It’s time for another adventure with Six Degrees of Separation, which is a monthly meme hosted by Kate from Books Are My Favourite and Best. The idea is to start with the book chosen for the month and connect the following six books. Where will you end up?
This month’s book is Normal People by Sally Rooney. I have not read this bestselling novel yet but it’s on my TBR list. This book also happens to be one of NPR’s Book Concierge Staff Pick for 2019. So I thought why not link books I want to read via the staff picks through the previous years?
If I look at 2018, that takes me to My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh. I’ve mentioned before that I’m a big fan of her novel, Eileen. From the blurb: a novel about a young woman’s efforts to duck the ills of the world by embarking on an extended hibernation with the help of one of the worst psychiatrists in the annals of literature and the battery of medicines she prescribes.
Next is the 2017 selection which is Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. From the blurb: four generations of a poor Korean immigrant family fight to control their destiny in 20th-century Japan, exiled from a home they never knew. I love a good generational saga.
Moving further back to 2016 and that takes us to Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. This award-winning novel tells the story of two half sisters born in Ghana in the eighteenth century. One goes to lead a life in comfort while the other is impression in the same house as the sister but sold into slavery. I’ve heard so many good things about this book.
The 2015 selection is The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro. His novels have never disappointed me. From the blurb: In post-Arthurian Britain, the wars that once raged between the Saxons and the Britons have finally ceased. Axl and Beatrice, an elderly British couple, set off to visit their son, whom they haven’t seen in years.
The 2014 selection is All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. An award winning novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. I’ve seen this one on a lot of reading favorite lists.
Finally we reach 2013 with The Paopticon by Jenni Fagan. From the blurb: Anais Hendricks, fifteen, is in the back of a police car. She is headed for the Panopticon, a home for chronic young offenders. Anais has been let down by just about every adult she has ever met. Now a counterculture outlaw, she knows that she can only rely on herself.
I have all of these books on my TBR shelf. They all sound so good and I want to dive into them. Have you read any of these and which would you start with first?
I hope you get to play in Six Degrees. Again, thank you to Kate and look forward to seeing your lists.
Interesting chain. I’ve read All the Light – it is a good book!
NPR clearly have very good taste! Thanks for introducing me to their picks.
I’ve read All the Light We Cannot See and highly recommend it. I think it was my #1 read the year it came out (or maybe the year before since I have the ARC). LOVED it!!
I’ve also read Homegoing and Pachinko, both for book club. I liked Pachinko, but didn’t love it. I didn’t care for Homegoing as much as others in my group, but it was a big hit with most of them. I found the back and forth a bit confusing and I was reading it on a Nook, which I’m not particular fond of. I prefer print or audio over ebooks!
Good work!
I would third the recommendation of All The Light….such a good book. I read Homegoing and liked it, but didn’t love it! Part of the good memory for me is that I read it while I was in Africa.
I do want to read Pachinko.
I’ve not read any though All the Light We Cannot See has been on my must read list forever – a TV adaption is due to be released soon.
Thanks for sharing your chain.
I have a number of those on my TBR list, too. This is a fun activity! I haven’t done it yet, but I’ll have to give it a try.
A terrific collection of books. I loved Normal People and I have recently finished Rest & Relaxation (which I found to be very amusing but like Normal People, it seems to be a book that divides readers).
I have also read All the Light We Cannot See – adored it and it was among my favourite books the year I read it.
I also have Pachinko and Homegoing on my TBR stack- will get to them eventually!
Great list and I need to read Pachinko. I’ve the book but just haven’t got around to reading it. It’s hard to choose one from your list because they all sound interesting!