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 Mara Wilson’s memoir, Where Am I Now? There were so many directions I could have gone with this but I decided to link to Ta-Nehisi Coates (Between the World and Me) on the basis that both writers are currently appearing at the Melbourne Writers Festival.
During his talk, Coates referred to Toni Morrison. I recently read Morrison’s Beloved.
Beloved has been made into an opera. I don’t think there are too many modern novels that have been made into operas but one that comes to mind is Ann Patchett’s Bel Canto.
I haven’t read Bel Canto (yet – I will because Patchett! Opera!) but it was recommended to me by Annabel Smith. Annabel also recommended We the Animals by Justin Torres. Coincidentally, both books appear on this list.
Another book on that list that I’ve been meaning to read is Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan.
Author Michelle Law referred to Crazy Rich Asians when she was talking about writing from a minority perspective at a MWF session on ‘sacred texts’. Law stated that one book can’t represent every experience and yet titles such as Crazy Rich Asians get unfairly marketed that way. Law is a contributor to a collection of essays about different experiences – Growing Up Asian in Australia.
From a Hollywood memoir to Asian-Australian memoirs, with opera and the Melbourne Writers Festival in between. Where will other chains go? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (October 6, 2018), we’ll begin with a teen classic, The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton.
Nice links!
Hmm, I’m going to have to think a bit about this one…
Fascinating links. Good question about books turned into opera. It has happened a few times in Australia, including Voss, Cloudstreet and Bliss. Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Operas_based_on_novels – lists over 190 novels turned to opera, not all modern though.
And woo hoo, I have read The outsiders, not when I was a teen but as part of my Graduate studies in librarianship. That will be an interesting one to start from.
Oops, but forgot to leave my link https://whisperinggums.com/2018/09/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-where-am-i-now-to/
Oh yes, Cloudstreet! I forgot that one… damn, I could have linked it back to MWF as I saw Tim Winton speak on Wednesday night!
Haha, Kate – we all have those “damns”. I still can’t believe I forgot that Austen dedication in Atonement. And I call myself a fan.
I have never seen a list of books and authors I so completely knew nothing about! The closest I get is that I recently bought Growing up Aboriginal in Australia
Now, why do I know the title Growing up Aboriginal in Australia? it might be on my to read list or it might be on my Kindle….so many books, so little time!
Growing Up Asian in Australia is an interesting collection if you ever come across a copy (I have it because it’s a text at my teenager’s school – it’s great when you can nick books off your kids!
Nicely linked to each other and the festival!
It’s been a terrific festival. I saw Mara Wilson speak today – she is a sweetheart and her story, presented in a session titled ‘Tribute to My Lost Childhood’ was lovely.
I really enjoyed this month’s meme and have a quick start on next month’s too – it’s funny how some books we instantly know fit into the theme thread. In my case my challenge was which books to include and I have the same for next month. Here is my post https://anglersrest.net/2018/09/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-where-am-i-now-to/
Thanks for running this again, I really enjoyed writing my post a few weeks ago!
That’s happens to me as well – I either mull over it for days or I can’t write it down fast enough! I usually set the book for the following month as I go however for a variety of reasons, I have chosen the Six Degrees books for the rest of the year (not telling yet!) – the book I picked for December provided immediate inspiration, so my chain is almost done!
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Bel Canto is on my tbr too! Thanks for hosting! Looking forward to starting with The Outsiders next month, should go to some interesting places. 🙂
Bel Canto is the only book on your list that I’ve heard of – and I haven’t even read that one, yet. I hope to get round to it one day!
Such an interesting chain! I especially love your Melbourne Writers’ Festival links. Bel Canto and Beloved are both high on my TBR list, and I can’t wait to watch the Crazy Rich Asians adaptation.
Whoever came up with this month’s starting book has given me a headache! I can’t get past book two in my chain yet
Fascinating! I ended up on an Asian-American memoir this time, so it’s very similar to where you ended up (but we got there in COMPLETELY different ways). Thanks for hosting! This is a lot of fun.
https://bookwyrmknits.wordpress.com/2018/09/01/6degrees-from-where-am-i-now-to-the-woman-warrior/
I love ‘Six Degrees of Separation’, and find it quite it challenging at times. This month I did read Mara Wilson’s fascinating story. My choices followed most of her movie roles. I have read next month’s selection, and therefore will try not to think about the connections until the day.
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I’ve been enjoying reading other people’s six degrees, so I thought I’d join it too. It was fun, even though I went to some rather gloomy places.
https://residentjudge.wordpress.com/2018/09/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-where-am-i-now-to-sex-and-suffering/
Another great list – and oh my, do the months go around quickly! I haven’t had time to play along this time, but am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things with The Outsiders 🙂
I made it – struggled a bit with this month’s chain but got there in the end https://bookertalk.com/2018/09/01/six-degrees-from-film-memoir-to-crime/
Love your links – so many good books, even the ones I haven’t read. Loved your Annabel Smith connection!
I haven’t read the Mara Wilson book, but I found it an easier starting point than some of the recent ones! I haven’t read any of the other books in your chain either, but I would like to read Beloved.
I loved Bel Canto when I read it years ago, I really should re-read it and see if I feel the same now. I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts when you get to it!
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I really enjoyed this challenge. It’s a great way to remember books I read eons ago. Thanks. The link to my books is: https://soundslikewish.org/?p=11184
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