2020 TOB Shortlist

[Amy]

Amanda wrote: "It's billed as a novel, but is really a collection of linked short stories just to name one example..."

oh that drives me crazy as well! it's partly why I never loved Goon Squad.

[Jason]

Trust Exercise's NBA appears to have been enough to overcome losing in Camp ToB.

[Tim]

I'd be happy to have A Girl Returned in the tournament, but am wary of trying to game the zombies. (Been burned before....)

I'm also disappointed that Ryan Chapman's Riots I Have Known didn't make the list. Oh well.

There are a couple of books I wish hadn't made the list, but I'll save that for March.

[Shari]

Amy wrote: "Bob wrote: "Should we all conspire and zombie A Girl Returned?"

can we write-in A Girl Returned?? I would totally be down for that!"

I don't think there's a way to write in A Girl Returned, is there? It looks like only the selected books are offered as options. But I'd sure be down for a write-in campaign!

[Amanda]

Jason wrote: "Trust Exercise's NBA appears to have been enough to overcome losing in Camp ToB."

Yeah, I believe Rosencrans and Andrew tweaked the rules of the summer tourney to make sure the major award winners were still eligible for the shortlist after last year. I figured it would make the shortlist after it won.

[Jan]

Nice list. I've read 10, own 4 that I'm excited to have a reason to bup up my TBR, and see 4 that are new to me or I'm on the fence about. And for the ones like A Girl Returned, I'm grateful to the ToB Overlords and all of you here for putting them on my Must. Read. Soon. list.

Also: really an interesting and impressive set of judges! This is gonna be fun!!!

[Janet]

Is the reader judge “our” Heather?

[Shari]

For folks who are looking for good audiobook options, I'm really enjoying We Cast a Shadow on audio. I haven't finished it yet, but based on what I've heard so far I recommend it.

[Jessica]

Shari wrote: "For folks who are looking for good audiobook options, I'm really enjoying We Cast a Shadow on audio. I haven't finished it yet, but based on what I've heard so far I recommend it."

Just checked and its narrated by Dion Graham, who I listened to narrating Washington Black and Black Leopard, and loved (I think his narration improved my opinion of the books, tbh). Thanks for the tip, definitely going to listen to this one now!

[Ed]

Heads-up - All This Could Be Yours is currently $2.99 on Kindle, listed as a “limited time deal”.

[Heather]

Janet wrote: "Is the reader judge “our” Heather?"

It is me, Janet. I'm so excited!

[Lauren]

Heather wrote: "Janet wrote: "Is the reader judge “our” Heather?"

It is me, Janet. I'm so excited!"

Yay Heather!!

[Amy]

Heather wrote: "Janet wrote: "Is the reader judge “our” Heather?"

It is me, Janet. I'm so excited!"

yay! now we get to stalk all your past reviews to guess at your tastes!

[Ace]

Heather wrote: "Janet wrote: "Is the reader judge “our” Heather?"

It is me, Janet. I'm so excited!"

Well done Heather!

[Lauren]

Also, I’ve DNF’d all 4 of these that I’ve started...

All this Could be Yours
Trust Exercise
Fleishman is in Trouble
On Earth

Should I just see myself out?

[Mo]

I've read about six of these but so happy to see Optic Nerve! It has my zombie vote for sure. Glad I don't have to feel more guilty about not managing to read the giant Marlon James one.

Lauren, for what it's worth both Trust Exercise and Fleishman get better and deeper as they go along.

[Janet]

Heather wrote: "Janet wrote: "Is the reader judge “our” Heather?"

It is me, Janet. I'm so excited!"

That's wonderful! Congratulations! I look forward to reading your opinions.

[Ace]

Lauren wrote: "Also, I’ve DNF’d all 4 of these that I’ve started...

All this Could be Yours
Trust Exercise
Fleishman is in Trouble
On Earth

Should I just see myself out?"

Lol...

[Beverly]

Lauren wrote: "Also, I’ve DNF’d all 4 of these that I’ve started...

All this Could be Yours
Trust Exercise
Fleishman is in Trouble
On Earth

Should I just see myself out?"

No

I also did not finish:
Fleishman is in Trouble
Trust Exercise

And I am not interested in reading:
The Testaments

[Alison]

It's interesting that while there were seven (or eight, depending) short story collections on the long list, NONE of them made it into tournament play.

[Janet]

Alison wrote: "It's interesting that while there were seven (or eight, depending) short story collections on the long list, NONE of them made it into tournament play."

That is very interesting.

[Jason]

They haven't included a story collection in years. Goon Squad may be the last one.

[Ellen]

I'm happy with this list -- it seems a little more potentially accessible than some years (*cough*Ban en Banlieue*cough*). My big disappointment is the absence of Disappearing Earth, which was hands down my favorite read of the past year. And being almost finished with The Dutch House, I'm sorry it didn't even make the longlist; I am often ambivalent about Patchett, but I really liked it...

Anyway, I've read 4 and 7 were already on my list, two of which I already have at home -- The Water Dancer and, thanks to the daily Kindle deals, the Jami Attenburg. And I'm secretly glad that Ducks, Newburyport didn't make the list, because although I feel I SHOULD read it, I didn't want to get bogged down in a 1000-pp book during ToB season.

And, HEATHER! OUR Heather! Mazel tov! Ooh, I can't wait to read your judgment!!!!

[Elizabeth]

Heather wrote: "Janet wrote: "Is the reader judge “our” Heather?"

It is me, Janet. I'm so excited!"

Yay! Congratulations, Heather, tell us what you're judging. (kidding.) I can't wait to read what you think!

[Elizabeth]

Anyone want to call out their zombie pick? At this point I think I'll choose Lost Children Archive, as many of you know when I was judging this summer I adored that book, but I've only read half of them.

[Carmel]

I was surprised to see I had read four of these, and have several others on my list or radar. Those that I've read were ones I really enjoyed--Water Dancer, Nothing to See Here, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous and We Cast a Shadow. All diverse and interesting books. It will be fun to watch how this year plays out. And...I've got some more reading to do!

[Sherri]

Elizabeth wrote: "Anyone want to call out their zombie pick? At this point I think I'll choose Lost Children Archive, as many of you know when I was judging this summer I adored that book, but I've only read half of..."

I would love to see LCA do well, but I put Nothing to See Here for the zombie.

[Janet]

I chose Mary Toft for my zombie...loved it.

[Melanie]

Way to go, Heather!! Can't wait to read your judgment!

[Risa]

Amy wrote: "Posted by the tourney gods ~11am PST 12/16
All This Could Be Yours by Jami Attenberg
Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffi Akner
[book:Girl, Woma..."

So ... who won the Predictions Office Pool?

[Jason]

Risa wrote: "So ... who won the Predictions Office Pool?"

Bob

[Risa]

What a fitting reward for Bob's many years of toil in putting together the spreadsheets for the rest of us! Congratulations, Bob!

[Amy]

Voted for Mary Toft because though it hasn’t come up in my library holds yet, I’m prepared to very much enjoy it, and I was sad to see Version Control bow out a few years ago. (I still think on many of the near-future concepts and social commentary with some frequency).

[Elizabeth]

Risa wrote: "What a fitting reward for Bob's many years of toil in putting together the spreadsheets for the rest of us! Congratulations, Bob!"

Oh, so true! Congratulations, Bob!! I'd love to hear what you get!

[Jan]

Heather wrote: "Janet wrote: "Is the reader judge “our” Heather?"

It is me, Janet. I'm so excited!"

Heather!!! This is awesome!!

[Jan]

Jason wrote: "Risa wrote: "So ... who won the Predictions Office Pool?"

Bob"

Bob, congratulations!! Speech, speech!!

[Jan]

Elizabeth wrote: "Anyone want to call out their zombie pick? At this point I think I'll choose Lost Children Archive, as many of you know when I was judging this summer I adored that book, but I've only read half of..."

I'm going to take advantage of the EOM deadline to let this marinate a bit. I don't have a strong favorite yet.

[Peggy]

ohhhh dear. The shortlist just totally demolished my TBR stack (I am clearly a bad guesser) and I am now currently rebuilding it. I think Lost Children Archive is next. This already feels insurmountable, though.

Add me to the list of disappointed at Disappearing Earth's absence. Loved that book and thought it was a sure thing. Nickel Boys, too. Big sigh.

I'll get We Cast a Shadow on audio thanks to the recs here...any other shortlisted books that are good on audio?

[C]

I guessed 12/18 books! I'm very proud of myself. haha. Was anyone else this close, other than Bob? I'm guessing Bob won because he guessed a couple long shots?

Nevermind - I'm posting about this in the wrong topic! Sorry.

[Elizabeth]

Peggy wrote: "ohhhh dear. The shortlist just totally demolished my TBR stack (I am clearly a bad guesser) and I am now currently rebuilding it. I think Lost Children Archive is next. This already feels insurmoun..."

I’d recommend The Water Dancer, which I loved. The narrator was amazing, a beautifully sonorous voice, and he can really sing!

[Jan]

On Earth is beautifully read by the author.

[Beth]

Feeling extra lucky as I was 50 pages from finishing All This Could Be Yours when the shortlist announcement came and a friend loaned her copy of Nothing to See Here to me last week. Five down, not sure who might be my Zombie but I’m especially happy to see Ben Winters make the play in with Golden State.

[Michelle]

Peggy I started listening to Steph Cha's Your House Will Pay on audio today. Definitely a good one to listen to.

[Nadine in California]

I've read six already, and have 2 sitting on my shelf waiting. That's a ToB record for me. I have no idea about a zombie pick yet - maybe Testaments (just kidding!!)

[Maggie]

I’m loving this list. Can’t wait to talk about it with all of you. I’ll admit that I am most excited to see that Golden State made the play in, because I read Golden State *last year* in place of The Golden State, and I have been longing to discuss it with the commentariat since the moment I read it.

[jo]

for those who DNF’d Trust Exercise, getting to the second part is kinda essential. The first part was utterly confusing to me. I love Susan Choi for her rigor as a writer and i was all like, what is this? Persevere, people, persevere.

Love the audiobook of We Cast a Shadow!

[Carmel]

Elizabeth wrote: "Peggy wrote: "ohhhh dear. The shortlist just totally demolished my TBR stack (I am clearly a bad guesser) and I am now currently rebuilding it. I think Lost Children Archive is next. This already f..."

I totally agree with you, Elizabeth! I loved the audio on this book. And the singing!

[Daniel]

There's a couple of genuinely bad books on that shortlist out of the 7 I have read or am planning to. Further to those I can't see myself reading Attenberg again as I really disliked The Middlesteins and I have no real appetite for the Coates novel despite being blown away by his non-fiction.

I didn't hate The Testaments at all, but I'm not looking forward to having to break it down and explain to others why it's a page-turning YA throwaway.

I haven't read Steph Cha and I won't buy this book unless I can get it for less than full retail, but I already like the look of her back catalogue and I may try to pick up her earlier books on the cheap.

[Irene]

Elizabeth wrote: "Anyone want to call out their zombie pick? At this point I think I'll choose Lost Children Archive, as many of you know when I was judging this summer I adored that book, but I've only read half of..."
so far this is also my zombie pick but i only read 4 so i didn't vote yet

[Cat]

I just went through the shortlist and the list of winners and looked up page counts and then calculated that if I'm going to read all of the ones i haven't read yet, I need to read 112 pages per day between now and March! I got this! I probably could have spent this time reading instead of making spreadsheets. :) Mary Toft looks really interesting. I just finished On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous and I also really enjoyed The Testaments. Is anyone else surprised that The Testaments is getting as much literary attention as it is? It felt more mainstream, more like a thriller and it didn't really do that much interesting in the way of "literary" stuff for me. But I still really enjoyed it and read it in just a few days. I couldn't put it down! But I feel like it's resting on its laurels a little bit. OK I need to go put in some library holds! :) Happy reading everyone.