake.html
Cool links! I haven’t read any, but I have 2 cats in my chain!
https://wordsandpeace.com/2024/03/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-wisconsin-to-japan/
I love following everyone’s posts. I’m no longer on Twitter (X), but I do share other #6Degrees posts on Mastodon, where I’m @NotesintheMargin@toot.community
loved your theatrical connections (i have one, kind of a stretch, but one such connection in my chain too).. and am so intrigued by The Performance. My post is here – https://www.ladyinreadwrites.com/making-connections-with-great-reads-across-land-lake-and-sea/
Pingback: #6Degrees of Separation March 2024 – findingtimetowrite
I always love your chains, how you really link from the content of a book to the next one. I will have to try that again soon.
My Six Degrees of Separation ended with Silent House.
I thought I knew where this path would lead. Nope. I was wrong. Here’s where Tom Lake led me: https://headfullofbooks.blogspot.com/2024/03/six-degrees-of-separation-tom-lake-to.html
I definitely went in a different direction, and I had so much fun with it!
https://mmzlibrary.blogspot.com/2024/03/6dobs-march-tom-lake-by-ann-patchett.html