Tournament of Books discussion

I feel bereft! What is there to look forward to now?

These were my initial thoughts. But I still have a giant ToB backlist (the longlist) and the longlist for the Booker International Prize came out yesterday, so....

I hang out in the Newest Literary Fiction group and I know some of you are in other similar groups. See you soon!

Don't forget the tournament of favorites!

Kyle wrote: "Don't forget the tournament of favorites!"

Most definitely.

And, possible ToB 2022 books aren’t going to read themselves. What’s good?

Jason wrote: "And, possible ToB 2022 books aren’t going to read themselves. What’s good?"

I used to think "what's good" and "what's likely to end up in TOB" were different questions, but then, books like Fever Dream and Optic Nerve and Breasts and Eggs started to make the cut, and to go far in the tournament too! That's been a big change imo from the earliest days of TOB.

So here are two still-obscure novels-in-translation that I'd love to see make it next year:

Three O'Clock in the Morning by Gianrico Carofiglio (March 2021)

The Orphanage by Serhiy Zhadan (August 2021, on NetGalley now)

lark wrote: "Jason wrote: "And, possible ToB 2022 books aren’t going to read themselves. What’s good?"

I used to think "what's good" and "what's likely to end up in TOB" were different questions, but then, boo..."

Can't to check these out.

I loved Hades, Argentina, and then Black Buck and My Year Abroad both had some real TOB energy. I think I enjoyed the second more than the first it I were to arbitrarily judge two books against each other out of habit.

For me, TOB time is time to catch up on the actual recent releases - the rest of the year is all playing catch-up on my TBR, which looms ever higher.

I...am just so overwhelmed right now. I feel like I'm running around in circles with books balanced on my head, on my back, stuffed in my arms, over my shoulders, and tied to my feet. (These are just potential books, many haven't even been published yet, and I've only bought or put on hold a handful since yesterday, but the rest are still weighing on me and spinning my head.) I guess there are worse problems to have, but it's almost giving me anxiety!

I find myself not so much wanting to read all the new stuff, but get more "caught up" on authors' past work. So many where I've only read maybe one or none of their books and the TOB always reminds me I gotta dive in deeper! All those books everyone brings up like everyone but me have read!

I have huge stacks of unread books surrounding me as I write this and along with the ones i own I have 34 out from the library, all waiting for me to pick them up and read them, plus let's not forget all the ones that I haven't read that somehow found a place in the too-full-already bookshelves, plus the ones I keep requesting from NetGalley, BUT NO WAY do I have 30,000 books like Larry McMurtry did, and he's my hero, so I keep thinking it's going to be ok.

This is my problem: I'll spend the bulk of this year catching up on my TBR pile (largely from the longlist and other places), which will mean I won't read many 2021 releases. And then the longlist for 2022 ToB will come out, and I'll have read maybe 4-6 because I spent my reading year playing catch-up.

...And then the cycle will begin again. It's why I'm never a completist. Sigh.

Well, what a coincidence (not) - I was checking my shelves for a book I got at a library sale a couple of decades ago that I now have the urge to read (Heir to the Glimmering World, and it appears it didn't make the cut when I did a shelf purge 3 years ago when I moved across country. Waaaaa. For the last couple of weeks I've been returning more books to the library than checking out. Yaaaaa! But the latest email from my library shows my progress will now reverse. And my reading time has shrunk because I'm also frantically trying to finish a knitting project for my niece's baby on the way. (It's a baby cocoon that looks like a strawberry! A free pattern, in case any knitters out there are interested!)

That's a nice problem to have! The cocoon sounds adorable. Congratulations!!

Nadine wrote: "Well, what a coincidence (not) - I was checking my shelves for a book I got at a library sale a couple of decades ago that I now have the urge to read (Heir to the Glimmering World, a..."

Hey, Nadine! I have it on my shelf and I -have- read it and have no immediate need for it--if you ping me with your address I'll send it your way!

March is so bittersweet because the tournament both begins and ends. But, there were two longlists released: the Booker International and the Republic of Consciousness Prize There's lots of books in translation here so I'll be reading and keeping up with convos about those.

Nadine wrote: "And my reading time has shrunk because I'm also frantically trying to finish a knitting project for my niece's baby on the way. (It's a baby cocoon that looks like a strawberry! A free pattern, in case any knitters out there are interested!).."

Audiobooks and knitting go well together.

Bob wrote: "March is so bittersweet because the tournament both begins and ends. But, there were two longlists released: the Booker International and the Republic of Consciousness Prize There's lots of books i..."

Thanks for the links to the Republic of Consciousness Prize! I wasn't even familiar with most of the publishers, let alone the books and authors. (Not like I needed any more books to read, but...some of these look wonderful.)

I was lucky to be a completist this year mostly because I got lucky with what I had already read on the long list.
I also started grad school in Jan which I suspect will (and has) cut into my reading for myself bandwidth.

I'm just finishing up grad school, so that is thankfully going to give me a little more time for reading. I just have so much to get through - some Dashiell Hammett, some Renata Adler, some John Ehle - that I'll check out the 2021 releases if they get good buzz or (next year) if they make the TOB. There's just too much coming out each year for me to stay on top of new books.

I went from about 10 books a year during grad school, to 100+ reading/listening after. I never knew college then grad school stifled my reading habit so much and I was so happy when I finished and could read whatever I wanted

Elizabeth wrote: "(Not like I needed any more books to read, but...some of these look wonderful.)"

I just finished A Musical Offering and it is sooo so good, not your typical novel, there's no plot to speak of but flutters from topic to topic related to music. It's a very entrancing book.

Bob wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "(Not like I needed any more books to read, but...some of these look wonderful.)"

I just finished A Musical Offering and it is sooo so good, not your typical novel..."

Thank you! It's a little more than I'd want to spend for such a short book, but I've requested it from my library. Keeping my fingers crossed that they'll be able to get ahold of it!

yes thanks Bob! I actually have this on my shelf...along with quite a few others I meant to have read by now...

Bob wrote: "I went from about 10 books a year during grad school, to 100+ reading/listening after. I never knew college then grad school stifled my reading habit so much and I was so happy when I finished and ..."

I still get good audiobook time on my commute so that's nice.

Elizabeth wrote: "Bob wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "(Not like I needed any more books to read, but...some of these look wonderful.)"

I just finished A Musical Offering and it is sooo so good, not your t..."

Hi Elizabeth. I'm a serial lurker. A Musical Offering is sitting on my bookshelf. If you PM your address, I'd love to mail it to you. I have no plans to re-read it.

Susan wrote: "Hi Elizabeth. I'm a serial lurker. A Musical Offering is sitting on my bookshelf. If you PM your address, I'd love to mail it to you. I have no plans to re-read it."

Sorry Susan, just seeing this. That's so kind of you, thank you! (You must let me pay shipping, though.) After Bob's recommendation, I'm excited to read this! I'll PM you. :)

ETA: It looks like I'd need to friend you in order to PM you. Feel free to friend me if you'd rather!