Tournament of Books discussion

Is it okay that I started this thread?

Anyway, the brackets are live along with zombie potential for each title, which is fun.

I have Cloud Atlas at home and just requested The Accidental from the library. I'm not sure I'll reread the books I've already read but I might try to read those I haven't.

The only one I haven't read is The Sisters Brothers and I just took that out from the library (from the LIBRARY! IT'S OPEN!!). I've read all but three of the 2nd place books, and will only read those three if they really do end up as Zombies. I'm not re-reading anything.

(Psst: I'm still hoping for Cloud Atlas to take the whole thing.)

I made a copy of the bracket spreadsheet we used for last year's regular ToB. I can start filling it in with the Super Rooster books, but this thing is complicated! Not sure I can capture all the fancy systems Amy set up in there before... I'll share when I have more filled in (probably Monday since I'll be laptop-free tomorrow through Sunday).

Lauren wrote: "I made a copy of the bracket spreadsheet we used for last year's regular ToB. I can start filling it in with the Super Rooster books, but this thing is complicated! Not sure I can capture all the f..."

For a contest?

Jason wrote: "Lauren wrote: "I made a copy of the bracket spreadsheet we used for last year's regular ToB. I can start filling it in with the Super Rooster books, but this thing is complicated! Not sure I can ca..."

Yes, it sounds like a few of us are interested. You in?

I have read 12 of the finalists, own 2 I haven't yet read, and just ordered the other 2 from Bookshop. Can't wait to see how this plays out!

I just have Fever Dream and The Orphan Master's Son to read and I will be ready to go.

Lauren wrote: "You in?"

Of course. Can't wait.

Jason wrote: "Lauren wrote: "You in?"

Of course. Can't wait."

Great!

If anyone has time over the weekend and wants to start filling this in with the new titles, go for it. Otherwise I'll get to it Monday. :)

Lauren wrote: "Jason wrote: "Lauren wrote: "You in?"

Of course. Can't wait."

Great!

If anyone has time over the weekend and wants to start filling this in with the new titles, go for it. Otherwise I'll get to..."

Hi Lauren! I'm still a bit swamped until (virtual) school starts at least, but I should be able to make some edits to this over the weekend to at least get it up to current titles. Switching the weights and zombie guessing will take the most time (I'm not going to do points for upsets since they've all won a Rooster and should be considered on equal footing among this crowd) but I can keep tweaking that while folks start entering their bracket predictions.

Excellent, thanks so much! I realized that I’m not much of a spreadsheet wiz, so I don’t think I know how to make most of the updates I thought I could make. I think we can go with the simplest point system possible. Whatever is easiest for you. :)

Jayme wrote: "I just have Fever Dream and The Orphan Master's Son to read and I will be ready to go."

probably my favorite two Roosters!

O-kay! still a little calculation editing to do due to the zombie change-up, but you can start entering your bracket predictions (remember to put your name at the top of the column!) HERE

This is awesome - thanks so much, Amy! I'm guessing we just need to finish our predictions before it starts on October 7th?

Also, I would add that I personally welcome everyone participating, even if you're struggling financially and wouldn't be able to send someone a book. I finally got a good job after six months of unemployment earlier this year, so I understand these times are difficult. Now that I have a paycheck I enjoy supporting bookstores and would be happy to send a book to the winner, even if that person wouldn't be able to send a book to someone else. So basically, everyone plays, and those who have the means can send a book to the winner, but no worries if you can't... Does that work for everyone, or was that already how it worked before?

Lauren wrote: "This is awesome - thanks so much, Amy! I'm guessing we just need to finish our predictions before it starts on October 7th?

Also, I would add that I personally welcome everyone participating, even..."

yes - I'll freeze the predictions Oct 6th 10pm PST. :)
meanwhile, I'm totally onboard with the 'everyone enter, do what you can!' philosophy!

Amy wrote: "O-kay! still a little calculation editing to do due to the zombie change-up, but you can start entering your bracket predictions (remember to put your name at the top of the column!)
HERE
"

OK, I am a dingbat. When I open it up, someone else's predictions are already on there. I can supersede them, of course -- but where exactly do I put my name?

Me, too!

And also, in the dingbat category -- do we know for a fact that the Zombies will be running against their own #1s from their own year? Or is that still speculation?

Click on the "fill this out" tab, not the "Bracket" tab! :)

Thanks Amy for putting this together! I was going to go with what I *want* to happen over what I *think* will happen, but I'm so torn on several matchups!

All I know for sure is My Sister the Serial Killer is going to murder Normal People.

And congrats on the new job Lauren!

I really went down some rabbit holes on my predictions. As it stands now, I have a winner that I haven't read beating my favorite ToB book ever. This may change.

Bretnie wrote: "Thanks Amy for putting this together! I was going to go with what I *want* to happen over what I *think* will happen, but I'm so torn on several matchups!

All I know for sure is My Sister the Ser..."

Thank you! I'm also rooting for that My Sister victory. :)

OK -- Amy, you need to check and see if I did it right. I found it very confusing, especially since it was based, I presume, on the predicate that the Zombies will be each winner's runner-up from its particular year, and I'm still not sure if that's the case. I also thought there'd be a "Finished" or "Lock-in" prompt and I didn't see one.

P.S. Remember, I am a dingbat.

Ellen wrote: "P.S. Remember, I am a dingbat."

this makes me realize I didn't include instructions!

1) pick your winners in the yellow section of "Fill this in" TAB. - preferably in order as your drop-down options will auto-fill based on previous selections
2) copy-special >> "paste values" in a column to the right
3) add your name on top of the column.

That will set your prediction & leave the "Fill this in" for the next person!
Note, if you can't figure out how to copy-paste properly, no worries, I'm fixing the interim boxes (with subtotals) once I freeze the predictions anyways.

I think I did it right? I also wanted to drop in and say I'd love to participate in the book giving prize -- that was really fun earlier this year.

Bretnie wrote: "Thanks Amy for putting this together! I was going to go with what I *want* to happen over what I *think* will happen, but I'm so torn on several matchups!

All I know for sure is My Sister the Ser...". If there is any Justice, I hope the result is as you predict. The ONLY book in this tournament with which I did not connect is NP. So, I'm fine with any winner but this one. (Here's hoping I didn't just bring the thunderbolt down upon my own head ....)

Oh, dear. You may have just jinxed it for us all.

I have to admit that I feel that way not just about Normal People but about Fever Dream as well, which I simply didn't get. I mean, I GOT it -- but it did not affect me as it seemed to affect everyone else and I was puzzled and irritated by its win -- not as infuriated as I was with Normal People maybe, but still annoyed.

Personally, I'm angling for a Cloud Atlas/Station Eleven finale with Cloud Atlas bagging the SuperRooster. And now I'VE jinxed it.

Ellen wrote: "Oh, dear. You may have just jinxed it for us all.

I have to admit that I feel that way not just about Normal People but about Fever Dream as well, which I simply didn't get. I mean, I GOT it -- b..."

Those two books are very dear to me, too -- both are on my All-Time Favorites List, and I'd be thrilled with a win by either.

I'm embarrassed to confess that I hadn't read Cloud Atlas until this year, in preparation for the Super Rooster. What a spectacular achievement that book is. I'll always be grateful to ToB for getting me to pull it from my infinity-high TBR pile.

I will also say this: I am currently just past the midpoint in "The Orphan Master's Son" and, so far, I think it is brilliant. It's incredibly dark and distressing, but so well crafted. Hard to know how any judge will view any of these books, but I think it will be in the mix.

For those who enjoyed Cloud Atlas (as I did, although I listened to it and it was likely stronger in print), I recommend the new book Inheritors which I found to be a similar style. It's a bit more focused and direct, but with similar themes and structure. I hope it makes this year's long list!

The Orphan Master's Son all the way, for me. This book affected me so profoundly. I still think on it and get emotional. It is brilliant. And so real.

The Orphan Master's Son is my favorite book ever in the tourney. But, I'm going out on a limb and predicting the book that has 2020 written all over it with a Plot Against America upset of Cloud Atlas and then winning overall. Unlikely, I'm sure.

Jason wrote: "The Orphan Master's Son is my favorite book ever in the tourney. But, I'm going out on a limb and predicting the book that has 2020 written all over it with a Plot Against America upset of Cloud At..."

I don't know how the tournament will shake out, but I have been looking at the possible Zombies and I can see this scenario happening. I had not read The Plot Against America until last week, and it resonated. It is definitely one of the potential Zombies that has enough to stand up to other winners. And with the way 2020 has gone, a Zombie winning the Super Rooster does seem par for the course.

I am reading The Orphan Master's Son now and it's equally engrossing and distressing, which is a tough combo to pull off but he's doing it. I could see it bagging the super rooster.

Thanks for setting up the brackets, y'all! I think I did it right.

Amanda wrote: "I had not read The Plot Against America until last week, and it resonated...."

I made that prediction and I haven't even read it yet.

Risa wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Oh, dear. You may have just jinxed it for us all.

I have to admit that I feel that way not just about Normal People but about Fever Dream as well, which I simply didn't get. I mean,..."

Hmmm. In an unusual departure for you and me, Risa, Orphan Master's son did nothing for me.

The only book I haven't read yet is The Sisters Brothers. I'm expecting to like it all right, but I'm guessing it won't shake my two top contenders from the top of my tree. The SuperRooster probably will, though. Sigh.

Ellen wrote: "Risa wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Oh, dear. You may have just jinxed it for us all.

I have to admit that I feel that way not just about Normal People but about Fever Dream as well, which I simply didn't..."

I liked The Sisters Brothers far more than I expected to -- Westerns are SO not my thing! I personally liked DeWitt's "French Exit" more than TSB, but perhaps a so-terrible-she's-great octogenarian NYer was always going to be more my thing than outlaw cowboys. Still, the fact that I liked TSB at all is a feat. It is not, however, better than Station Eleven (IMHO), and it's not in the same universe of great as Cloud Atlas.

Risa wrote: "I will also say this: I am currently just past the midpoint in "The Orphan Master's Son" and, so far, I think it is brilliant. It's incredibly dark and distressing, but so well crafted...."

I've been in a multiyear battle with myself to read Orphan Master. It's so hard to pick a time to be dark and distressed ;)

Nadine wrote: "It's so hard to pick a time to be dark and distressed ;)"

If it helps, it's also quite funny.

Lauren wrote: "For those who enjoyed Cloud Atlas (as I did, although I listened to it and it was likely stronger in print), I recommend the new book Inheritors which I found to be a similar style...."

Just looked this up and it sounds great. Thank you for the recommendation.

Risa wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Risa wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Oh, dear. You may have just jinxed it for us all.

I have to admit that I feel that way not just about Normal People but about Fever Dream as well, which I..."

I liked French Exit a lot. It might bode well for Sisters Brothers.

Ellen wrote: "Risa wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Risa wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Oh, dear. You may have just jinxed it for us all.

I have to admit that I feel that way not just about Normal People but about Fever Dream as ..."

All this love for French Exit - I'll have to check it out. I wasn't a fan of DeWitt's sophomore effort but I loved Sisters Brothers so perhaps he's come around. :)

Risa wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Oh, dear. You may have just jinxed it for us all.

I have to admit that I feel that way not just about Normal People but about Fever Dream as well, which I simply didn't get. I mean,..."

I read both Stations Eleven and Cloud Atlas in the past year for the first time (for the super tourney) so you're in good company! And what a weird year to have just read SE! Flying back from Asia in January watching all the chyrons in the lounges, I kept recalling the flashback/15-years earlier scenes in SE and thinking 'are we in those flashback scenes right now before it all goes down?" It definitely made me much more cautious before the CDC actually let us know how bad things really were.

Jason wrote: "Nadine wrote: "It's so hard to pick a time to be dark and distressed ;)"

If it helps, it's also quite funny."

That helps A LOT :)

I forgot to mention the other day when I finished The Sellout. I have now finished all of the Super Rooster books - yay! Not a fan of some of them, but looking forward to the discussions. :)

Did anyone else think it was starting today? I thought it was starting today. Sigh. I guess I can wait until Wednesday!

Lauren wrote: "I forgot to mention the other day when I finished The Sellout. I have now finished all of the Super Rooster books - yay! Not a fan of some of them, but looking forward to the discussions. :)"

nice going Lauren!

Nadine wrote: "Jason wrote: "Nadine wrote: "It's so hard to pick a time to be dark and distressed ;)"

If it helps, it's also quite funny."

That helps A LOT :)"
Just chiming in here to offer a counter-perspective: I am finding very few laughs. The Texas set piece has its humor, but, other than that ... WHEW. It is ... a lot. Absolutely worth reading, though. I think it's going to end up on my all-time greats list.

oops! I guess it's a good thing today was a non-decision as I forgot to freeze the bracket last night! then I realized the zombies got overwritten so I fixed that & protected those cells.

If you had trouble with zombie round predictions, go fix those now & i'll freeze the sheet TONIGHT.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Now that Jason bowed out, I was going to say the bracket contest was wide open again but with Normal People beating The Orphan Master's Son, I think everyone's brackets are firmly busted. I think Susan is now our official winner no matter the next zombie & final results! Congrats Susan :)