Video: 2018 Tournament of Books Bracket Predictions
The brackets are upon us! Time for Tournament of Books bracket predictions.
I’m quite taken with the Tournament of Books, which pits the previous year’s best books against each other in a deathmatch to find the ultimate winner. You can check out just a few of my posts about it here, here, here, or you can go to the horse’s mouth and get info straight from the competition originators, The Morning News.
I’ve made some bold predictions for who I think will make it in these March-Madness-style brackets. One important note: these predictions aren’t based on which book I personally think is better. Obviously, they’re all good books since they made it to the Tournament. It’s pure bracketology. Nothin’ personal here.
Without further ado, here are my 2018 Tournament of Books bracket predictions.
FIRST ROUND
March 7
Pre-ToB Play-in, judged by Angela Chen
Stephen Florida v. Savage Theories v. The Idiot
Predicted winner: Stephen Florida
March 8
judged by Meaghan O’Connell
Lincoln in the Bardo v. Fever Dream
Predicted winner: Lincoln in the Bardo
March 9
judged by Ismail Muhammad
White Tears v. PLAY-IN WINNER (I think it’ll be Stephen Florida)
Predicted winner: Stephen Florida
March 12
judged by Ruth Curry
Manhattan Beach v. Dear Cyborgs
Predicted winner: Manhattan Beach
March 13
judged by Caitlin Roper
The End of Eddy v. Lucky Boy
Predicted winner: Lucky Boy
March 14
judged by Maris Kreizman
Sing, Unburied, Sing v. The Book of Joan
Predicted winner: Sing, Unburied, Sing
March 15
judged by Merritt Tierce
Pachinko v. So Much Blue
Predicted winner: Pachinko
March 16
judged by Patrick Hoffman
Predicted winner: The Animators
March 19
judged by Jeffrey Cranor
Goodbye, Vitamin v. Idaho
Predicted winner: Goodbye, Vitamin
QUARTERFINALS
March 20
judged by Jaya Saxena
TBD v. TBD
I predict it’ll be Lincoln in the Bardo vs. Stephen Florida
Predicted winner: Lincoln in the Bardo
March 21
judged by Rumaan Alam
TBD v. TBD
I predict it’ll be Manhattan Beach vs. Lucky Boy
Predicted winner: Manhattan Beach
March 22
judged by Lauren Cohen
TBD v. TBD
I predict it’ll be Sing, Unburied, Sing vs. Pachinko
Predicted winner: Sing, Unburied, Sing
March 23
judged by Bryan Mealer
TBD v. TBD
I predict it’ll be The Animators vs. Goodbye, Vitamin
Predicted winner: The Animators
SEMIFINALS
March 26
judged by Shelly Oria
TBD v. TBD
I predict it’ll be Lincoln in the Bardo vs. Manhattan Beach
Predicted winner: Lincoln in the Bardo
March 27
judged by Ashley C. Ford
TBD v. TBD
I predict it’ll be Sing, Unburied, Sing vs. The Animators
Predicted winner: Sing, Unburied, Sing
ZOMBIE ROUND
March 28
judged by Juliet Lapidos
TBD v. TBD
I predict it’ll be Stephen Florida vs. Lincoln in the Bardo
Predicted winner: Lincoln in the Bardo
March 29
judged by Joseph Fink
TBD v. TBD
I predict it’ll be Pachinko vs. Sing, Unburied, Sing
Predicted winner: Sing, Unburied, Sing
CHAMPIONSHIP
March 30
judged by all judges
TBD v. TBD
I predict it’ll be Lincoln in the Bardo v. Sing, Unburied, Sing
PREDICTED GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Sing, Unburied, Sing
Hooray for Sing, Unburied, Sing!
It’s just so visionary, I predict big things for it in the ToB and beyond.
Side note: it has already achieved great things in the “beyond” part of this equation, winning the National Book Award.
Watch this Tournament of Books video and other bookish videos on my Read Remark YouTube channel.
If you’re curious, here is my completed bracket:
