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Reviews & Recommendations

6 Degrees of Separation: From The End of the Affair to Against Certain Capture

Melinda Tognini March 5, 2022 13 Comments

It’s been several months since I’ve participated in the bookish version of Six Degrees of Separation: begin with the same title as other readers and link it to six others in whatever random way the brain decides to make connections.

This month, the starting book is The End of the Affair by Graham Greene.

ID: the first two-thirds of the image is a stack of books from the top edges of the books, with the words, "6 Degrees of Separation" written over the top. The last third is the books cover of The End of the Affair by Graham Greene

I could pretend that I’m familiar with Greene’s work; however, I can only admit that he is one of those authors I feel I probably should have read but haven’t (and I quite enjoy some of his quotes about writing).

The End of the Affair was published in 1951, along with other famous titles such as Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham and Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis. Prince Caspian was the second Narnia book published (the first being The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe in 1950), but the fourth in narrative order.

Australian author Kate Forsyth recently re-read a number of books by and about CS Lewis, which has made me want to do the same. In the meantime, I’m about to start reading one of Kate Forsyth’s books, Searching for Charlotte. Co-written with her sister Belinda Murrell, it is the story of their great-great-great-great-grandmother Charlotte Waring Atkinson, who was also Australia’s first children’s author.

Kate Grenville has also undertaken considerable searching when she set out to write about her ancestor. Those interested in her research journey will find Searching for the Secret River a fascinating read, particularly about her decision to tell the story (The Secret River) as fiction rather than history.

ID: Three book covers: Prince Caspian by CS Lewis, Searching for Charlotte by Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell and Searching for the Secret River by Kate Grenville

Julie Janson wrote her novel Benevolence in direct response to The Secret River, offering a First Nation’s perspective on the same period in Australian history. If you’re interested to hear more, you might enjoy listening to Claire Nichol’s interview with both Kate Grenville and Julie Janson on Radio National’s The Book Show.

Benevolence is published by Magabala Books, as is Homecoming by Elfie Shiosaki, one of the titles shortlisted for this year’s Stella Prize. Homecoming combines poetry, prose and historical colonial archives to tell the stories of four generations of Noongar women.

Another book of poetry that tells the stories of previous generations is Miriam Wei Wei Lo’s Against Certain Capture. Lo focuses on the lives of her two grandmothers, Liang Yue-Xian and Eva Sounness.

ID: three book covers: Benevolence by Julie Janson, Homecoming by Elfie Shiosaki and Against Certain Capture by Miriam Wei Wei Lo

This month I began my Six Degrees meander in 1951 with a story set during the Blitz in London before traveling to the fantastical world of Narnia. I was then transported to 19th century Australia, with several books offering differing perspectives on the early decades of colonisation here before ending in poetic forms of inter-generational storytelling.

Over to You

Where might six degrees of separation lead you?

If you would like to see where this month’s Six Degrees of Separation led other readers, head over to the blog booksaremyfavouriteandbest, where you can read Kate’s chain and find links to others in the comments.

ID: A collage of all the books mentioned in this Six Degrees of Separation post.

 

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Previous Creative Writing Prompts: Joy
Next Book Notes: Wildflower by Monique Mulligan
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

13 Comments

  1. Davida Chazan says:
    March 5, 2022 at 4:09 pm

    Lovely chain here… there are a few that have piqued my interest, as well! Thanks.

    Reply
  2. Whispering Gums says:
    March 5, 2022 at 5:33 pm

    Great chain Melinda. You chose a year of publication too (though I did that later in my chain). You reminded me of Searching for Charlotte which I’d like to read because I’m interested in her, and in her daughter Louisa.

    I thought Searching for The secret river was a great read, and I enjoyed Benevolence. I’d like to read Homecoming after its recent shortlisting.

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      March 5, 2022 at 7:46 pm

      I really enjoyed Searching for the Secret River too – especially once I began researching my own family history. Benevolence is actually next on my TBR pile. I read Kate Grenville’s A Room Made of Leaves for my book club recently and so felt I needed to read Benevolence to balance up the perspectives of that time period of our history, so I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it. I was very impressed by Julie Janson in the interview I mentioned.

      Reply
  3. Mareli Thalwitzer says:
    March 5, 2022 at 6:59 pm

    I always love to see what other people come up with and to realize how many books are out there that I have never even heard of. Prince Caspian is a lovely book and one that I will read over and over.

    Have a wonderful weekend!

    Elza Reads

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      March 5, 2022 at 7:54 pm

      Discovering the Prince Caspian link because of its publication date, together with the fact my daughter has just asked to read the entire series, has made me want to read the series from beginning to end again as well.

      Reply
  4. Margaret21 says:
    March 5, 2022 at 7:25 pm

    What an interesting chain, from which I’m most inclined to follow up the Australian elements.

    Reply
  5. Susan Osborne says:
    March 5, 2022 at 10:29 pm

    What a great way to start when beginning with a classic! Your links around The Secret River are particualrly interesting to a British reader like me.

    Reply
  6. Ceri says:
    March 6, 2022 at 1:21 am

    Great chain! I did love The Secret River, so will have to check out a couple of those 🙂

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      March 8, 2022 at 5:11 pm

      Did you read the sequels to The Secret River as well?

      Reply
  7. Lisa of Hopewell says:
    March 6, 2022 at 4:53 am

    Very interesting–and educational for me.

    Reply
  8. Marg says:
    March 6, 2022 at 3:27 pm

    I have been interested in reading Benevolence since hearing the author give the opening speech to the Historical Novel Society Australasia conference last year. She was so passionate.
    Great chain.

    Reply
    1. Melinda Tognini says:
      March 8, 2022 at 5:10 pm

      I really enjoyed listening to her interview on The Book Show as well; it’s great that she is able to offer an alternative perspective on this time period – and being given a platform to do so.

      Reply
  9. Miriam Wei Wei Lo says:
    March 8, 2022 at 6:03 pm

    Happy to be at the end of your chain, Melinda! Loved the way you got there. Have been thinking about Kate Forsyth’s book ever since I heard her on Conversations with Richard Fidler …

    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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  • Creative Writing Prompts: April
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  • 6 Degrees of Separation: From Dangerous Liaisons to My Place
  • Creative Writing Prompts: January
  • 6 Degrees of Separation: From Orbital to Imperfect
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