This time I have a solid excuse for being late with our Tournament of Books update: the brackets have disappeared. Where once hung our ToB picks now hang bookmarks we’re all meant to be judging for our 2012 BookMark Contest. So I can’t tell you where anyone stands. But I can tell you what’s been happening.
Semifinals Round #1
Lightning Rods v. 1Q84
Judge: Michelle Orange, author of This is Running for Your Life
Kester had I had a chat about this round the other day. We were both like, no way is Lightning Rods taking 1Q84. It isn’t possible. If this happens, the very fabric of the universe has to be called into question.
Winner:
Is that the space-time continuum undulating under your feet, or are you just stomping in disbelief at this decision? Since NONE of us predicted Lightning Rods would go anywhere, I can safely say even without the brackets in front of me that no bookseller here scored a point this round.
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Semifinals Round #2
The Sisters Brothers v. Open City
Judge: Alyssa Rosenberg, culture blogger for ThinkProgress and a correspondent for TheAtlantic.com.
Continuing our conversation from the other day, Kester and I went on to agree that if this whole Tournament wound up to be Lightning Rods v. Open City, well.
Well.
Winner:
The only one of us who ever chose Open City for anything was Trevor, so he may or may not have earned a point this round. Who knows. Brackets have evaporated.
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Zombie Round #1: A match of DeWitts!
We’ve been holding our breath for the zombie rounds ever since Art of Fielding kicked the bucket way back when. Glad to see The Sisters Brothers make a comeback here.
The Sisters Brothers v. Lightning Rods
Judge: E. Lockhart, author of eight young-adult novels, a finalist for the National Book Award and a Printz honor recipient for The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, which was also a ToB contestant (and Zombie) in 2009.
First of all, Lockhart wins my heart with this line, “I write for teenagers, and the books I read for work are often pretty horndoggy—but never creatively filthy.” Horndoggy! She expected to pick Lightning Rods. Why not? Everyone else had, right?
Not E. Lockhart!
Winner:
Lockhart also won my heart by bringing Chekov to bear on her final decision: “Chekov said, “Cut a good story anywhere, and it will bleed.” It’s a quotation I think about often. Lightning Rods is bloodless, for all its eroticism and smarts. The Sisters Brothers bleeds its guts out on every page. It wins the round.”
I’m sure some of us picked this as our Zombie Pick. Someone, somewhere has earned a point.
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Zombie Round #2:
Oh, sweet space-time continuum, there is a reason to your rhyme, after all! Look who came back this round:
The Art of Fielding v. Open City
Judge: Walter Kirn
Unfortunately, personal issues prevented Kirn from submitting an explanation for his selection, so now we will never know WHY? WHY? WHY?
Winner:
All right, ToB, you’ve convinced me. I’ll read Open City next, I promise. Again, the only person who picked Open City for anything was Trevor, so he may or may not have earned a point this round.
Tomorrow is the final round. Since we pretty much ALL chose The Art of Fielding for the win, this is a bust for us, but the excitement to see who wins still stands! This Tournament has most certainly been chock full of unexpected surprises. These judges, they’re a wily bunch. Hoyt and Kester will provide full final coverage of the whole Tournament after the final round. Will Hoyt finally defend the legitimacy of his double bracket system? Stay tuned!
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