Six Degrees of Separation from Armfield to Banville

‘On the first Saturday of every month, a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six other books to form a chain. Readers and bloggers are invited to join in by creating their own ‘chain’ leading from the selected book.

Six Degrees of Separation: Kate W

I have only just succeeded in borrowing Julia Armfield’s Our Wives under the Sea from the library, so I’ve barely started reading it. But this seems to be a summary to work with:  It’s a story of falling in love, loss, grief, and what life there is in the deep deep sea.

Where to start then?

Perhaps with Donal Ryan’s Strange Flowers. This is a tender, lyrical novel, largely based in a rural Ireland, whose modest, gentle landscape encompasses the entire book. At the heart of the novel is Paddy, postman and herdsman, his wife Kit, and their daughter Molly who as the book begins, has disappeared – just gone off early one morning, suitcase in hand. I can mention nothing more of the plot without giving too much away. Yet this is a novel full of secrets, many of which reveal themselves as the novel draws to a close. We meet the characters in this book at a distance, and they retain their privacy, may not always be rounded out. But it scarcely matters. This is an intriguing, poetic book which fully absorbed me.

Rock of Cashel, County Tipperary (K Mitch Hodge, Unsplash)

Thinking of how rural Ireland is almost a character in the book put me in mind of Judith Schalansky’s Atlas of Remote Islands.  This is a marvellous moment of armchair travelling. Schalansky was brought up in East Berlin, at the time of The Wall, where poring over the atlas provided her only means of distant travel. Beautifully mapped, her book takes us to fifty of the smallest and most remote islands in the world. Some are inhabited, some are the domain of academics visiting for months ar a time, some are uninhabited. All have a story to tell. It might be their geology, or a tale of how they were discovered. Or folklore, or a moment or two of history. This book will transport you into regions you never knew about, and like Schalansky, will never visit … except in your mind.

Moai Rano Raraku, Easter Island (Aurbana, Wikimedia Commons)

Some of these islands feature in Sathnam Sanghera’s Empireland: How Imperialism has shaped Modern Britain.This book is essential reading – for Brits at least. Sanghera presents a wealth of material, examining the history of the British Empire and how it was acquired. Many of us were brought up to regard the Empire and what Britain brought to the countries it had dominion over as something of a triumph, something which all subjects should be grateful for. We were brought up glossing over what slavery means to all involved, whether as slave-owner or slave. The Windrush generation, racism, the continuing legacy of our attitudes to Empire all form part of Sanghera’s narrative. This book is carefully researched, and attempts to be fair. It gives much to think about, and much material to form the basis for thoughtful on-going discussion.  Tough stuff, but also highly readable.

A Union Flag flies in Ripon.

Let’s find a book set – at least partly – in one of those Commonwealth – formerly Empire – countries. The Last Hunt, by Deon Meyer. This is the first book I’ve read by Meyer, and I suspect it won’t be the last. Two parallel stories – the first involving South African cops Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido, given the thankless task of solving a cold case: the second introducing Daniel Darret, an African who after a chequered life has settled in Bordeaux. It’s only at the end these apparently unrelated threads come together. The characters, and the areas and worlds they frequent are well-painted and vivid, and the story, involving corruption in high places seems unsettlingly topical. Only the last chapter of all failed to convince me: and while this was disappointing, it didn’t stop me from feeling I’d had an involving and exciting journey along with the protagonists.

Place de la Bourse, Bordeaux (Cab, Unsplash)

My next book isn’t really a crime story.  Or is it?  You’ll have to read Darke Matter: A Novel, by Rick Gekoski for yourself to find out. James Darke, retired schoolmaster and professional curmudgeon, narrates his story. His much-loved wife Suzy has recently died, wracked by pain in her last months. He lives alone, disapproving of everybody and everything, even his daughter and her husband – though he makes an exception for his grandson Rudy. His distress at watching his wife die encourages him to help her on her way to death through overdosing her, as he admits to his horrified daughter, though she comes to understand and agree.   No spoilers alert here, though you might well wish to refresh your knowledge of Gulliver’s Travels, a book Darke re-fashions for his grandson’s entertainment. A perceptive, witty and moving evocation of love, grief, loss, and the fall-out from assisted dying.

Classic Comics no. 16 1943. Linda Chesney cover and art.

Another whodunnit, which, being set in Ireland, links back to the first book in my chain, though not to this month’s starter.  Snow by John Banville. This paints a richly evocative picture of 1950s Co. Wexford in Ireland. A miserably cold snowy winter; a country house peopled with a decaying family of Protestant gentry; a pub-come-shop; a cast of splendidly eccentric characters. This is Cluedo brought to life. Though so much richer. Here is a picture of a narrow and barren society, subservient to the authority of the Catholic church, and with strong memories of their not-so-distant battle for independence. The motives for the murder we learn about on the first page are more important than finding out who committed it. A rewarding read, being a whydunnit rather than a whodunnit.

Next month, the chain will begin with Peter Carey‘s True History of the Kelly Gang, a book which has unaccountably sat unread on my shelves for ages. Its moment has come!

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and living in North Yorkshire, where I walk as often as I can, write, volunteer, and travel as often as I can.

42 thoughts on “Six Degrees of Separation from Armfield to Banville”

  3. I enjoyed reading your post! And I’m most tempted to read Atlas of Remote Islands and Empireland. I’ve enjoyed other books by Banville, so Snow interests me too and Don Meyer’s book – I loved his book, Thirteen Hours.

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    1. Thank you Margaret. Yes, I feel I had a few good choices here. That Atlas took me to new worlds, and Empireland was a salutary read. The rest were more relaxing!

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  4. Really enjoyed your links Margaret, though I don’t know any of the books, though I have read and enjoyed a different book by John Banville and would happily read more. I also particularly also like the sound of Donal Ryan. I always enjoy the way you do your pics too.

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  7. Lots of intriguing books in your chain! I’ve only read one book by John Banville (published under the name Benjamin Black) but Snow sounds very appealing.

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  8. These all sound great. I have read a few Meyer but not this one. I must see if my library has it. I also need to read Donal Ryan… as someone who reads a lot of Irish lit he remains a glaring omission in my reading life. Very pleased to see Banville here… as you know, I am a big fan!

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  10. I always enjoy this post by you. You read such different books to me, though Deon Meyer is a favourite author of mine. You really need to start with the earliest Benny books as his struggle with alcohol and the changes in the South African politics are played out. I suppose these books attract me as having lived many years in Cape Town I recognise the places in the books, but the OH also enjoyed them. I’ll look out for the Remote Islands as I will probably never visit them either!

    Oh, and BTW I did enjoy the Mission House, a rather odd tale of several misfits who you started to get to like with an ending I wasn’t hoping for. Thanks for the recommendation.

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  11. Thanks Jude. I’m glad you enjoyed The Mission House. The ending wasn’t at all what I thought it would be. And good advice about Meyer. I’ve just managed to get a much earlier book in the series from the library, and it’s putting a few things into place. Remote Islands is a delight and I was astonished to find it in my library. Dewey number 910.9142

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  12. I reminded myself before reading your chain that I do not plan to add any more to the unmanageable list. And now I’ve added four. Plus the Ryan which is already on the list. Ah well!

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    1. Ah well indeed. You have a lot to answer for, Sandra, introducing me to this great theme. The dreaded TBR list just grows and grows. And I know exactly who to blame. I’m wondering what made your list. I’m pretty sure of two of them.

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    1. But it wasn’t done in any kind of titillating way, It made me angry in the way I guess the author intended? Yes, the Atlas is a memorable book, I think.

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  15. I have read the True history of the Kelly Gang. I liked it but I tend to enjoy non fictional history. I like the sound of the travel book visiting islands and Empireland! I’ll look them up.

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  17. I want to read Empireland, but I am so disheartened at present with global politics, I think it might sink me. ‘British Exceptionalism’ if not spawned by the British Empire was certainly nurtured by it and Johnson is just the latest example. I expect Sathnam Sanghera dissects the not so great empire brilliantly and fairly not that the likes of Farage et al would ever read it and learn anything.

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    1. Oh, Agnes, it should be required reading for everyone, especially Little Englanders . I think it’s thought provoking and balanced. Though the balance comes down firmly on one side… When you’re ready, please read it.

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