Six Degrees of Separation is a meme hosted by Kate over at Books Are My Favourite and Best. It works like this: each month a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six others to form a chain. A book doesn’t need to be connected to all the titles on the list, only to the one next to it in the chain.
This month we’re starting with Julia Armfield’s Our Wives Under the Sea which I’ve yet to read although I do know that it’s about a woman who returns from a deep sea mission somewhat altered.
My first link is by title to TaraShea Nesbit’s The Wives of Los Alamos about the women married to the scientists who developed the atomic bomb.
Nesbit’s novel is written in the first-person plural as is Daphne Palasi Andreades’ Brown Girls all about growing up brown in New York’s Queens.
Jacqueline Woodson’s Another Brooklyn is about growing up black in a New York district.
Woodson’s best known as a children’s author as is J K Rowling whose first novel for adults was The Cuckoo’s Calling, written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.
Sticking with the bird theme – not least because for some time I thought Cormoran Strike’s first name was Cormorant having only seen the TV adaptation not read the book – I’m linking to the first in Flora Thompson’s semi-autobiographical trilogy, Lark Rise to Candleford, set in 19th-century rural Oxfordshire.
Thompson’s novel was made into a very successful TV series as was Antonia White’s Frost in May about the challenges of a convent boarding school education, the first in another series of semi-autobiographical novels.
This month’s Six Degrees has taken me from the fallout of a catastrophic submarine mission to a convent school in the early 20th century. Part of the fun of this meme is comparing the very different routes other bloggers take from each month’s starting point. If you’re interested, you can follow it on Twitter with the hashtag #6Degrees, check out the links over at Kate’s blog or perhaps even join in.
The Wives of Los Alamos sounds an interesting read, as does Frost in May. As does the Jacqueline Woodson … well they all do. The only ones I’ve read from your chain – and enjoyed though a while ago now – are The Cuckoo’s Calling & Lark Rise. Thanks!
You’re welcome! I read both Lark Rise and Frost in May so, so long ago but the last one, in particular, has stayed with me.
That’s the test of a good book!
Absolutely!
Yes, very different routes indeed! My husband loved all of the Galbraith that he read, and we watched the TV series faithfully.
I loved those series. Great slip your brain into neutral TV
Really!
Love the “Cormorant” to Lark link!
I was puzzled by that name for some time. Clearly need to listen more carefully!
I have still to read Lark rise and Frost in May … and really like it when bloggers keep them in front of me. Really enjoyed your links – they have the variety I enjoy seeing.
Thank you. That’s lovely to hear.
I’ve not read Lark Rise to Candleford though it’s been on my to read list for many years. Is it worth reading?
It’s a very long time since I read it, Karen, but I’d say yes. It captures a particular way of life at a time of great change.
Thanks for the insight
Very good–the bird thing I especially liked! On Wives of Los Alamos–I just remember “Our Marcias got chicken pox…” It came out when Budda in the Attic did (I reviewed Budda author Otsuka’s new book on Friday) and both books had that weird plural voice–it took a while to get the hang of it.
Thank you! That plural voice definitely took some getting used to but worth it in both cases. Interestingly, both were debuts which shows quite a degree of confidence.
I’ve watched the Lark Rise to Candleford series but never read the books. Time to add them to my TBR!
I remember it as being very evocative. Hope you enjoy it!
Great links! You’ve made me want to dig out the DVD of Lark Rise to Candleford and take a trip back to gentler times!
Thank you! It would be a nice piece of comfort viewing, wouldn’t it.
I listened to the Galbraith’s book so I really didn’t know how to expect to see Cormoran spelt. Your cormorant made me smile!
It’s an odd name, isn’t it, although Cormorant would be odder!