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 Hernan Diaz’s 2022 Booker Prize longlisted Trust, a very clever book which portrays several versions of a marriage. I loved it.
It’s a small leap to Domenico Starnone’s Trust which also offers different versions of a relationship
Starnone’s novel was translated by Jhumpa Lahiri who translated her own novel, Whereabouts, originally written in Italian, into English.
Like Lahiri, Danish author Jens Christian Grøndahl translated his novel, Often I am Happy, into English. It’s about enduring female friendship.
One of my favourite novels about friendship, Linda Olsson’s Astrid and Veronika is about two women living in the Swedish countryside. A book I’d love to give to friends but, sadly, it’s no longer in print in the UK.
Neither is another book I loved, Howard Norman’s The Bird Artist, set in Newfoundland
Leading me to Eva Meijer’s Bird Cottage, based on the life of Len Howard, an eccentric birdwatcher whose books were wildly popular in the twentieth century.
This month’s Six Degrees has taken me from a clever, many layered novel about truth and morality to one based on the life of a women who devoted herself to observing birds. 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.
Well. I know not a single one of these. More for the TBR list I think, especially the last three.
Bird Cottage was a treat. I’d never heard of Len before I read it but her books had an international audience back in the day. Sadly, tracking down the Olsson and Norman might be tricky.
I’ve just discovered that … 🙁
Sorry…
It’s hardly your fault!
I own copies of 4/6 of your picks, plus the Diaz. Too many good books to read!
Absolutely! Hoping one of the four is Astrid and Veronika, so hard to find the days but such a lovely novella.
Fascinating… I like how you linked these.
Thank you.
You have the knack of including books I’ve never heard of but which all sound interesting. A bit of a tease though to include an out of print book…
I know, I do feel a bit guilty about that!
I loved Astrid and Veronika too. Bird Cottage sounds like a book I’d enjoy.
I was so sorry when Astrid and Veronika went out of print here. Bird Cottage is a treat, a lovely portrait of an eccentric who unexpectedly found herself a leading authority.
It’s not – but could be soon 😀
Fingers crossed!
Some very interesting sounding books on there of which Whereabouts was the only one I know (though am yet to read). Bid Cottage is ending up added to the TBR as well-sounds like one I’d enjoy!
I wasn’t expecting to enjoy Bird Cottage as much as I did. An uplifting treat!
The Bird Artist and Lahiri’s book sounds like ones I’d enjoy. Have a good week.
Both highly recommended! You, too.
Very good opening gambit–I mean link! Very well done.
Thank you!
I don’t know any of those books, but I enjoyed your chain! It’s a shame Astrid and Veronika is out of print as it does sound lovely.
Thank you. It’s such a lovely novel. Out of print in the UK for so long I doubt it will come back.
I also loved Diaz’s Trust, so I think I should have a look at Domenico Starnone’s Trust. I’ve never even heard of it. I do have Choi’s Trust Exercise (have had for quite some time) on my TBR shelf, which this month’s exercise have reminded me I should read . . .
Such a clever novel! I remember Trust Excercise being much talked about a while back.
I didn’t like Trust as much as you did but it was certainly an interesting read and made for a good Book Group discussion. I like the sound of Astrid and Veronika – I was looking for something Swedish to read last month and all I could think of (besides Pippi) was a children’s author I used to enjoy named Karin Anckarsvard.
Lots to talk about with Trust! Astrid and Veronika is one of my favourite novels about friendship. Sadly not available in the UK any more.
Bird Artist caught my eye and I immediately went to my library page and reserved it so I’ll be reading it soon. Sounds very intriguing. Have a great week and I look forward to your next 6 Degrees…..so many good book ideas!
Terrie @ Bookshelf Journeys
https://www.bookshelfjourneys.com/post/6-degrees-of-separation-6
Oh, that’s great! I hope you enjoy it, and thank you. Have a great week, yourself. I’ll nip over to your blog later!
All the books, except Whereabouts, are new to me and sound so very intriguing.. I am yet to read Whereabouts too so it is 6 books to my TBR now 🙂 (actually 7, since I added Trust as well when I first saw it in #6ds)
Here is my 6 Degrees of Separation
I loved Whereabouts, such a treat. I hope you enjoy it (and the others) as much as I did, and thanks for your link.