2022 ToB Contenders

[Anita]

Karin, that's so funny! My husband pretends to listen to with interest but I can tell he's trying hard not to fall asleep or let his eyes glaze over. ;)

[Daniel]

Bob wrote:Oops...should be okay now?

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/......"

Thanks for your invaluable work here, Bob. This spreadsheet is my guide to the next six months of my reading.

[Ellen]

I'm working in the public library now, and am working on possibly getting us to do a ToB related display/program/something this year. Wish me luck!

[Heidi]

I always want to read the weirdest and most experimental books on the long list, so I started with In Concrete. I’ve made a more full review on my profile, but suffice to say that the blurb doesn’t really parallel the actual book (father obsessed and sister subsumed by concrete). It’s more like 120 pages of a thirteen-year-old’s imaginative rants, adventures, and language play. I’d be shocked if it made the shortlist, but I’ve been shocked before.

[Lauren]

Ellen wrote: "I'm working in the public library now, and am working on possibly getting us to do a ToB related display/program/something this year. Wish me luck!"

That's awesome! Let us know if it works out. :)

[Gail]

Thanks for the list, Bob. I have only read 7...now off to harass my library to recommend titles. They usually ignore me!

[Risa]

About the longlist, I’m very excited — save for the bit of existential despair I felt at the possibility of Rooney Redux. (Dear Lord: must we? Again?!?)

On a MUCH happier note - what a thrill to hear our own Lark on NPR’s “Weekend Edition” this morning, talking about her new novel, “Chouette”. Huge congratulations on a great interview. I hope it nets you strong early sales: https://www.npr.org/2021/11/14/105564...

[Elizabeth]

Risa wrote: "On a MUCH happier note - what a thrill to hear our own Lark on NPR’s “Weekend Edition” this morning, talking about her new novel, “Chouette”."

That's so neat, and was so fun to listen to! You did a great job with the questions, Claire!

Pub day is tomorrow!! Are you excited? Will you be traveling around to bookstores to see it on shelves and sign copies? (That was always my favorite thing.)

[Kip]

Read 14 so far, 10 of them 5 stars, 3 were 4 stars, 1 was 2 stars. I think I am grading a little easier these days. But also my reading tastes are largely shaped by this tourney so I suppose the hit rate will be higher.

[Kip]

Risa wrote: "On a MUCH happier note - what a thrill to hear our own Lark on NPR’s “Weekend Edition” this morning, talking about her new novel, “Chouette”."

Super cool, thanks for sharing.

[Isaac]

Yay, it’s here! So far I’ve read 11 of the 68, all of which I’ve enjoyed, even the Rooney. The new Ozeki is excellent, and the Groff and Whitehead. I was surprised how much I liked “No One Is Talking About This” (I missed out on the summer camp, so I’ll be curious to see how it will do in discussion here). Overall, there’s the usual mix of obvious and head-scratching inclusions, as well as strange omissions (was “The Love Songs of WEB Du Bois” left off just to keep it from running away with this thing?). Looking forward to making my way through more of the long list before the short list comes out.

[Nadine in California]

Kip wrote: "Risa wrote: "On a MUCH happier note - what a thrill to hear our own Lark on NPR’s “Weekend Edition” this morning, talking about her new novel, “Chouette”."

Super cool, thanks for sharing."

Yes Claire - the interview was wonderful - if you were uncomfortable or nervous it was in no way apparent :)

[Lark]

Risa wrote: "On a MUCH happier note - what a thrill to hear our own Lark on NPR’s “Weekend Edition” this morning, talking about her new novel, “Chouette”. ..."

Thanks Risa! I wasn't sure if I was being in the least coherent during the interview but they were very nice to me at NPR.

[Lark]

Elizabeth wrote: "Pub day is tomorrow!! Are you excited? Will you be traveling around to bookstores to see it on shelves and sign copies? (That was always my favorite thing.) ..."

Hi Elizabeth. I don't know why but my main feeling is "dread" about tomorrow. I think it has something to do with the first word in my author bio (the claire oshetsky one) being "shy."

My publisher isn't doing events for anyone because of covid but I do have a zoom/virtual event at Bookshop Santa Cruz scheduled for Nov 30, and Lauren has arranged a zoom call for all of us in the group who are interested on December 11.

Some bookstores are sending 'book plates' for me to sign and send back to them but since there aren't any live events I won't be doing book signings. The book plates are fun to sign. I'm drawing little owls on them.

[Matthew]

Risa wrote: "About the longlist, I’m very excited — save for the bit of existential despair I felt at the possibility of Rooney Redux. (Dear Lord: must we? Again?!?)

On a MUCH happier note - what a thrill to h..."

Hard same on despairing at the thought of a Rooney Repeat. For now I will choose to believe that it will not happen. Even if it does, for me the Tournament is more about the journey than the destination anyhow, so it's all good.

And thanks for posting the link to the wonderful NPR interview! So happy for you Lark! The time's almost here!!

[Matthew]

TOB longlist time is one of my favorite times of the year. For the most part I'm happy with the list, although I'll have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the Franzen.

Somehow I've read 18 and have four or five-starred many of those (it's been a great year for books in my opinion). In particular I'm happy that the following titles made it:
Klara
Harlem Shuffle
Detransition, Baby
Second Place
The Man Who Lived Underground
All's Well
Oh William

And my list of books not included that I'm sad about:
The Scapegoat
Winter in Sokcho
The Rib King
Zorrie
Open Water
Elena Knows (I keep hoping that a Charco Press title will be included, and this was really good)

[C]

Oh, and I just see that Debutiful, a fun site and bad for me, just posted about Chouette on their list for December!

https://debutiful.net/2021/11/07/9-de...

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Ellen wrote: "Yes, I have to decide whether I want to lose my completist status if I have to read either the Rooney or the Franzen. ...But Franzen? I did it twice, and that was more than enough for me. Hey -- is this book about the soul rot that infests a suburban family? I'll bet it is!"

Ellen, I am a Rooney fan but also committed to never reading Franzen again (fool me twice and all that.) Maybe we can be Completist*
*all but Franzen/Rooney

I'm pretty sure this book is about the soul rot that infests a suburban family and it's all because of RELIGION.

[Anita]

I must not have been around for the Rooney drama. Can someone explain to me what the Rooney Redux means?

(I know she's a controversial writer; I really liked Normal People, I liked the half of Conversations with Friends that I've listened to so far, and I kind of love/hate most of Beautiful World, Where Are You? that I've read so far- about 80%- but I find myself erring more on the hate side than the love side compared to her other two books.)

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Alison wrote: "I made the decision to never read another novel by Franzen or Powers. I've read three by Franzen and two by Powers and that is enough time to give them, thank you very much. So I'm hoping very hard that neither book is included in the tournament. I don't want to pit my completionist side against my literary grudge side. "

Just pulling this out so Ellen and I can have another person in our Completist* group. :)

[Kip]

Anita wrote: "I must not have been around for the Rooney drama. Can someone explain to me what the Rooney Redux means?

(I know she's a controversial writer; I really liked Normal People, I liked the half of Con..."

Nothing more than differing opinions. Many of us very much like her work. Many others do not. Normal People won the Rooster and many people seem piqued. I think the concern is her winning again. Even though I did enjoy Beautiful World, I hope it does not make it to the shortlist either because conversations around her books within the commentariat have grown a little stale.

[C]

Kip wrote: "Anita wrote: "I must not have been around for the Rooney drama. Can someone explain to me what the Rooney Redux means?

(I know she's a controversial writer; I really liked Normal People, I liked t..."

Don't forget the added zaniness of Normal People almost winning the Super Rooster but lost to Toni Morrison's 'A Mercy'!

[Maggie]

Although if we want to expand Rooney-gate, this has been a topic of “conversations with friends” lately, some of whom are very upset.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.usat...

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I received an ARC from Tor of A Spindle Splintered long ago. I'd be happy to send that to anyone in the USA, and I'll even throw in the matching enamel pin that came with it. Send me a DM!(spoken for!)

[Kip]

C wrote: "Kip wrote: "Don't forget the added zaniness of Normal People almost winning the Super Rooster but lost to Toni Morrison's 'A Mercy"

Oh yes, I did forget about that. Again, I think we are all a little worn down by it all.

[Anita]

Kip wrote: "Anita wrote: "I must not have been around for the Rooney drama. Can someone explain to me what the Rooney Redux means?

(I know she's a controversial writer; I really liked Normal People, I liked t..."

Oh, okay, thank you for the explanation!

[Elizabeth]

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I received an ARC from Tor of A Spindle Splintered long ago. I'd be happy to send that to anyone in the USA, and I'll even throw in the matching enamel pin that came with it. Send m..."

Did you read it, Jenny? I picked it up from the library this week and read quickly through the first couple of chapters (since it's the shortest on the list I thought it might make an easy start), but I moved on because it felt very YA and light to me. (I mean, light aside from the narrator knowing she has a year or less to live...)

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Elizabeth wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I received an ARC from Tor of A Spindle Splintered long ago. I'd be happy to send that to anyone in the USA, and I'll even throw in the matching enamel ..."
I did..it's a bit of an outlier and way too super short. And I've never been much for retellings. I like the author otherwise.

[Phyllis]

Anita wrote: "Kip wrote: "Anita wrote: "I must not have been around for the Rooney drama. Can someone explain to me what the Rooney Redux means?

(I know she's a controversial writer; I really liked Normal Peopl..."

Anita, just in case you want to read all of the back & forth comments for yourself about the Rooney book, it was in the 2020 ToB, which you can access here: https://themorningnews.org/tob/2020/ It lost in the very first round, but then returned as a zombie to win the whole Rooster. Then having won a Rooster, it returned in the 2020 first-ever Super Rooster tournament, which you can access here: https://themorningnews.org/tob/superr...

[Lark]

C wrote: "Oh, and I just see that Debutiful, a fun site and bad for me, just posted about Chouette on their list for December! ..."

Thanks for linking to this, C! I hadn't seen it.

I want to correct the record about being on a debut list because this is technically my third novel. I published a novel I love in 2018, and I published a novel I hate in 2004. No one thinks about either one of those novels as actual novels, though, because one is self-published and one is out of print. I don't want to deceive anyone here about it, though! Not a debutante!

[Bryn]

Back to Rooney and Franzen…. In both cases I’ve read one book and in both cases my reaction was pretty much just blah, meh, nothing. Technically brilliant writing but did very little for me. That’s unusual for me especially given these authors elicit such violent emotion from a lot of readers. So I’m very happy to give each one another chance at thrilling me! I picked up a used copy of the Franzen at an even steeper discount cuz I traded in some old books. Yay me!

[Alison]

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Just pulling this out so Ellen and I can have another person in our Completist* group. :)..."

Delighted to join you!

[Lark]

My issues with both of these novelists are 1) they seem to be writing the same book over and over again, and 2) I'm not interested in reading that book to begin with.

[Elizabeth]

lark wrote: "My issues with both of these novelists are 1) they seem to be writing the same book over and over again, and 2) I'm not interested in reading that book to begin with."

That cracked me up. Yes, exactly.

[Maggie]

Alison wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Just pulling this out so Ellen and I can have another person in our Completist* group. :)..."

Delighted to join you!"

I'm shooting for Completist this year too. I'll even read the Franzen if necessary ;-)

[Alison]

Maggie wrote: "I'm shooting for Completist this year too. I'll even read the Franzen if necessary ;-) ..."

I'm just really hoping neither book (Franzen or Powers) is put in the Tournament. At least the Rooney is a short and no doubt easy read.

[Ellen]

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Alison wrote: "I made the decision to never read another novel by Franzen or Powers. I've read three by Franzen and two by Powers and that is enough time to give them, thank you very much. So I'm h..."

My soul mates! I've also successfully avoided the Powers so far, after sneering my way through The Overwrought, I mean, The Overstory, and the NYT review of Bewilderment really made me not want to read it. But if the Franzen AND the Rooney AND the Powers make it onto the shortlist -- can I really feel comfortable being a Completist* who doesn't read THREE of the 16 (well, 18)?

[Ellen]

lark wrote: "My issues with both of these novelists are 1) they seem to be writing the same book over and over again, and 2) I'm not interested in reading that book to begin with."

Exactly, x2.

[Ellen]

lark! A NYT review!!!!!!

[Ellen]

"Lauren has arranged a zoom call for all of us in the group who are interested on December 11."

I'm interested! I'm interested! I'll go look in the New thread.

[Marionette]

X3 here!

[Elizabeth]

Oh my gosssshhhhhh! Claire, what a review!!!! (Full page!!!!)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/15/bo...

[Phyllis]

Elizabeth wrote: "Oh my gosssshhhhhh! Claire, what a review!!!! (Full page!!!!)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/15/bo..."

Whoo hoo! I bet your Mama is oh so proud Claire (I'm proud just to know you even virtually.)

[Heidi]

Wow! What an incredible review. I can’t wait for us to read and talk about Chouette together!!

[Care]

I am reading The Promise by Damon Galgut, 5% in there's this: "And that’s Manie, her much-younger brother, who looks to her eyes like an owl, a baby owl she’d picked up and kept once as a child."

I immediately thought of Chouette! #owlchild
Will start this book next. Congrats to lark on the great promos and I'm excited for our group chat.

[Heather]

Get them tomatoes ready: I really liked the Franzen.

And lark, I'm so happy for you!

[Bob]

Alison wrote: "I made the decision to never read another novel by Franzen or Powers. ..."

That's a shame about the Powers, it was pretty good. And it's short which adds to the likability. It's what...250 pages? Pretty quick read. Bewilderment

Is there gonna be a page where we talk about the Longlisters as we're reading them?

[Amanda]

Bob wrote: "Alison wrote: "I made the decision to never read another novel by Franzen or Powers. ..."

That's a shame about the Powers, it was pretty good. And it's short which adds to the likability. It's wha..."

I had not planned on reading the Powers based upon my dislike of The Overstory. Reading the synopsis and reviews, it appears to have a lot of similarities to The Book of Form and Emptiness. I just finished that one last night, and it's my early favorite. I really hope that one makes the cut.

[C]

Heather wrote: "Get them tomatoes ready: I really liked the Franzen.

And lark, I'm so happy for you!"

Heather, IMO there shall never be tomatoes thrown because of a discussion on books, no matter the disagreeing. :D

[Amy]

ok, posted a Longlist Thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

with placeholder for the books for now so everyone could get chatting!
(also posted the placeholder for the shortlist competition)