Saturday, 1 October 2022

Six Degrees of Separation ~ Notes on a Scandal

Zoë Heller
Heller, Zoë "Notes on a Scandal" - 2003

#6Degrees of Separation:
from Notes on a Scandal to Anne of Green Gables

#6Degrees is a monthly link-up hosted by Kate at Books Are My Favourite and Best. I love the idea. Thank you, Kate. See more about this challenge, its history, further books and how I found this here.

This month's prompt starts with Notes on a Scandal aka "What Was She Thinking?" (Goodreads) by Zoë Heller

I have never read this book but I noticed that it contained a word that I found in other titles, so I tried to go back to the good old work chain this mongh. And it worked.

Notes
Bryson, Bill "Notes from a Small Island" - 1995

My first book by one of my favourite writers about one of my favourite places in the world (even though they have left the EU in the meantime, but I hope they will find out that was a mistake and come back).

Island
Allende, Isabel "Island Beneath the Sea" (E: La isla bajo el mar) - 2010

Life on a plantation, first in the Caribbean, later in Louisiana, the life of the slaves and the free, lots of history.

Sea
Benali, Abdelkader "Wedding by the Sea" (NL: Bruiloft aan zee) - 1996

The story about someone growing up in the Netherlands seeing life in Morocco from the outside.

Wedding
McCall Smith, Alexander "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" - "The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party" - 2011

This one was a lot harder to find but there is a book in a series that I like that had the word wedding in the title because - well, there was a wedding in that one.

Tent
Ulitzkaya, Lyudmila "Imago" or "The Big Green Tent" (RUS: Зеленый шатер = Zelenyi shater) - 2010

A new, modern Russian author. She describes life in the Soviet Union and begins with the death of Stalin and what it meant for the people and how their lives went on after that. I don't think it's a big spoiler if I tell you that it's not getting any better.

Green
Montgomery, L. M. "Anne of Green Gables" - 1908

Green is an easy book to find. Who doesn't know Anne Shirley?

I really enjoy any kind of separation chain we do, they all have their charm. I hope, everyone else does, too.

Look for further monthly separation posts here

25 comments:

  1. As an ardent Remainer, your first link gave me a nice warm feeling! I'd love to come back into the EU.

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    1. Thank you so much, Susan. I know not everyone supports the Leave campaign and I sincerely hope to see you back in the club one day. You will always be welcome.

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  2. Love how you linked all these books together!

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    1. Thanks, Lark. This was an easy one because I found books with the names in the title that would always link to another one. Not always the case. Still, I really enjoyed it.

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  3. I must read more Isabel Allende. Thanks for the reminder.

    Enjoyed your chain.

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    1. You're welcome, Marg. I still have a few of her books on my TBR pile, so we are in the same boat there.

      I'll hop over to your page now and hope I will be able to comment. You know it's a lottery game with many sites at the moment.

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  4. I like the way you connected these books and I am a big AOGG fan and have even been to Green Gables. I have always meant to read Bill Bryson. His book about the Appalachian Trail makes me think about my grandmother - she was living in CT in a town where hikers would briefly detour for some TLC and she once picked up some guys and let them take a shower at her house. She is lucky they didn't murder her. They stayed for several days and let her cook for them and wash all their clothes. Later they sent some friends to stay with her! My brother dropped by unexpectedly from DC and found some guy sitting at Granny's kitchen table in my grandfather's bathrobe!

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    1. How lovely, Constance. I have not been to many places like that, even though I try to go there when I'm in the area.
      Your grandmother sounds like a great woman. I can see that her relatives weren't too keen on her accepting just anyone into her house but the result proves that most people are no killers. ;)
      Anyway, we don't live in such a remote area but I have always welcomed anyone who knocked at my door, I probably would have done the same as your mother.

      And yes, pleeeeeaaaaaaase, read something by Bill Bryson. If the Appalachian Trail brings back good memories, maybe start there. My first one was the one I listed here but I loved all his other books, as well.

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  5. Love what you did here Marianne and thank heavens I recognize all but one of your books. The Wedding at the sea book I don't know.

    Another title with tent would by The Red Tent.

    Lovely and clever chain!

    Have a wonderful October!

    Elza Reads

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    1. I'm not surprised, Mareli. It's a Dutch book, it's been translated but probably not that commonly known outside the country. But it fitted well into my chain, don't you think.

      Anyway, I always wanted to read The Red Tent but never got there, I will definitely have to one day. And then I would not have ended up with Anne of Green Gables but with some communist book. ;)

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  6. Fabulous connections in your chain. I haven't read the starting book either and went with the cover art instead of a word - this is such a fun exercise for my brain!
    Terrie @ Bookshelf Journeys
    https://www.bookshelfjourneys.com/post/6-degrees-of-separation-2

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    1. That is also a great idea, Terrie. I've been thinking about something like that for next month but don't know, yet, whether it will work. Looking forward to your chain.

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  7. I do hope that we will rejoin the EU! And lovely to get to Anne in the end.

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    1. I do hope the same, Simon. And I know the EU will do anything so you can come back. Good luck!

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  8. Enjoyed your chain, especially that you ended with Anne! I love her and most of LM Montgomery's books

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    1. Thanks, Mallika, as you probably have read, you are not the first one who mentioned that. So, I am happy I ended up with that books specifically.

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  9. Like how you linked the books. Another fan of Bill Bryson here. I've never read 'Anne of Green Gables' but oddly, today I came across a quote in another book I was reading; 'I'm so glad I live in world where there Octobers.' Very apt with the changing colours in the trees.

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    1. Thanks, Adrian. That is so true. Octobers but also Septembers are very important for us.
      And I'm always happy to meet another Bill Bryson fan, though I believe there are many of us. And that's no surprise, who wouldn't like him?

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  10. I doubt England will return to the EU, even if it would be a very smart move, all things considered. Good chain here.

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    1. I do share your doubts, Davida. But one can always dream. Just as we can dream that the war in Ukraine will find just such a sudden end as it had a beginning. Or that certain dictators would lose their powers. Or that the pandemic would be over forever. And and and ...
      And I can dream that one day I can communicate on your blog again. I try every time you publish something new and it never works. In the meantime there are just three blogs where I have that problem, all WordPress, but I can reply to all the other blogs from WordPress. So weird. But thanks for commenting here.

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  11. I'm very late to this, as I've had quite the week, but I loved your chain. Notes from a Small Island does make me feel like the island has become much, much smaller and more isolated lately - to the point where I am not sure it is the place where I want to live any longer. Keep meaning to read The Green Tent, but it's not the cheeriest of books, is it?

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    1. I totally understand that, Marina Sofia. We had thought we'd stay there forever but when hubby had to leave for professional reasons, we knew that was not to be. I still love the people, though. And every country has idiotic politicians from time to time.

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    2. Ooops, sorry, Marina, I almost forgot to answer your question. No, it is not the cheeriest but it involves reading and hardly any of the Russian novels are but they have so much soul.

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  12. Very interesting chain! I discovered I had The Green Tent on my TBR--I'll try to get to it sooner now. And, you know I love the No 1 Ladies....

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    1. Indeed, Lisa. What's not to love?
      I hope you like The Green Tent just as much as I did. Happy Reading.

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