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Reviews & Recommendations

6 Degrees of Separation: From Pride and Prejudice to Ambulance Girls

Melinda Tognini August 5, 2017 11 Comments
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Welcome back to Six Degrees of Separation, where Kate from booksaremyfavouriteandbest gives us the title of a book, and we link it to six others in any way we want. Please join in – it’s easy and fun, and I’d love to hear the random connections your mind makes! This month’s starting book is Pride and Prejudice, to commemorate 200 years since Jane Austen died, aged only 41.

6 Degrees of Separation Pride and Prejudice

As a writer, and former English teacher, I probably shouldn’t confess to reading very few of the English classics; however, one I did enjoy was Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, which I actually read more than once.

Tara Bradley has re-imagined Jane Eyre’s story through Rochester’s eyes in Jane Eyre’s Husband. It’s not a book I’ve read, but I would be interested in checking it out.

March by Geraldine Brooks is also a re-imagining of a well-loved classic, this time telling the story of the absent father in Little Women.

Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre's Husband and March

And while we’re on the subject of differing perspectives, Wicked by Gregory Maguire tells the story of a witch before she was branded ‘wicked’ and positioned as someone to fear. I was given this book some time before it was adapted into the smash-hit musical, and initially struggled with it – but having loved the stage version, I might try it again.

My next link in the chain is a particularly random connection. Food, Sex and Money by Liz Byrski sits right beside Wicked on my bookshelf – clearly, I have no systematic sorting system! From memory, I bought this book from a sale at my local library, but it became the first of many Byrski novels I’ve read.

Liz Byrski lives in my home town and another local author I love is Deborah Burrows. Burrows writes fiction set during the Second World War. Her most recent novel is Ambulance Girls, set in London during the Blitz, and is the book I’m currently reading. I loved her previous books, and am I’m sure I’ll feel the same way about this one.

Wicked, Food Sex & Money, Ambulance Girls

This month I travelled through both time and space, as well as being challenged by alternative perspectives. I began in 19th century England, travelled to the US Civil War and then a land far far away, where I found myself empathising with a so-called wicked witch. I had a stopover in my local, contemporary world before landing back in the UK during the Second World.

Over to You

Where will six degrees of separation lead you? Please let me know in the comments, or post a link if you’re playing along on your own blog.

Or start thinking about next month’s chain (2 September 2017, which will begin with Wild Swans by Jung Chang.

6 Degrees of Separation Pride and Prejudice to Ambulance Girls

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Melinda Tognini

story-gatherer & mentor

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11 Comments

  1. Kate @ booksaremyfavouriteandbest says:
    August 5, 2017 at 1:49 pm

    Love that one of your links is because they sit next to each other on your bookshelf – that’s my kind of link 🙂 I have a strange bookshelf system – it’s not alphabetical or genre, it’s just books that seem to ‘go together’ (because I bought them at a particular stage of life, or one reminds me of another…) – it appears haphazard but I understand the system!

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 6, 2017 at 8:28 am

      I don’t think I actually have a system at all – just wherever I can find a slight gap to fit another book into. It’s probably just a sign I need another bookshelf!

      Reply
  2. Brona says:
    August 5, 2017 at 6:45 pm

    I love that one of your links brought together 2 books that sit side by side on your bookshelf.
    http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com.au/2017/08/6degrees-august.html

    Reply
  3. Marina Sofia says:
    August 5, 2017 at 8:27 pm

    Rather interesting and loose connections there – I do love a bit of lateral thinking! I am intrigued by March and Jane Eyre’s Husband, although I usually end up a bit angry with many of these ‘classic stories from a different perspective’. But I can’t resist them!

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 6, 2017 at 8:26 am

      I haven’t read March or Jane Eyre’s Husband, but I’m also intrigued by them. I have read mixed reviews about March – people seem to either love or hate it, so will be interested to know what you think of it.

      Reply
  4. Lisa says:
    August 5, 2017 at 9:49 pm

    Well done! I enjoyed March when it came out. Now I must go read about Ambulance Girls–thanks!

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 6, 2017 at 8:24 am

      Let me know what you think of Ambulance Girls!

      Reply
  5. FictionFan says:
    August 5, 2017 at 10:33 pm

    Haha! I think having Wicked right next to Food, Sex and Money shows your sorting system is working perfectly… 😉

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 6, 2017 at 8:23 am

      Glad you think so – although to be honest, it’s made me realise I have absolutely no sorting system at all. It is basically wherever I can find a gap to slip another book in as I’m running out of shelf space!

      Reply
  6. Margaret @ BooksPlease says:
    August 6, 2017 at 1:36 am

    I enjoyed your chain – the only book you mention (apart from P & P) that I’ve read is March, which I loved. And I liked how far you ranged both in time and place.

    Here’s the link to my chain – http://www.booksplease.org/2017/08/05/six-degrees-of-separation-pride-and-prejudice-to-digging-to-america/

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      August 6, 2017 at 8:21 am

      I will check out March on your recommendation. Looking forward to seeing where your chain leads.

      Reply

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    I would love to know what you think once you have finished them - I always love seeing your perspective on the books you read x
    In 6 Degrees of Separation: From Sorrow and Bliss to Lost and Found
    I found that fascinating too - especially given the reasons for the connection were totally different.
    In 6 Degrees of Separation: From Sorrow and Bliss to Lost and Found
    There are so many fabulous writers in Australia (both fiction and non-fiction), so I love being able to share them with others who might be less familiar with them!
    In 6 Degrees of Separation: From Sorrow and Bliss to Lost and Found

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