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 Michelle de Kretser’s work of autofiction, Theory & Practice.
Is there more ‘autofiction’ around now than there was a few years ago…? The last work of autofiction I read before Theory & Practice was Puk Qvortrup’s devastating memoir, Into a Star.
Qvortrup’s husband drops dead unexpectedly on the street. She wasn’t with him. The same thing happened to Geraldine Brooks’s husband, as she describes in her memoir, Memorial Days.
Much of Memorial Days is set in Tasmania. Looking back on other books I’ve read set in Tasmania, I was reminded of Favel Parrett’s beautiful novel, Past the Shallows.
In my review of Past the Shallows, I mention that Parrett writes beautifully about water. To avoid getting stuck in a grief vortex, I’ll link to another book with some terrific writing about water – Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui.
Tsui’s book is fascinating and looks at swimming from all angles… except it doesn’t make mention of swim coaches who work without a pool, which is why Miranda July’s short story, The Swim Team, in her collection, No One Belongs Here More Than You, is so funny.
I rarely read short story collections but I am looking forward to one that is sitting in my TBR stack – Curtis Sittenfeld’s Show Don’t Tell.
Two of my favourite topics – grief memoirs and swimming! Where will other chains go? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (August 2, 2025), we’ll start with the 2025 Women’s Prize winner, The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden.
Great chain, other than Geraldine’s book I haven’t heard of the rest. I’m not a big reader of short stories either, if they are standalone complete shorts, then I will but get frustrated when they are a setup for a new series or an addition to an ongoing series.
I enjoyed your chain Kate, and I loved your “to avoid getting stuck in a vortex” comment in you water links! (Seriously though, it’s so easy to do isn’t it. I changed my first link to my chain because this was happening. I guess I ended up in a different vortex but it has some variety!) I have heard of most of your books but have only read the starting one.
Here is my chain: https://whisperinggums.com/2025/07/05/six-degrees-of-separation-from-theory-practice-to/
For some reason, I couldn’t post my reply on your post. It said I wasn’t logged in. I am. I said ‘Extraordinarily, I’ve read – and enjoyed – the first four books of your chain. And your last two definitely look worth a go too. Thanks!’
I got notice verification failed
The ways of WP pass all understandig!
I think there is an autofiction trend at present, too. Grief memoirs, too, although perhaps that has been around for longer – I’m thinking of Ruth Cracknell, Joan Didion, Ann Patchett’s shorter pieces … the list goes on. Perhaps it is a genre we turn to at different stages of our own lives.
My chain went down a vortex too – Virginia Woolf connections.
https://rosereadsnovels.wordpress.com/2025/07/05/six-degrees-of-separation-theory-and-practice-by-michelle-de-kretser/
I hadn’t come across the term autofiction until now. Fascinating genre. Now I know I need to read Theory and Practice.
https://www.unsolicitedadvice.space/blog/six-degrees-of-separation-theory-amp-practice-6x7es
Hi Kate, I have had a truly horrible week that started with having to identify The Ex when he died suddenly at Frankston Hospital and then support The Offspring through an avalanche of difficulties that ensued.
(You know about Disenfranchised Grief, of course.)
But fortunately I had begun drafting #6Degrees before all that and it’s been quite soothing to finish tidying it up today: https://anzlitlovers.com/2025/07/05/six-degrees-of-separation-theory-and-practice-to/
PS Can I make a suggestion for a starter book? Bloomer, Embracing a Late Life Flourishing by Carol LeFevre published by Affirm Press. It is just gorgeous! I borrowed it from the library but I am going to have to buy a copy.
https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Bloomer/Carol-Lefevre/9781923293038
So sorry to hear about your week Lisa. Such a difficult time for you and your family.
How dreadful, Lisa! I am so sorry you and your family are going through this.
Thank you. There doesn’t seem to be a script to follow in a situation like this, the usual rituals don’t apply!
I’ve seen Memorial Days about a bit recently, I look forward to reading it.
https://aidanvale.blogspot.com/2025/07/six-degrees-of-separation-july-theory.html?m=1
This is a chain where I know the work of several of the authors, but not the books themselves. Interesting as ever! Here’s mine:https://margaret21.com/2025/07/05/six-degrees-of-separation-from-theory-and-practice-to-at-the-bottom-of-the-river/
I had a hard time this month, but I got there… https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2025/07/05/tcls-6degrees-of-separation-for-july-5-2025/
Yes, it’s been difficult, made worse by today’s news from East Melbourne. I am at a loss to understand how this unbridled hatred has taken root in our society. Stay strong, Davida.
Sickening news. I don’t want to see the hate in the USA exported. We don’t all support him or his hate-filled minions. I’m sad your city has had to endure such a heinous crime.
I can’t add to the linky this month – my URL is too long!
Enjoyed reading everyone’s chains as always.
Here’s mine: https://portobellobookblog.com/2025/07/05/6degrees-of-separation-for-july-2025-from-theory-and-practice-by-michelle-de-kretser-to-an-italian-island-summer-by-suemoorcroft/
I have a swimming link in my chain this month too, but not the same books! Here’s mine:
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/07/05/six-degrees-of-separation-from-theory-practice-to-murder-in-the-crooked-house/
I’m pleased to see a Favel Parrett I haven’t read in your chain and now off to check if it’s published over here. Here’s my chain: https://alifeinbooks.co.uk/2025/07/six-degrees-of-separation-theory-and-practice-to-boxer-beetle/
My chain is so different from yours – as usual! And I wish I could write mine as succinctly as you do.
Here’s mine:
https://booksplease.org/2025/07/05/six-degrees-of-separation-from-theory-and-practice-to-the-night-hawks/
Here is my chain: https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2025/07/six-degrees-of-separation-from-theory.html
I have enjoyed Geraldine Brooks’ books (and admire that they are all so different) but I don’t really see the point of reading grief memoirs – expiating or comforting for the writer but just more misery for the reader, and don’t we all have our own grief to manage? Those books and the ones about early-onset Alzheimer’s get suggested by my book group from time to time and I veto, when possible, especially because we are at the age where we are losing our parents.
All the books on your chain are new to me and I have a couple of water-themed books in my chain as well 🙂 Why We Swim and The Swim Team are first on my list to read.. Here is my chain – https://www.ladyinreadwrites.com/full-circle-from-theory-to-practice/
Very good! A swim coach with no pool….hmmmmm
For sure in French fiction, autofiction is huge right now. And I can’t stand it. For me, either it is autobiography or fiction, not in between
Good chain–Geraldine Brooks! https://hopewellslibraryoflife.wordpress.com/2025/07/05/six-degrees-of-separation-theory-pracitce-a-novel-by-michelle-de-kretser/
That was a tough one but I managed in the end (see here:
https://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2021/03/six-degrees-of-separation_8.html)
But I’m looking forward to see what others did with the first book. Next month sounds even more difficult. No name or word I can find in another book.
But I wish everyone good luck with it.
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I have to admit I wasn’t familiar with the starting point this month, nor have I heard of any of the books in your chain – but that’s the beauty of this meme, right?