Tournament of Books discussion
2024 ToB
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2024 TOB Shortlist
Ugh, Brainwyrms! Seriously, I can't even look at that cover. Does someone actually drown in a sea of worms? Can anyone vouch for it?
Zach expressed my sentiments exactly, and put it so graciously, too. (Bravo, good sir!)I won’t be a completist this year, so let me now, in advance, lift a glass to those of you who will brave this set. I am very thankful for the play-in round books and a small smattering of the shortlist. For the rest, my plan is to enjoy the comments of others, and to read instead the longlist options that appealed/intrigued in preparation for what I hope is a future Tournament of Favorites! (More applause for Maggie from a grateful reading public!!!)
I have only a vague idea of how old the writers are on the shortie but I had a vertiginous feeling, when I first read the list, like I'd suddenly been tipped into gen-z-land.
It doesn’t look like I am going to be a completist this year. My library doesn’t have either Brainwyms or Boys Weekend and I don’t see myself buying either of them. I am glad to see Dayswork on the short list. It reminds me of why I love TOB. It’s a book that I hadn’t heard of and probably wouldn’t have read without the tournament but it is one of my favorites of the year.
Elizabeth wrote: "Has anyone read Brainwyrms (have a feeling it may be the Manhunt of 2024), Cold People, Boys Weekend or What You are Looking For? That last book seems a little too sappy to really be interesting..."I'm with you - those are 4 of the 6 I would swap out....
Alison wrote: "I think that they really like to test the determination of the completists among us. ..."You need to earn that (18) bumper sticker!
Lark wrote: "I'm intrigued by Dayswork by Chris Bachelder, which seems to hold the slot this year as the book not so many..."It's not for everyone, but I really liked it. It was my favorite (Kelly Link a close second) of the 6 I've read. Definitely give it a chance.
Bretnie wrote: "Have we ever had a graphic novel on the list?"=Building Stories=
Just realized that What you are looking for, What You Are Looking For is in the Library, is in the library is the new My single "My Single is Dropping" is dropping.
Zachary wrote: "Just realized that What you are looking for, What You Are Looking For is in the Library, is in the library is the new My single "My Single is Dropping" is dropping."Ha! I had to read that three times, slowly.
Elizabeth wrote: "Zachary wrote: "Just realized that What you are looking for, What You Are Looking For is in the Library, is in the library is the new My single "My Single is Dropping" is dropping."Ha! I had to r..."
Well, this is my annual reminder that I am a Boomer, because I had to look up "My Single My Single is Dropping". And now I am already down a rabbit hole, because ... Basement Beers?
[Raise your hand if you can tell that my final exam grading procrastination is officially underway! Thanks, Zach!]
Risa wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Zachary wrote: "Just realized that What you are looking for, What You Are Looking For is in the Library, is in the library is the new My single "My Single is Dropping" is dropping..."Does it help or hurt you to know that its actually a 17 year old 30 Rock reference?
Please don't remind me that 30 Rock is 17 years old.
Zachary, you are brilliantly hilarious. You made my day!
Kip wrote: "Risa wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Zachary wrote: "Just realized that What you are looking for, What You Are Looking For is in the Library, is in the library is the new My single "My Single is Dropping..."I ... I'm honestly not sure. Wow. I am REALLY out of touch.
Given all the extra time, I'm starting the shortie reading slowly and seeing if I manage to break my tendency to tackle any list like a vital task. I suspect that come February I'll be downloading Brainwyrms and questioning my life choices, but I may try being as balanced and normal as Risa and just not reading the ones that don't appeal.I have a copy of Dayswork that I'm eager to read, and a copy of the Aoyama was sitting on the New Books shelf of my local library yesterday.
There's a randomness to the choices that I can appreciate, but ultimately won't read most of them. just not interested. I have a few I want to get to, but pretty meh about the tourney this year. DNF Chain Gang and Big Swiss and not going back.
Alison wrote: "Given all the extra time, I'm starting the shortie reading slowly and seeing if I manage to break my tendency to tackle any list like a vital task. ..."I would also like to learn the secret of how to avoid the vital-task syndrome!
Jason wrote: "DNF Chain Gang and Big Swiss and not going back...."Thanks for sharing this sentiment. I got to the end of Big Swiss and mostly thought: why?--and I've started Chain Gang many times but always end up giving it back to the library before I get very far.
Chain Gang should not have been a book that I liked but I really did like it. I did not finish Big Swiss. I agree overall that I'm not hugely interested in the list but that's kind of nice too because maybe I won't get so mad when it doesn't go my way. I can just be along for the ride.
Kari wrote: "Chain Gang should not have been a book that I liked but I really did like it. I did not finish Big Swiss. I agree overall that I'm not hugely interested in the list but that's kind of nice too beca..."It was the opposite for me, my expectations were too high because of all the reviews, and what it has to say is so important. (Plus I LOVED Friday Black.) In the end I stopped because the violence was too much for me. But on top of that I never felt connected to the characters, they had little if any backstory and they never felt real to me. And everything felt a little too black and white, not enough nuance.
I did appreciate the social commentary, and I completely understand why some people like this, but it didn't give me most of the things I look for in a novel. (I'll still read anything Adjei-Brenyah puts out in the future, though.)
Elizabeth wrote: "Kari wrote: "Chain Gang should not have been a book that I liked but I really did like it. I did not finish Big Swiss. I agree overall that I'm not hugely interested in the list but that's kind of ..."I work at a church and one of our book clubs (the Mostly Men's group) is going to read Chain Gang next! I think it will make a great discussion especially in a faith community about how we use up and commodify people. But I couldn't choose it for the group I lead, they would fire me from being in charge of the group because of the violence. I was surprised I made it through.
Graphic novels I remember from past tournaments: 2007 - Pride of Baghdad by BRIAN K. VAUGHAN & NIKO HENRICHON
2010 - Logicomix by Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos Papadimitriou
2013 - Building Stories by Chris Ware
I loved Boys Weekend!
Sounds like I should read Brainwyrms next!
Jason wrote: "DNF Chain Gang and Big Swiss and not going back..."I managed to finish Chain Gang, but I can't say I read every page - my method involved skipping ahead a few pages, reading a few paragraphs, then skipping ahead again ...
I started out with the highest expectations, it really sounded like it was in my wheelhouse. I loved the first few chapters. I'm okay with violence when it's not gratuitous, and it did not feel gratuitous here. I was impressed with how well the author wrote a woman's POV - many male authors can't do that.
Then it started switching POVs every chapter and it wasn't getting back to the POV I connected with, and I realized it's a satire and it lays it on THICK. I generally do not like satire. It's the heavy satire that killed this book for me.
Chain Gang ended up feeling like a pitch for a streaming miniseries (which I would totally watch) in search of a novel. I think the premise alone will have it advance far into the tournament, as sometimes happens. I may be this forum's biggest Big Swiss defender. It was a pitch right down the middle of my sense of humor strike zone. (And it will be a miniseries with Jodie Comer, and I will totally watch it.)
I might be enticed into watching a Jodie Comer miniseries version of "Big Swiss" * -- even though, for me, the humor was (to borrow the Bob Uecker meme from "Major League") "just a bit outside", and then the "final inning" was, alas, a strikeout. However, it's entirely possible that I might not be the right fan for this ball club.
*while covering my eyes at any and all scenes involving maggots in the house ....
Zachary wrote: "Chain Gang ended up feeling like a pitch for a streaming miniseries (which I would totally watch) in search of a novel. I think the premise alone will have it advance far into the tournament, as so..."Oh, I'd absolutely watch both of these. Like I said in the Big Swiss thread, I think the concept has so much potential, I just thought some of the writing was horrible. But I'm guessing the miniseries will be fantastic.
I also agree Chain Gang is almost made for the screen, I think it would be far better in a miniseries or movie than it was for me on paper.
Zachary wrote: "Chain Gang ended up feeling like a pitch for a streaming miniseries (which I would totally watch) in search of a novel. ..."That is the perfect description of that book
Zachary wrote: "I may be this forum's biggest Big Swiss defender. It was a pitch right down the middle of my sense of humor strike zone. (And it will be a miniseries with Jodie Comer, and I will totally watch it.).."This is how I felt about American Mermaid, and my mini-series star is Kaley Cuoco. My first of what I hope will be more 'Thank you ToB, for the introduction' moments.
Lark wrote: "Susanw wrote: "but what else is a must? My library has all except Cold People? Help..."I'm intrigued by Dayswork by Chris Bachelder, which seems to hold the slot this year as the book not so many..."
Dayswork is my favorite so far..everything I love..no plot..stream of consciousness..lists of random things..beautiful descriptions..a snarky husband in the background. So good.
Phyllis wrote: "So I’m saying Blackouts for the win. Just finished it, and I am soooooo impressed."Did you happen to read it on paper or electronically?
I just finished Blackouts last night. I read it in paper. Certain aspects of the story, including the embedded photographs and art, were interesting. Overall, though, I found it difficult to get through this one. It was pretty slow moving and lacked direction for me. Phyllis, I’m glad you enjoyed it a lot more than I did!
Phyllis wrote: "I did read Blackouts in a physical copy. I think it is the only way it can truly be enjoyed."I agree. I got the electronic ARC but right away I felt I needed the book in my hands.
Reminder that zombie voting ends tomorrow (thursday)!
I’m feeling uninspired for this zombie vote. While I have some favorites so far, when I consider voting for each one I mainly think of their shortcomings. I guess I’m disappointed there hasn’t been a book on the short list I’ve read yet that fully knocked it out of the park. I’m reading Sacajewea now and the writing is poetic but extremely slow-reading and with lots of words that create confusion.
I found a lot of joy in the second half of Open Throat but I agree that the marketing of the MC being a queer character didn’t deliver, and I saw a comment about the dream sequence which I’m confused about. Was that whole fun adventure part a dream and I somehow missed that??
I’m a fan of Chain-Gang All-Stars but know it has its faults.
Monstrilio didn’t meet my expectations. :/
Which books are y’all planning to vote for?
Also, without knowing a better place to put this… Has anyone watched Leave the World Behind? We watched it last night and it made me appreciate the book even more in hindsight. But mainly, I’m highly disturbed by the ideas in the book/movie, mostly because I think there’s a terrifying level of truth to them. I’ll be haunted by that one for a while.
I haven’t yet seen the movie, Lauren, but I thought the novel was excellent.
Lauren wrote: "I’m feeling uninspired for this zombie vote. While I have some favorites so far, when I consider voting for each one I mainly think of their shortcomings. I guess I’m disappointed there hasn’t been..."Have you read Heaven and Earth yet, Lauren?
^^^ Reading H&EGS now, and it got my Zombie vote on the strength of the first 1/3, which has given me everything I want in a reading experience. I’m loving it and hoping it sustains this good momentum.
Lauren, I watched Leave the World Behind probably within minutes of when it dropped on Netflix. I was so fascinated by the book. And I’m fascinated by the way the movie needed to change the book, I mean, it was an absolute necessity, because for so much of the book nothing is happening except the slightest of signs and portents. The (view spoiler). My only disappointment in the movie was the flattening of the character of Rose, who is the spiritual center of the book but the dull brat of the movie. Clay’s character as portrayed by Ethan Hawke totally made up for it, though. He was such a shlemiel in the book and such a loving complicated bumbler in the film. Anyway as you can see I had some feelings about the movie!
Lauren wrote: "Has anyone watched Leave the World Behind?..."watched it this past weekend and loved it...worked better than the book I thought. Was the ending in the book as explicit as it was in the movie?
Incidentally, Leave the World Behind inspired me to compile a list of TOB movies.
The list has 42 adapted movies and/or TV shows from the 20 TOB shortlists (so far...I'm not finished yet). Maybe I should create a separate Adaptations post? Lemme know if y'all are interested...
Bob wrote: "Lauren wrote: "Has anyone watched Leave the World Behind?..."watched it this past weekend and loved it...worked better than the book I thought. Was the ending in the book as explicit as it was in..."
Oh, fun project Bob! I'd be interested.
That'd be interesting. I have no idea if I've seen any - my film viewing went completely down the drain after having kids.
Bob wrote: "Lauren wrote: "Has anyone watched Leave the World Behind?..."watched it this past weekend and loved it...worked better than the book I thought. Was the ending in the book as explicit as it was in..."
Wow, thanks Bob in advance for all the work! Great idea!
Even though I'm only about a 1/3 through it, I think I might vote for American Mermaid. The other books I've read from the shortlist were all good but didn't grab me, and this one still has the potential. (Of course, some of those did too, at the 1/3 mark...)
Bob wrote: "Incidentally, Leave the World Behind inspired me to compile a list of TOB movies.The list has 42 adapted movies and/or TV shows from the 20 TOB shortlists (so far...I'm not finished yet). Maybe I should create a separate Adaptations post? Lemme know if y'all are interested......"
That sounds fun!! I'm interested!!
Tournament of Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Frankenstein in Baghdad (other topics)Tyll (other topics)
Tell Me I’m Worthless (other topics)
Poor Deer (other topics)
Chouette (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Ahmed Saadawi (other topics)Paz Pardo (other topics)
Michiko Aoyama (other topics)
Debra Magpie Earling (other topics)
Patrick deWitt (other topics)
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Argh, I'm sorry friends, apparently I have to be a mod to delete my accidental duplicate thread. Lauren, Amy, Drew can one of you delete the other one?