Tournament of Books discussion

Final Round discussion for the final entry to the Super Rooster!

Normal People vs. Optic Nerve

https://themorningnews.org/tob/2020/c...

Well, since I did so poorly in the bracket contest, I'll brag about one thing:

Exactly one year ago today, I named the first book posted in the 2020 Contenders discussion and it just won the Rooster. What a year it's been...

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I found Conversations with Friends so bland that I never picked up Normal People. I had no connection with the characters or interest in their story. I'm going to need to pick up Normal People now though and give it a good try.

It was a strange experience reading all of these judgements in favor of NP since to me it was so blah, but the tournament ride to get to this Rooster sure was enjoyable. I appreciate all the other book-lovers on here, sharing in my excitement about these things when no one else I know personally cares about books this much.

Cheers and I look forward to summer camp!

Thank you all for such a fun, exciting, enriching first tournament experience! It was a complete delight (even if I’m quite annoyed with the winner), and I’m already sad it’s over.

I was really hoping after all of that, that we'd see the other book take it, however both of these final two were five-star reads for me. I am now left feeling bereft, without the tournament to look forward to every day. Last night I even downloaded one of the longlist titles I hadn't tried yet - it was a DNF for me but I think I might continue doing so... would there be an appropriate place to keep on discussing the long but not shortlist?

So excited for the Super Rooster in October--this softens the blow of another ToB ending. And glad to have some time to be a completist for the first time (fingers crossed).

So I'm happy Normal People won if only because that's another from the Super Rooster I can cross off. I really liked that book but was rooting for Mary Toft or Girl Woman Other from the start. Sigh.

I think I know one other person IRL who has read Goon Squad (as an example), and several people I mentioned the Rooster to this year had not heard of ANY of the books on the shortlist.
This tourney is both a silly, and a deadly serious thing to me - a place where I've found my people who bring out my own best thoughts in dialogue about the books we're reading. Thank you all!

Yes, so happy I found ToB and this little corner of Goodreads that celebrates it. Brings me so much pleasure, especially in these anxious times.

THANKS EVERYONE!

I enjoyed this year’s ToB so much (and I promise it’s not just because I won the bracket contest). I’m grateful for everyone’s time, good will, and deep thoughts. What a sweet oasis this has been for the first three months of 2020. I look forward to continuing our conversations about possible long list books, Camp ToB, and THE SUPER ROOSTER!

I suppose this means I finally have to read Wolf Hall... Sigh.

I reread Wolf Hall this year already in preparation for M&L, only have to read 2 more winners, unsure how many books I will reread. Might try audiobooks for the ones I haven't listened to already (At the very least I am going to listen to that middle chapter of Cloud Atlas)

I just finished Fever Dream and am now listening to The Good Lord Bird. After that, finishing Wolf Hall will be my only Super Rooster book left. But I haven't reread any of these books and I read them all during the year of their win, so, revisiting some may be in order.

Heidi wrote: "I suppose this means I finally have to read Wolf Hall... Sigh. "
I skipped to Bring Up the Bodies back in the day and feel silly going back, but perhaps I should...

Kip wrote: "I reread Wolf Hall this year already in preparation for M&L, only have to read 2 more winners, unsure how many books I will reread. Might try audiobooks for the ones I haven't listened to already (..."

The middle in audio really helps for Cloud Atlas!!

It was a lot of fun for this first time TOB player. I have read half of the Super Roosters, so will make an effort to complete the rest, but you can't make me finish Wolf Hall - one try was enough. :)

I'm somehow happy to hear I'm not the only one who struggled with Wolf Hall. I'll try again, but later. Like, minutes before the fall tournament.

I should get The Accidental in the mail this week from my local bookstore. I'm excited for the Super Rooster!

Once the tourney starts, it always feels like it's over in the blink of an eye!

I didn't participate as much in the commentariat as I usually do, I just didn't feel like I was in the right headspace, with all that's going on. But I did read through the comments, and enjoyed it so much. All of you are wonderful, such insightful, careful readers who make me a better writer, and push me to analyze more deeply and engage more fully with everything I read. I'm so grateful to be part of this community.

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Heidi wrote: "I suppose this means I finally have to read Wolf Hall... Sigh. "
I skipped to Bring Up the Bodies back in the day and feel silly going back, but perhaps I should...

Kip wrote: "I rer..."

I did the same - BUtB is great and just the right length. Wolf Hall is great but it is DENSE and So long. I am barely 1/2 way through and lose my place easily if I'm away too long. The 3rd is even longer than WH!

Amy wrote: "Wolf Hall is great but it is DENSE and So long. I am barely 1/2 way through and lose my place easily if I'm away too long. The 3rd is even longer than WH!..."

Amy, I'm right there with you. I've finished rereading Wolf Hall and am a third of the way into BUtB...love them both, but I'm really having to concentrate, and feel like I've been reading them forever. I'd kind of like to take a break before starting TMatL, but also want to NOT take a break so I don't lose my momentum. Well, I ordered TMatL from Powell's, so if it doesn't arrive before I finish BUtB, the matter will be decided for me. :-)

Jason wrote: "Well, since I did so poorly in the bracket contest, I'll brag about one thing:

Exactly one year ago today, I named the first book posted in the 2020 Contenders discussion and it just won the Roos..."

Very cool! Good call!

And, I echo everyone's sentiments that I am so happy to call you all my "virtual book friends" because I too have a dearth of people who care this much about books in my real life---and that's funny, because I actually DO have a fair amount of friends that DO care about books at least some (I am a high school English teacher, after all) but still, none are as obsessed as this group is (I say with peace and love).

Being the reader judge this year was a life highlight, for sure, and I thank all of you for being supportive and such big fans of books and this tournament!

Elizabeth wrote: "Once the tourney starts, it always feels like it's over in the blink of an eye!

I didn't participate as much in the commentariat as I usually do, I just didn't feel like I was in the right headsp..."

I second this. I've mostly lurked but have greatly enjoyed the comments in this group. Thanks to all for your thoughtful and intelligent opinions on all these books.

I just spotted Tina in the commentariat! Tina, if you've been lurking, HI! I hope you're doing well in amidst everything. I know you were taking a break from all things TOB this year, but I hope you come back for the fall Rooster of All Roosters!

Hi everyone! For the last two weeks, I've found myself basically unable to concentrate for sustained periods of time due to anxiety. I think that is a common theme right now even among book lovers like us! I read almost the entire list this year, and just wanted to say that the daily email and reading through the match commentary was the highlight of my day as things got more real here in Virginia, with schools shutting down, my husband working in the ICU, and my 3 kids home! I usually read about 75 pages a day, and I found myself only able to concentrate on reading the daily email from TOB in the last two weeks. (Well I guess I did slog my way through Nothing To See Here in the last two weeks, attempting to become a completist. Normally I feel like I would have gobbled a book like that up, but it took me two weeks to read it). I was so grateful for the timing of TOB this year.
To be honest, Optic Nerve and Normal People were my least favorite books of the entire TOB, so can't say I agree whole heartedly with the outcome, but I am so happy I read all these gems. I loved Mary Toft. I felt like it's one of the best books I've read in years. I can't believe it didn't go further! But when I read the judgment, it made some sort of sense though I would have championed that book to the moon. Thank you everyone and happy reading!

Amy wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Heidi wrote: "I suppose this means I finally have to read Wolf Hall... Sigh. "
I skipped to Bring Up the Bodies back in the day and feel silly going back, but perhaps I..."

I think those books hit the sweetest spot for me and I actually just reread (relistened?) ti all Wolf Hall and BUtB and The Mirror and Light over the course of just a month and thats with still having to work (oncology pharmacist at a hospital, not in the ICU fortunately) and having a toddler to run around with. I did have one weekend where I was isolated but that ended up being Hand, Foot, and Mouth and not the other virus.

Kip wrote: " I did have one weekend where I was isolated but that ended up being Hand, Foot, and Mouth and not the other virus.."

Kip, this is no time to be grazing in meadows ;)

I was super happy with the tournament this year, especially with the final win. Great to see Normal People come back like that. Now to get busy with reading the five I missed for October's round. Cloud Atlas has been on my Currently Reading list since 2016. I think it's time to press on. And looking forward to Fever Dream - at last!

Marilyn wrote: "I was super happy with the tournament this year, especially with the final win. Great to see Normal People come back like that. Now to get busy with reading the five I missed for Oc..."

Oh man Marilyn, now might be a crazy time to read Fever Dream! And that's coming from someone who LOVED Fever Dream.

I am another lurker. LOVE to read the comments and hear from all you passionate book lovers/thinkers/dreamers. I feel absolutely crushed now that the tourney is over. Reading the judgment and revisiting the comments all day kept me sane (and away from unhealthy amounts of news) during this time of anxiety. It is not an overstatement to say I miss it desperately.

I saw a comment during the tournament about the possibility of a Goodreads Tournament of Stories. I would love to read along with that! Are others interested?

Regarding the final: Optic Nerve is a book I never would have heard of but for the ToB. It wasn't my usual cup of tea. I like thick books with lots and lots of characters, and ON was so not that. But it really seduced me. I loved the way the narrator was telling us about herself, not directly, but through the stories about art that she told. I loved her total honesty about her weaknesses and character flaws, and her loving but honest portrayals of the people in her life. I loved the change to second person narration in two of the chapters; you so rarely see that. I was disappointed to see it lose to a book that was so meh. Oh well. I had a blast anyway and I hate that it's over. Thank you all for being the voices that I looked forward to hearing every day!

Jennifer wrote: "I am another lurker. LOVE to read the comments and hear from all you passionate book lovers/thinkers/dreamers. I feel absolutely crushed now that the tourney is over. Reading the judgment and revis..."

I'm having a call with this group's moderators this afternoon to discuss the short stories tournament. I'm glad you're interested! :)