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Reviews & Recommendations

6 Degrees of Separation: From How to Do Nothing to The History of Mischief

Melinda Tognini August 1, 2020 20 Comments

Welcome to this month’s Six Degrees of Separation.

For anyone interested in history,  the term ‘six degrees of separation’ was originally inspired by Hungarian writer and poet Frigyes Karinthy, who coined the phrase in his 1929 short story ‘Chains‘. It’s the idea that everyone in the world is separated from everyone else by just six connections. It later became the title of a play and subsequent film based on the same idea.

Now, we have a bookish version of Six Degrees of Separation, and everyone is welcome to join. Simply start with the same book title as other readers (provided by Kate from booksaremyfavouriteandbest) and see what connections and links your weird and wonderful mind makes for you.

This month’s starting book is How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell.

When COVID-19 first hit Australia and we all went into the initial lockdown, I did slow down, as events and other commitments were cancelled, and once I’d dealt with the anxiety I felt, I actually enjoyed  spending time in my garden and reading more. I was a bit sad when my diary started booking up again, although I am very aware of how fortunate we are here in Western Australia, so I am simply being grateful for everything I do get to do, for as long as it lasts. Still, I’d be keen to learn ‘how to do nothing’ better. However, I’ve seen mixed reviews about the book, so I’m not sure whether to read it or not.

The title of How It Feels to Float starts with the same word as How to Do Nothing. I haven’t read this debut novel by Helena Fox either, but it has had excellent reviews and is definitely on my TBR pile. How to Float focuses on a girl dealing with grief and mental illness, and won the 2020 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award  in the YA category.

The Protected by Claire Zorn also deals with grief and mental health. My teenage daughter and I both loved this book, and I will be interested to see how similarly or differently the two authors deal with similar ideas.

In a recent Radio National interview, I discovered that although The Protected wasn’t Zorn’s first book published, it was the first one she wrote. Zorn’s debut novel was instead The Sky So Heavy, which my daughter and I also thought was wonderful. This book is set in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales in a dystopian future following a nuclear fallout.

Image is of three book covers: How it Feels to Float, The Protected and The Sky So Heavy

On my bookshelf currently, these two books of Zorn’s sit either side of Catch a Falling Star by Meg McKinlay. Set in 1979 when the US space station Sky Lab was hurtling to earth, this beautifully written story about 12-year-old Frankie navigating that period between childhood and adolescence will make you laugh, it will make you cry and, if you grew up in the 1970s, it might take you back to where you were when Sky Lab crashed on Australian soil.

Going further back in time is Goldfields Girl by Elaine Forrestal. Based on the early life of a real girl, this is the story of Clara Saunders, who traveled to the Goldfields with her family in the 1890s.

Goldfield Girls is published by Fremantle Press, which is about to release The History of Mischief by Rebecca Higgie, about two sisters who discover a strange book hidden beneath the floorboards of their grandmother’s house. The book opens up a world of mystery, mischief and secrets. This book won the inaugural Fogarty Literary Award for a Western Australian writer under 35, and I can’t wait to read it.

Image is of three book covers: Catch a Falling Star, Goldfields Girl and The Book of Mischief

Knowing that many readers of this blog are either young writers or their teachers and parents, I deliberately chose books written for children or young adults. My chain began with fiction set in contemporary times (although pre-COVID!) before traveling back in time and finishing with a book I suspect will take us to all manner of eras. In retrospect, many of these books have also appeared in previous Six Degrees of Separation posts, which just goes to show how much some of these books have stayed with me.

Where might Six Degrees of Separation take you?

If you’re a young writer or reader, you can play along too.

And if you’re a teacher, perhaps you can have some fun with your class and help them discover a little about the way their minds make links and connections. I’d love to hear some of the chains!

If you’d like to check out where Six Degrees led other readers this month, then check out the links on Kate’s post.

Image is of all the book covers mentioned in this blog post

 

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Previous Weird and Wonderful Words #1
Next Writing Prompts: Living Histories
Melinda Tognini

story-gatherer & mentor

Related Posts
The Distance Between Dreams: In Conversation with Emily Paull March 31, 2025
6 Degrees of Separation: From Dangerous Liaisons to My Place February 1, 2025
6 Degrees of Separation: From Orbital to Imperfect January 4, 2025

20 Comments

  1. Theresa Smith Writes says:
    August 1, 2020 at 10:39 am

    What a great first leap and from there you were off! Nicely worked. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 1, 2020 at 10:54 am

      It was after I made that first connection (which was genuinely the first book I thought of) that I decided to take the kids/YA path. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Bev says:
    August 1, 2020 at 11:52 am

    I really enjoyed your chain – and tho I haven’t read these authors/or books, I will be adding them to my TBR list.

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 1, 2020 at 2:36 pm

      I really did hope that some of these books would appeal to others. Did any particular titles stand out for you?

      Reply
  3. Kate @ booksaremyfavouriteandbest says:
    August 1, 2020 at 12:40 pm

    I obviously have to add How it Feels to Float and The Protected to my TBR list (I do like books with a grief theme, much to the wonder of my family who, while I’m crying, say ‘Why do you read this stuff?!’).

    I am well and truly sick of having nothing in my diary and I fear that the situation in Melbourne will remain as is (or perhaps with tighter restrictions) for months to come.

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 1, 2020 at 2:35 pm

      I am very conscious that the situation is terrible in so many places, and I do wonder how long it will remain good here. I really am thinking of you over there. Stay safe. x

      Reply
  4. Whispering Gums says:
    August 1, 2020 at 6:12 pm

    I didn’t know that was the first use of 6 degrees – I just knew it from the Hollywood connection.

    I loved your first link on How to title, but not being much into YA, I don’t know any of these books but there are some interesting sounding ones there.

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 1, 2020 at 7:15 pm

      I confess I only knew the Hollywood connection until I started participating in this bookish version of it!

      Reply
  5. Davida Chazan says:
    August 1, 2020 at 7:01 pm

    Oh… you connected two books by their publisher! What a great idea. I’ll have to keep that in mind. Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 1, 2020 at 7:14 pm

      I wouldn’t normally think to make that connection, but Fremantle Press is based here in Western Australia and so it’s familiar to me (partly because they also published my book!). But I may seriously consider the connection again now that you’ve highlighted it. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Helen says:
    August 2, 2020 at 1:27 am

    Great chain – and as I don’t read many YA or children’s books, all of these are new to me. I love the sound of The History of Mischief!

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 2, 2020 at 6:30 am

      So do I!

      Reply
  7. Lisa of Hopewell says:
    August 2, 2020 at 6:57 am

    Nice work!

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 2, 2020 at 7:02 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  8. Shelleyrae @ Book’d Out says:
    August 2, 2020 at 1:25 pm

    I have a piece of Skylab somewhere!
    Thanks for sharing your chain.

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 4, 2020 at 8:44 am

      Were you living near where it landed or did you get it some other way?

      Reply
  9. Marina Sofia says:
    August 2, 2020 at 9:15 pm

    Oh my goodness, it doesn’t happen all that often, but you have really stumped me this time – I haven’t heard of any of the books in your chain! But I have to admit Catch a Falling Star does sound tempting!

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 4, 2020 at 8:44 am

      I loved Catch a Falling Star! I think I enjoyed the trip down memory lane, but the story itself is wonderful.

      Reply
  10. Mareli @ Elza Reads says:
    August 8, 2020 at 6:22 pm

    You are right! This is actually a great idea to do this with class. I’m a school librarian in South Africa and we are not allowed to have our libraries open yet, but I will do this with the kiddies as soon as they can return.

    Luckily, I can take part in the mean time and I will try to join every month. You’ve listed some great books here. Love how your chain links up as well.

    Hope you will have a wonderful weekend.

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 8, 2020 at 6:51 pm

      Please let me know when you do this with your students! And if there’s anyway I can get involved and show my support or say hi to them, please let me know! I hope you and your students all stay safe. x

      Reply

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Latest Comments

Apologies for the late reply! I shall go check out your post - even the title is intriguing!
In 6 Degrees of Separation: From Orbital to Imperfect
I haven't read any of the books on your chain (though am reading Orbital currently) but love the clever links... And now adding Writer Laid Bare to my TBR.. my post is here - https://www.ladyinreadwrites.com/two-roads-diverged-in-the-words-with-trivia-twists-too/
In 6 Degrees of Separation: From Orbital to Imperfect
You're welcome! Thank you for being so generous with your time in answering my questions as well as all the incredible work encouraging creatives everywhere!
In Reflect. Simplify. Create: In Conversation with Amanda Viviers

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  • 6 Degrees of Separation: From Orbital to Imperfect
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