Tournament of Books discussion

Jan 3rd announcement

It's HERE! https://themorningnews.org/article/th...

let the hurrah!-ing & griping commence!

The Animators
The Book of Joan
Dear Cyborgs
The End of Eddy
Exit West
Fever Dream
Goodbye Vitamin
Idaho
Lincoln in the Bardo
Lucky Boy
Manhattan Beach
Pachinko
Sing, Unburied, Sing
So Much Blue
White Tears


Play-In Round: The Idiot, Savage Theories, Stephen Florida

Gotcha.. all you unread comment watchers. :P

Lol ;D

https://themorningnews.org/article/th...

Yes!

Shocker: Lucky Boy

Double shocker: No Augustown :(

I'm in good shape.

The play-in is Campus Novels....I think someone suggested that in the longlist thread.

I am disappointed that Her Body and Other Parties didn't make it. I didn't totally love it but there was so much there to discuss.

Janet wrote: "The play-in is Campus Novels....I think someone suggested that in the longlist thread."

Yes! That was me, although someone else made a similar prediction too. I love it.

Gayla wrote: "I am disappointed that Her Body and Other Parties didn't make it. I didn't totally love it but there was so much there to discuss."

I am too. That was my favorite of the short story collections on the longlist.

Cool to see Merritt Tierce on the list of judges. I read Love Me Back last year and came out of it with some curious thoughts.

Happy to see The Idiot.

Jason wrote: "Shocker: Lucky Boy

Double shocker: No Augustown :("

Yeah, that's sad.

I'm so happy IDAHO made it. I like this list, even though I've only read 5, and two of those are the play-in round. I was hoping to read Book of Joan and Dear Cyborg anyway.

Very happy to see So Much Blue on the list. Easily my favorite of the short listers. Only bummer is that In the Distance didn't make it.

Where is the list of judges?

I'm glad The Animators made the cut! It's not my favorite to win but I really enjoyed it and will look forward to seeing discussion. I'm disappointed to see The Leavers fell to the cutting room floor but not shocked. I voted Sing, Unburied, Sing as my fan favorite but I'll be surprised if it needs the Zombie revival.

Luckily I already had 4 of the shortlist checked out from the library - time to dig into The End of Eddy, Lucky Boy, Savage Theories, and Dear Cyborgs. I'm going to crack open The End of Eddie (paper) and Dear Cyborgs (audio) first.

Just below the Zombie poll.

For the first time one of my last minute reads makes the list. I finished Idaho last night. Six books down, 12 to go.

Hmm..."Manhattan Beach" is a funny way of spelling "Augustown"

Dax wrote: "Very happy to see So Much Blue on the list. Easily my favorite of the short listers. Only bummer is that In the Distance didn't make it."

I'm with you on both counts, Dax.

Bob wrote: "Hmm..."Manhattan Beach" is a funny way of spelling "Augustown""

LOL....so much sadness but so many books to look forward to.

Karen wrote: "Just below the Zombie poll."

Thanks Karen!

I’ve read nine! Might be record for me, starting with that many. Although there a couple on this list I really didn’t like. Looking at you, Dear Cyborg and Book of Joan. How could they make the list and the exquisite Autumn not be there??? Made a good call starting and almost finishing Goodbye, Vitamin yesterday!

Janet wrote: "The play-in is Campus Novels....I think someone suggested that in the longlist thread."

I DID! I GUESSED CAMPUS NOVELS FOR THE PLAY-IN ROUND. And not many of the others, but I'll always have the play-in round. I knew that I'd read Stephen Florida for a reason.

I've read nine of the books, which is a personal best and makes reading the rest a much less daunting proposition. And I'm halfway through So Much Blue.

I've read nine so far! Hooray!
I'm so glad that White Tears and Stephen Florida made it. I think they will be a great discussions.
Surprised about Lucky Boy. I read it, and meh.

Bob wrote: "Hmm..."Manhattan Beach" is a funny way of spelling "Augustown""

OMG just cracked up in my cubicle at work prompting my coworkers to suspect I am indeed NOT WORKING.

Kristin-Leigh wrote: "Luckily I already had 4 of the shortlist checked out from the library - time to dig into The End of Eddy, Lucky Boy, Savage Theories, and Dear Cyborgs. I'm going to crack open The End of Eddie (paper) and Dear Cyborgs (audio) first."

End of Eddy was a favorite of mine!

Cripes, can't put books on hold...too many fines! What a day!

I think they made a better choice for the reader judge this year....she sounds exactly like me....except for the cancer research part.

I love the sensation I feel when I see a book listed as "available" on Overdrive. Just snatched up Stephen Florida and The End of Eddy.

I've read six and I'll pick up Lucky Boy on the way home today.

Here's the list in descending page number:
Pachinko 496
Lucky Boy 472
Manhattan Beach 438
The Idiot 423
The Animators 369
Lincoln in the Bardo 343
Idaho 320
Savage Theories 304
White Tears 304
The Book of Joan 288
Stephen Florida 287
Sing, Unburied, Sing 285
So Much Blue 236
Exit West 240
Goodbye, Vitamin 208
The End of Eddy 192
Fever Dream 192
Dear Cyborgs 163

I've read nine too - seems to be the magic number so far...

I’ve read six. Several like Pachinko and White Tears were ones I’ve been wanting to read. Library holds for the play in titles submitted. Trip to bookstore after lunch. Life is good. By the way, any thoughts if a particular novel may be harder to find at library?

Love the list. A few minor quibbles but all things considered this will be fun!

Drew wrote: "Here's the list in descending page number:"

Drew, you are a gift. A treasure. A real gem.

I've only read three! But I loathed one of them so this will be fun.

I have read 8ish (have to pick up The Idiot again as I got bored and marked it as DNF at 40%)

I am really happy about The Animators and White Tears they are both great reads.

All of the titles were included in my library's catalog. There could be a wait list for a number of these though - especially the #1 and #2 seeds (Pachinko, Manhattan Beach, Sing Unburied Sing, Lincoln in the Bardo, Exit West.)

I've read 4. When do the brackets go up, does anyone know?

Holly wrote: "I've only read three! But I loathed one of them so this will be fun."

Spill it! Which one did you hate?

I've read 8 of the list. I thought Pachinko was a total waste of time and I was 100% meh about Idaho.

Holly wrote: "I've only read three! But I loathed one of them so this will be fun."

Well don't hold us in suspense, which one did you loathe?

I've read 3 myself already (Sing Unburied Sing, Manhattan Beach, The Animators). I feel pretty "meh" about Manhattan Beach, that one is my least favorite of the set so far.

I agree. I think this list is much more interesting than in the past couple of years. Who won the contest?

Gaby wrote: "I agree. I think this list is much more interesting than in the past couple of years. Who won the contest?"

my error checking wasn't good enough in the spreadsheet (thought it could handle differences in spelling, punctuation) so I'm fixing & should have results soon!

Of this year's authors, we have eleven women and seven men. Am I right in thinking this is a first for the TOB?

I am stunned to realize I have read 10. This means 2018 might be the first year that I actually am able to read the entire shortlist before the TOB. Crossing my fingers!

When do we see the brackets?

Ezzy wrote: "Holly wrote: "I've only read three! But I loathed one of them so this will be fun."

Spill it! Which one did you hate?

I've read 8 of the list. I thought Pachinko was a total waste of time and I ..."

Manhattan Beach, of course! Of course, since no one could possibly have enjoyed it. Kidding. Sort of.

I've read 10 so far and have Pachinko and The Animators on my tbr pile. The biggest surprise to me is Savage Theories as I haven't read or heard much about that one yet. But I'm excited to read the rest; they all look interesting.