Whew. Who knew? Who knew that we'd take a little charity book reading tournament with sixteen titles and stretch the whole event into a three month cycle of life, death, life, a little more death and then...
Right. So before we announce the winner of the final bout in this year's Ides of March Madness book competition, allow us to give our grandest thanks and appreciation to The King's English and Jenn Northington in particular. Jenn has weathered the fits, starts, and moans of this year's effort with measurable patience. Also, many thanks to you, loyal followers, who have no doubt long abandoned the details of our paltry event for your summer pursuits but donated nonetheless to a wonderful cause, Book Wagon.
For mom and the two others who are still paying attention, we remind you that this year's final and unexpected match put Rachel Kushner's debut, Telex from Cuba up against Stieg Larsson's posthumously published The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
From the judging platform:
"Larsson's long character introductions and the well-developed and detailed plot lines--replete with misleading sub-stories and trap doors--gave every indication that the denouemoent could be nothing short of spectacular. As so often happens in mysteries, though, the final revelations come too quickly to provide the necessary jarring bite in an otherwise superbly wrought tale. Meanwhile, half a world away in the tropics, the sugar king Cuba of Kushner's Telex unfolds in tiny pieces, layering the narrative voices of children, revolutionaries, and American expat wives on the rum social circuit, among others, into the story of the decline of the Batista regime and rise of Castro's Cuba. Larsson's talent is missed already, and we won't miss the first chance to pick up the second of his mystery trilogy when it come to market in a few weeks. But Kushner's passionate narrative and succinct snapshot of Cuba at a pivitol moment leave an altogether better aftertaste days after turning the last page."
THE BIG WINNER: Telex from Cuba
Wow. I really thought The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo was going to win. Interesting.
Posted by: Britt | June 26, 2009 at 12:39 PM