First Saturday of the month, time for the super monthly tag Six Degrees of Separation, which is hosted by Kate at Booksaremyfavouriteandbest, Six Degrees of Separation #6degrees picks a starting book for participants to go wherever it takes them in six more steps. Links to my reviews are in the titles of the books chosen.
This month our starting book is…
The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose
Not a book I’ve read, but this 2016 novel did win the Stella Prize in 2017. As I know nothing about it, I’m using the 3D geometric effect on the cover for inspiration as my first link to:
The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
This novel about grief, friendship and adopting the Great Dane of the protagonist’s friend who had died was the first novel by Nunez I read, and I loved it. Full of musing about life, the universe and everything in vignette asides, there are some great comments about writing and being a writer, intertextual mentions (most of which I got for a change!) and many great anecdotes about her friend too. Although desperately sad in places, Nunez’s protagonist also has a sense of humour which she needs to work her way through her grief. Apollo is a wonderful canine companion – for a while, they share a bed – and he takes up more than his fair share of room! Another book with a ‘dog’ on the cover is:
It’s a Gas by Mark Miodownik
Yes, it’s a Jeff Koons balloon dog! As a trained materials scientist, I now rely on popular science books to maintain the illusion that I remember it all. It’s a Gas is the third of Miodownik’s states of matter series and to use the immortal words of Jagger, ‘It’s a gas, gas, gas’! Miodownik is a skilled communicator, and he takes us through the world of gases in a mixture of their history – which is fascinating in itself – alongside the science, and many anecdotes about him (and sometimes his family) illustrating the lives of these elusive elements and compounds – some of which will surprise you. Brilliant stuff. Naturally my link has to be to a gas, leading to:
Oxygen by Andrew Miller
This is a novel I read pre-blog when it was first published in 2001 (probably in an edition from TSP). Don’t ask me what it’s about – I can’t remember, I just know I enjoyed it, ergo it’s a must re-read one day. My link will be to another Miller…
Snowdrops by A D Miller
Another Miller – another Booker shortlisted novel – this time in 2011. Although I enjoyed this almost thriller involving a British lawyer working on a deal in Moscow, it wasn’t thriller-enough to completely pull off that side of it. Meanwhile, Miller’s writing about Moscow and Russia is superb, from the restaurants and nightclubs to the snow-filled streets and freezing weather, and everywhere oozing corruption. Another book involving a Brit working in Moscow is:
The Translator by Harriet Crawley
This had all the intrigue that Snowdrops lacked. Clive Franklin is on sabbatical, but is seconded by the Foreign Office to accompany the PM to Moscow; their usual translator is unavailable and as a former G20 translator, they’re sending a helicopter for him. Soon, he’s on his way, kitted out with a new diplomatic passport, new suit etc, and a four week supply of insulin, for Clive is diabetic; everything has been catered for. What he’s unaware of at this stage is that his former lover Marina will be translating for the Russian premier and she is ready to defect with information. Super intrigue with added romance, I loved this novel. The climax centres around the Moscow marathon of all things, and another kind of marathon is in my last pick…
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? by Horace McCoy
Published in 1935, this novel, set during a dance marathon in the time of the Great Depression, this novella tells the story of a murderer and the girl he killed. We learn this on the first page, so it’s not giving anything away! McCoy tells the story of Robert and Gloria, how they meet and that dance marathon – which really is a sordid affair. However, it also gives us on the facing pages of each new chapter, line by line, the judge’s speech as Robert is sentenced to death for Gloria’s murder – one sentence per chapter, as Gloria’s depression and nihilism drags Robert down. Brilliant, but hardly enjoyable!
That’s my six degrees this month, a mixed bag of locations and themes. Where will your six degrees take you?
I like that cover link–specially the 3d effect which wouldn’t have occurred to me. The Friend sounds a lovely read but I don’t know if I can handle it with the dog dying…
I used all the books I’ve read with museum in the title before, so had to think of something else! Sadly Great Danes are notoriously short-lived for dogs.
Oh… I saw the movie of They Shoot Horses, but the book sounds much, much better with the way one line of the verdict starts each chapter – amazing. Great chain here.
It’s rather cleverly done, and although you know what Robert did from page 1, the climax to the judge’s verdict really added to the suspense.
That’s a very clever and original first link. I remember reading Snowdrops and enjoying those descriptions of Moscow.
Thanks Susan, I’ve overdone museum links previously. I really must read more Millers (both of them!).
I wasn’t enamoured with Snowdrops either, but have high hopes for The Translator.
I know – and like – The Friend and Oxygen, so my take-away from your great chain is I think the Harriet Crawley. It seems to have a lot going for it.
It was rather fab, Margaret.
The Friend sounds like one I would need tissues for!! 🐶♥
I enjoyed seeing your connections.
Definitely a three hanky book, but lovely too.
oh my three hankies, definitely a tear jerker, and anything with animals tends to pull at my heart strings double-time so that totally makes sense!
I love the ways you’ve moved from one book to the next. And your last book reminds me that I didn’t see the film version (in the late 1960s) because several friends warned me it was quite depressing.
Thanks Mary. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the film of They Shoot Horses Don’t They – I knew it existed and that they’d moved the action up to the 60s though.
Some really interesting sounding books in that chain.
Oh my god, I couldn’t get through They Shoot Horses – it was SO grim! The Translator sounds really good, though and I will add that to my list. Also, determined this is the year I will read Sigrid Nunez
It was grim wasn’t it! I think you’d like Nunez. I really enjoyed The Translator too.