5 Sept 2015

6 DEGREES OF SEPARATION #15: REASONS TO STAY ALIVE.

Having missed August's 6 Degrees Of Separation (The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters) I'm delighted to be joining in this months meme which begins with ....


What does it mean to feel truly alive?

Aged 24, Matt Haig's world caved in. He could see no way to go on living. This is the true story of how he came through crisis, triumphed over an illness that almost destroyed him and learned to live again.

- Full synopsis here.


A monthly meme hosted by Annabel (see her chain here) and Emma in which readers are invited to link six books according to whatever connections come to mind. Reasons To Stay Alive is not a book (or author for that matter) that I'm familiar with and I could tell from the off that I was going to struggle but after some thought the following came to mind ....

#1 LIFE IN REWIND. A true story of a young man overcoming an all-consuming illness. Ever since the death of his beloved mother Ed had suffered with a debilitating form of OCD that, imprisoned in his basement, almost destroyed him until he found the strength within him to fight back.

#2 ROOM. Imprisoned in a 11 foot by 11 foot room with his beloved mother, five year old Jack believes only himself, his ma and the things in 'Room' are real until one day ....

#3 THE DRAGON OF THE MONTH CLUB. What happens when two friends, Ayana and Tyler, find themselves, the members of the exclusive Dragon Of The Month Club, unexpectedly drawn into a fantastical world of adventure based on the various books scattered across Tyler's messy bedroom.

#4 THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB. Hand-picked by Jocelyn, in California's Sacramento Valley six people meet once a month to discuss Jane Austen's novels. 

#5 FOLLIES PAST: A PREQUEL TO PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Beginning almost a year before events in Pride And Prejudice to read this is to step back into Jane Austen's England in a novel which follows fourteen year old Georgina from London to Ramsgate and the arms of the charming and infamous Mr Whickham. 

#6 PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES. Hmm, not exactly like stepping back into Austen's England unless of course this was also an England populated by bone-crunching zombies.


10 comments:

Natasha said...

Dragon of the Month Club and Reasons to Stay Alive both sound brilliant, will have to keep an eye out for them both! - Tasha

Brian Joseph said...

Interesting and creative connections as always.

Matt Haig is an author that I want to read soon. I follow his Twitter feed and his books seem well worth it.

Kelly said...

Good job with your connections! This is a beginning book that I could actually think of one to spin off with, but I'm not sure I'd know where to go from there.

Room is our only book in common this time.

maria helena said...

More often than not, I haven't read the starting book for 6 Degrees, and quite often I struggle with the first link. But once I get started there's a million paths the chain can take you - which is why I love this meme so much. Great chain this time! The only books I recognize is the Jane Austen Book Club (which I used in one of my chains a while ago, although with completely different links).

Shooting Stars Mag said...

I've seen the movie Jane Austen Book Club, but never have read the book...

I also own Room and really need to read it soon because the film comes out in Oct. I think.

-Lauren

Anonymous said...

Life in Rewind sounds excellent.

Apart from Room, I haven't read any of the books on your list (including our starting point this month).

Here's my chain - https://booksaremyfavouriteandbest.wordpress.com/2015/09/05/six-degrees-of-separation-from-reasons-to-stay-alive-to-the-secret-son/ - like you, I kicked off with a memoir.

Annabel Smith said...

Room is such a brilliant book - and so chilling too. I've seen the movie of the Jane Austen Book Club but haven't read the book. I love the concept though. I recommend checking out Matt Haig. He has a brilliant novel called The Humans - very warm, funny & life-affirming.

Chased By My Imagination said...

Wowee, from Matt Haig to Pride & Prejudice! That's quite the leap! I love Austen's classic, and did actually start reading Pride & Prejudice & Zombies once (I don't remember finishing it though). Great chain!

Katrina @ Chased By My Imagination

Gina said...

Ah yes. I've actually read that last one. It wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. The word that works best is probably "curious". Great post!

Anne@HeadFullofBooks said...

Sorry to hear you've had a hard month. I had an easier time with this chain than the previous time I participated. I find the exercise so interesting. I never know what books I am going to add to my list until I start typing.

http://headfullofbooks.blogspot.com/2015/09/six-degrees-of-separation-reasons-to.html