#6Degrees 6 Degrees of Separation: From Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to The Infernal World of Branwell Bronte

It’s the first Saturday of the month so it’s time for 6 Degrees of Separation!

Here’s how it works: a book is chosen as a starting point by Kate at Books Are My Favourite and Best 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.

Kate says: Books can be linked in obvious ways – for example, books by the same authors, from the same era or genre, or books with similar themes or settings. Or, you may choose to link them in more personal or esoteric ways: books you read on the same holiday, books given to you by a particular friend, books that remind you of a particular time in your life, or books you read for an online challenge. Join in by posting your own six degrees chain on your blog and adding the link in the comments section of each month’s post.   You can also check out links to posts on Twitter using the hashtag #6Degrees

This month’s starting book is Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Links from the book title will take you to my review or the book description on Goodreads.

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It’s a long time since I read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland although the story and its iconic characters are of course familiar. One of those characters is the White Rabbit whose constant concern is about being late. (If you’re in the UK and a Strictly Come Dancing fan, Mike and Katya’s recent Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland themed tango may be lodged in your mind.)

In Train Man by Andrew Mulligan, Martin is also worried about being late, specifically for the 09.46 train to Gloucester so as to reach Crewe in time for the 11.22 train. However, his intention is not to catch that train but something much darker.

In Mr. Norris Changes Trains by Christopher Isherwood,  a chance encounter on a train to Berlin leads to a friendship between English teacher William Bradshaw and the rather eccentric and mysterious  Arthur Norris.

Pre-war Berlin is the setting for The Hiding Game by Naomi Wood in which Paul Beckermann arrives at the famous Bauhaus art school and embarks on a love affair.

Also set in the art world, this time in New York, is Fake Like Me by Barbara Bourland, a literary thriller which is part expose of the commercialization of the art world and part mystery. 

The fact the name of the protagonist of Fake Like Me is never revealed is one of many allusions to Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. 

As well as being the author of many much-loved novels set in Cornwall, Daphne du Maurier also wrote a fascinating biography of Branwell Bronte, the intriguingly titled The Infernal World of Branwell Bronte.

Where did your chain take you this month?