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 All Fours by Miranda July.
Stay with me for a wild link… I frequently speak with my therapist clinical supervisor about what we’re reading. I spoke to her at great length about All Fours. Last time we met, she talked about Irvin Yalom’s Hour of the Heart. Our discussion about the Yalom text was in the context of male pride and entitlement, but the book is about Yalom’s psychotherapy sessions.
I’ve read dozens of books about therapy sessions, but my absolute favourite is Lori Gottleib’s Maybe You Should Talk to Someone.
My second favourite therapy book is Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed. My introduction to Strayed was Wild. I think aspects of Wild were criticised but I enjoyed reading about her hike on the Pacific Crest Trail.
The most recent book I read about hiking a notable trail was David Nicholls’s funny but meaningful, You Are Here.
One of the characters in You Are Here is a geography teacher. My all-time favourite fictional geography teacher (I appreciate that other readers might not be able to name a single fictional geography teacher, let alone have a favourite!) is Olwen in The Alternatives by Caoilinn Hughes.
From therapy to hiking to geography teachers… where will other chains go? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (July 5, 2025), we’ll start with the 2025 Stella Prize winner, Michelle de Kretser’s work of autofiction, Theory & Practice.
Another month, another post. Thanks for sponsoring, Kate.
https://www.notesinthemargin.org/2025/06/06/6-degrees-of-separation-18/
I enjoyed the hiking elements of Strayed, too. Such an adventure to set off on her own.
I agree with Mary’s comment, too – thank you for Six Degrees, Kate, it’s fun!
https://rosereadsnovels.wordpress.com/2025/06/07/six-degrees-of-separation-all-fours-by-miranda-july/
Have you read the Bill Bryson book about hiking the appalchian trail – A Walk in the Woods? Its not my favourite of his, but everything he writes is hilarious.
Here is mine: https://aidanvale.blogspot.com/2025/06/six-degree-june-2025-womens-prize-for.html
Interesting chain. Here’s my post https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2025/06/07/tcls-6degrees-of-separation-for-june-7-2025/
Sorry to muscle in on your comments page, Kate. As ever, for some reason I can’t comment on your post Davida. Here’s what I said. ‘Haha, Davida – I also often judge a book by its cover. It’s not that unreliable a guide, is it? Unlike you, I’m not a Backman fan, but I find both Evans and Burton reliably good reads. As ever, an interesting chain.’
Like Margaret, I can’t comment on your post David’s
Here’s my thoughts:
a great list- a very clever theme to pull them together.
The starter book is actually next on my own reading list (I’ll soon see if I grew with your take on the blurb) and I’ve now put your Fannie Flagg and AJ Pearce picks on my TBR list. Not that it needed anything adding!!
I loved You Are Here but would be hard pushed to think of another character who was a geography teacher 😄
Here’s mine for this month: https://portobellobookblog.com/2025/06/07/6degrees-of-separation-for-june-2025-from-all-fours-by-miranda-july-to-the-lost-lover-by-karen-swan/
As with Davida’s blog, for some reason I can’t leave a comment on your post. It says I’m not logged in – but I am! Here’s what I said ‘My goodness, you’ve a fine selection of Parisian books here. Suite Française is definitely worth reading, and I enjoyed Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris long before it became a cinema hit. Several of your other choices are on my TBR list too. A great catalogue!’
I often have that problem Margaret, mysterious! Thanks for commenting but it must have been about a previous selection as I have no Parisian books on my list this month 🤔🇫🇷
Oh! I got to it from your Blenza link!
Oops – must have pasted an old one 😄
🤣
I’ll add my thanks to the others: This challenge is a fun way to start a new month of blogging – so here’s mine for June: https://margaret21.com/2025/06/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-all-fours-to-grow-where-they-fall/. As ever, I haven’t read any of your choices, and I guess you haven’t read any of mine!
The colours in your chain pics are lovely. Adored The Alternatives.
Oops – I somehow managed to add a very old link to the linky thing. Apologies! Correct one is there now but I don’t know how to delete the wrong one or if that’s even possible. But if you want to read a Paris in July post from 2023 that’s not even a Six Degrees, on you go! 😄🇫🇷
I haven’t read any of these books, but I do like books about hiking and like Becky I’ve read A Walk in the Woods. I fancy reading You Are Here.
I read You Are Here – for once, I’m familiar with one of the books in your set of links, yay! I keep meaning to read All Fours, as it’s been recommended to me (although not unreservedly). So I will have to start a bit blind, since I haven’t read it yet.
I love the geography teacher link, although I would struggle to think of any other examples! Here’s my chain: https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/06/07/six-degrees-of-separation-from-all-fours-to-a-god-in-every-stone/
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I was never taught geography per se but when I was in elementary school, for several years we were given Map books that were almost like puzzles. They explained highways and interstates and I seem to recall we had to trace our routes from one place to another. No surprise, I was the kind of child who when bored would put a book inside my work and nearly always get caught . . .
Here is my June chain:
https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2025/06/six-degrees-of-separation-from-all.html
Constance
I still have my copy of Yalom’s Lying on the Couch on the shelves having enjoying it years agao but can now remember nothing about it!
Here’s my link: https://alifeinbooks.co.uk/2025/06/six-degrees-of-separation-all-fours-to-lessons-in-chemistry/
Your are right, I wouldn’t know a single fictional geography teacher. And I didn’t really like my real life geography teachers. But I love geography. Huh, how did that happen???
I’ll have so much fun going through the various lists. Thanks for that.
Here is mine:
https://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2025/06/six-degrees-of-separation-all-fours.html
Excellent work. I think I’m the only woman alive who hated Wild lol
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Sorry I’m late with this: https://anzlitlovers.com/2025/06/08/six-degrees-of-separation-from-all-fours/
Great chain, I like the sound of You Are Here, I’ll have to check it out, I do enjoy a good journey book.
I have not read any of the books on your chain though have heard of half of them.. but do want to check out You are Here. https://www.ladyinreadwrites.com/bookish-road-trip-picks-five-and-six-make-it-quick/
Very very late but here is mine – published on time but I was in remote areas and am still catching up. https://whisperinggums.com/2025/06/07/six-degrees-of-separation-from-all-fours-to/
I like your therapy-hiking links.