Tournament of Books discussion

Setting this up to start dropping those recommendations...

Many of us have already mentioned Detransition, Baby

I also loved Infinite Country. Has anyone else read that one?

I love this thread so much. Thanks for starting it, Lauren!

I just started Klara and the Sun and it’s just the right amount of odd.

I read Infinite and Klara and enjoyed both a lot. Hades, Argentina or Klara are probably my favorite from this year so far.

An additional book I loved which I doubt will be TOB because its a scifi novella would be Remote Control. Just magical.

Klara's great so far. Still waiting on a copy of The Committed to come in from the library, but given Ishiguro's Nobel, I'd say Klara is well in the running at this point.

I read The Liar's Dictionary by Eley Williams back in January and loved it. I don't know if it's TOB-eligible since it was released in the UK in 2020, but the US in 2021, but it would make a fun TOB book.

Kip wrote: "I read Infinite and Klara and enjoyed both a lot. Hades, Argentina or Klara are probably my favorite from this year so far.

An additional book I loved which I doubt will be TOB be..."

Great to know - I've had my eye on Hades, Argentina for a while. I'll bump it up the TBR mountain!

Kyle wrote: "Klara's great so far. Still waiting on a copy of The Committed to come in from the library, but given Ishiguro's Nobel, I'd say Klara is well in the running at this point."

I'm reading The Committed now, and it's definitely going to be one of the greats of my reading year.

Uh oh.

https://twitter.com/thebookseller/sta...

oh, a new Rooney book? here's my prediction on how it goes:

guy: i like you i guess
girl: i guess i like you

nobel committee: GIVE HER THE PULITZER

TOB sometimes lets go of authors when they get too well established--or? I mean unless they win a big prize.

So I'm wondering about Sally Rooney. Also I'm wondering about Hanya Yanagihara...who will just miss next year's contest, with a January 22 release...but I imagine we'll be writing about it in the 2023 thread about this time next year...

To Paradise

I liked Normal People but looking at the similar sounding description of her new one, you know, I kind of think we've already done Sally Rooney and don't need to revisit.

I just finished No One Is Talking About This, that would be an excellent choice for a "millennials novel" slot.

Kyle wrote: "oh, a new Rooney book? here's my prediction on how it goes:

guy: i like you i guess
girl: i guess i like you

nobel committee: GIVE HER THE PULITZER"

Totally made me laugh! :D

lark wrote: "TOB sometimes lets go of authors when they get too well established--or? I mean unless they win a big prize.

Lark, do you think this will influence whether The Committed..." makes the short list? I just finished it and it feels like perfect ToB material...also, as it was for Nadine, likely to be a favorite for the entire year.

Jan wrote: "lark wrote: "TOB sometimes lets go of authors when they get too well established--or? I mean unless they win a big prize.

Lark, do you think this will influence whether [book:The Committed|5226062..."

I'm hoping it makes it, based on the fact that Nguyen doesn't write that much fiction and it's been six years since The Sympathizer, which was knocked out in the 2016 quarterfinals by Bats of the Republic. Bats sounds intriguing though!

Nadine wrote: "....Bats sounds intriguing though!"

I do not say this lightly, but if you are going to read Bats then you need to read the physical edition. It's very well put-together and definitely worth having on a shelf if you are into book aesthetics.

Also, I read Trafik this week, and I only 3-starred it, but its very interesting. Definitely akin to Dear Cyborgs (which I DNF'ed lol, so this recommendation is getting weaker). It strikes me as something that falls into that weird-small-TOB-book phylum that we have been seeing more and more of the last few years. Something truly unique about it, is the sheer joy the author takes in making up sci-fi terms for the sci-fi setting that are unexplained because they are not a crux of the story.

Jan, I agree with Nadine that The Committed feels like a perfect TOB book!

Two writers I may not have discovered on my own and who seem to be perpetual favorites of TOB: Jesse Ball and Elliot Ackerman.

I haven't thought very deeply about this, I've just noticed that some authors are perpetually left out, like Joyce Carol Oates and Ann Patchett, and some others seem to come back every year they have a novel, and some seem to graduate to a higher reality where their place on the short list is taken up by a promising debut author.

lark wrote: "Jan, I agree with Nadine that The Committed feels like a perfect TOB book!

Two writers I may not have discovered on my own and who seem to be perpetual favorites of TOB: Jesse Ball and Elliot Ack..."

Ann Patchett's State of Wonder was a TOB entry. (Liked but not as much as Bel Canto)

lark wrote: "Jan, I agree with Nadine that The Committed feels like a perfect TOB book!

Two writers I may not have discovered on my own and who seem to be perpetual favorites of TOB: Jesse Ball and Elliot Ack..."

Drew (SMDB) pointed out in the tourney that Helen Oyeyemi hasn't been included which I had to go through all the past years to confirm for myself because (!)

Now I'm over looking at the past tournaments and it feels like things have evolved over the years where there are a lot more debuts and risky picks for the final 16 in the later years. I'm looking at 2012 in particular, when Ann Patchett was in it as you say, and so was Murakami and Hollinghurst and Ondaatje and Eugenides. Maybe it was just a big year for big names, though. Who knows. A lot of what we love about this tournament is that it has such a surprise factor to it every year.

It seems like it skews more debuts than previously. Which is fun for discovery.

Amy wrote: "lark wrote: "Jan, I agree with Nadine that The Committed feels like a perfect TOB book!

Two writers I may not have discovered on my own and who seem to be perpetual favorites of TOB: Jesse Ball a..."

I just picked up a copy of Peaces, so I'm hoping this will be the year she makes the list!

Lauren wrote: "Amy wrote: "lark wrote: "Jan, I agree with Nadine that The Committed feels like a perfect TOB book!

Two writers I may not have discovered on my own and who seem to be perpetual favorites of TOB: ..."

I've never been able to warm toward Oyeyemi's writing, but Peaces sounds like something I have to try - maybe it'll break my barrier.

Ok seriously I have just read the quintessential TOB book!

drumroll, here it is:

The Atmospherians by Alex McElroy

(What, you may ask, are the qualities that make up "the quintessential TOB book?)

(to which I repeat the famous words spoken by Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart in his concurring opinion of Jacobellis v. Ohio: "I know it when I see it!")

(:><:)

lark wrote: "Ok seriously I have just read the quintessential TOB book!

drumroll, here it is:

The Atmospherians by Alex McElroy

(What, you may ask, are the qualities that make up "the quintes..."

Good to know - I'm moving it up my TBR list!

Also, I just started How to Order the Universe (translated from Chilean Spanish) and I just adore it so far. I'll check back with an official recommendation/review when I've finished it.

lark wrote: "Ok seriously I have just read the quintessential TOB book!

drumroll, here it is:

The Atmospherians by Alex McElroy

(What, you may ask, are the qualities that make up "the quintes..."

YES, lark - I'm glad you said this. I have not read it yet, but sometimes I just get ToB vibes emanating from books... and The Atmospherians is one of those.

C, thanks for letting me know you had the same feeling about The Atmospherians!

Ok I'm now going to do my best to define why I thought this was an indefinably good pick of a TOB book: The plot scoots along. It's very readable. It blends serious with funny in a way that reminded me of a mix of Patrick DeWitt and Anthony Marra, with just a smidge of Fran Ross thrown in like croutons.

Or so I thought, anyway!

I've listened to quite a few 2021 audiobooks and here's a couple I just loved:

How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House and Burnt Sugar. BS was shortlisted for the Booker last year but I don't believe was published until January of this year in the US.

Bob wrote: "I've listened to quite a few 2021 audiobooks and here's a couple I just loved:

How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House and Burnt Sugar. BS was shortlisted for t..."

Good to know! Yes, I ordered BS last year thinking it could be a 2021 competitor, but wasn't able to pick it up until months later. Hopefully that means it's eligible for this year since I've been eyeing it on my shelf. And the One-Armed Sister is on my list as well.

lark wrote: "It blends serious with funny in a way that reminded me of a mix of Patrick DeWitt and Anthony Marra, with just a smidge of Fran Ross thrown in like croutons."

Sold! Added to my to-read list. :)

Bretnie wrote: "Sold! Added to my to-read list. :)
..."

It's not entirely my kind of book. But I really do feel that TOB feeling from it.

One Armed Sister is incredible. It’s my pick to win the Women’s Prize.

Janet wrote: "One Armed Sister is incredible. It’s my pick to win the Women’s Prize."

Excellent - I just got a copy of this in the mail!

Oh, happy day!

Last week my husband asked if I wanted to do something for Mother's Day, and I told him I wanted to buy books. :) So he made an appointment at our local bookstore...I just took my first trip in well over a year to my local indy, and left with TWO BAGFULS (including a few for my daughter as well.)

It was different, since they only let in 4 people at a time. I went in with my daughter and left my husband outside, and we had a half hour to browse, with only 4 people in the store. It's the kind of store that's got little alleyways, very closed in, crammed with books, even some stacked on the floor, so they need to set limits to keep distance. But it felt so good to be there, and...I went a little overboard!

I did get One-Armed Sister, after having seen Bob's comment and reading reviews it was the first book I looked for. Also Whereabouts, The Arsonists' City, and others I remembered from LitHub or The Millions. I pretty much never buy hardcovers (I've been doing mostly library, e-books and audio), but I wanted to be able to surround myself with new books, and it just felt so joyous to be back there (able to browse!) seeing they'd been able to survive. (I talked to the one of the owners while I was there, and she said they're actually doing far more sales with online and curbside pickup than before the pandemic.) Being there felt like hope.

(My husband's eyes bulged out of their sockets when we came outside, but he managed not to say anything, lol.)

I may not buy anything else this year! But I have these bags in front of me, and oh my gosh, looking at them is so exciting. I feel like a little kid.

Elizabeth wrote: "Oh, happy day!

Last week my husband asked if I wanted to do something for Mother's Day, and I told him I wanted to buy books. :) So he made an appointment at our local bookstore...I just took my f..."

Yay - the perfect gift! My partner and family knows that's all I usually want too (books or trips to a bookstore). The local indies in Austin have been doing well with different safety measures for a while now and I've been so grateful. I'm glad yours is still going strong and congrats on your haul!

Elizabeth wrote: "Oh, happy day!

Last week my husband asked if I wanted to do something for Mother's Day, and I told him I wanted to buy books. :) So he made an appointment at our local bookstore...I just took my f..."

Two bags of books at a used bookstore that you actually want is probably less money than he would have spent on one new book and a dozen roses so... :) This sounds like heaven to me.

What a wonderful story Elizabeth. Happy Mother’s Day, and happy reading!

I heard a partial review of Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead and it sounded like a good fit for the tournament. Also this is her fifth book and I've never read her!

For me, another much anticipated novel that has been getting David Mitchell comparisons (my catnip) is Monica Byrne's The Actual Star: A Novel, coming out in September but I should see a galley soon....

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "For me, another much anticipated novel that has been getting David Mitchell comparisons (my catnip) is Monica Byrne's The Actual Star: A Novel, coming out in September but I should see a galley soon......."

I loved The Girl in the Road so I'm excited to hear she has a new one (finally!) In fact, 'Girl' was so good I'm not even daunted by the new one's 600+ page length. Any book that's Mitchell-adjacent has my attention too! I'm looking forward to your review of the galley!

Nadine wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "For me, another much anticipated novel that has been getting David Mitchell comparisons (my catnip) is Monica Byrne's The Actual Star: A Novel, coming out in September ..."
Oh goodness I loved The Girl in the Road too (if you have the paperback I have a blurb in there!) But I always feel nobody knows it! It kind of slipped into that crevice between literary and scifi.

You might enjoy reading this article about how the only known or observed sample of metallic hydrogen disappeared, maybe.
https://www.sciencealert.com/the-worl...

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Oh goodness I loved The Girl in the Road too (if you have the paperback I have a blurb in there!)..."

I do! "This book defied my expectations at every turn" Jenny (Reading Envy), 5 stars." Now I'm famous-adjacent!

Nadine wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Oh goodness I loved The Girl in the Road too (if you have the paperback I have a blurb in there!)..."

I do! "This book defied my expectations at every turn" Jenny (Rea..."
You've been guests on the same podcast too. ;)

Will the new Rachel Cusk make the cut? She is not an author I enjoy reading but I might try....again.

I didn't see a thread for the Summer Reading yet, so I come here to report that Detransition, Baby is available for 6.99 as an ebook on Apple and amazon.

I really liked A Touch of Jen by Beth Morgan and since I've finished it I've been thinking, ok, ok, this REALLY REMINDS ME OF A TOB BOOK...and then I realized I was thinking of Golden State by Ben Winters. It would make a great TOB book and I'm fairly certain anyone who liked Golden State would like this novel too.

poingu wrote: "I really liked A Touch of Jen by Beth Morgan and since I've finished it I've been thinking, ok, ok, this REALLY REMINDS ME OF A TOB BOOK...and then I realized I was thinking of [boo..."

Gosh, I read your review and this looks so good. I'm fascinated by the blurb, and I want to read it NOW (but I don't do Netgalley. Sigh.) Thanks, adding it to TBR!

Elizabeth wrote: "Gosh, I read your review and this looks so good. I'm fascinated by the blurb, and I want to read it NOW (but I don't do Netgalley. Sigh.) Thanks, adding it to TBR! ..."

Netgalley is my covid-19 response--it was torture for me (and still is) to have no access to the 'New Fiction' shelf in my library and the pandemic overcame my intense dislike for ebooks. It is pretty obnoxious to be posting about not-published books though. At least this one is coming out in a month. The cover distresses me a lot--it's so much better than the cover.

But yeah, for anyone who didn't like the intense storytelling swerve in Golden State (which I adored) this book may not top your list of favorites.

lark benobi wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Gosh, I read your review and this looks so good. I'm fascinated by the blurb, and I want to read it NOW (but I don't do Netgalley. Sigh.) Thanks, adding it to TBR! ..."

Netgalley..."

The last fifth of Golden State wasn't my favorite, but I had enough fun with the rest that it didn't bother me.

I mostly read ebooks these days (or do audio) but I don't write enough reviews to justify Netgalley. It tempts me so much whenever I see The Millions/LitHub lists and see people reviewing prerelease! But it's hardly like I need more books on my plate. lol

I think Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder might be a fun read for 2022. Lark, I know you've read this one already.

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I think Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder might be a fun read for 2022. Lark, I know you've read this one already."

It was good fun and has already been optioned for a movie to be produced by, and maybe starring, Amy Adams.

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I think Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder might be a fun read for 2022. Lark, I know you've read this one already."

Yes, Nightbitch seems to me like it has ToB vibes/a sparkle emanating from it. (As well as A Touch of Jen that I notice you just read, Lark!) ALSO JUST NOTICED Lark that you are publishing a book with Ecco! Congrats! Added it to my list. :D