Just before Christmas, I posted on the 2011 Tournament of Books long list here, and welcomed all to let the smack talk reign. Early. What belonged on the list. What did not. Today the short list was released, and any disappointments in that list of sixteen were completely overshadowed by the joy of seeing Nox by Anne Carson included. So deserved but so unlikely. And in such, ahem, interesting company too. Can it win? This is a sweet sixteen for book geeks. Anything is possible.
What is on the list?
- The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, by Aimee Bender (gag)
- Nox, by Anne Carson (should win if any justice in world)
- Bad Marie, by Marcy Dermansky (interested)
- Room, by Emma Donoghue (uneven, gimmicky)
- A Visit From the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan (own, unread)
- Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen (own, unread, bristle at thought of reading, allergic to words "family saga")
- Lord of Misrule, by Jaimy Gordon (no clue)
- Bloodroot, by Amy Greene (no clue)
- Next, by James Hynes (neuroses and terrorism, will have to ponder)
- The Finkler Question, by Howard Jacobson (own, unread)
- Skippy Dies, by Paul Murray (own, unread)
- Model Home, by Eric Puchner (not even remotely interested)
- So Much for That, by Lionel Shriver (pass)
- Super Sad True Love Story, by Gary Shteyngart (enjoyed but ten steps in a different direction execution of premise could have sucked)
- Kapitoil, by Teddy Wayne (title unforgivably bad so I decided not to read it, gave it away)
- Savages, by Don Winslow (drug dealers, right?)
Attempted to parenthetically express my unfiltered opinions after each title. Because that is part of the fun. You should join in and do the same. Tell me how wrong I am.
I have a little work to do to be ready for March Madness. But won't read them all. Because I am certain that reading some of them would be painful for me. Looking forward to Skippy Dies, and hope that if Nox falls off the list, Skippy lives again and crushes others. Have no idea why I feel this way. Have not even read the book.