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Home > Blogs > Arts and Entertainment > Archives > 2010 > April > 01 > Entry
Library down to ‘final 4’ of novels
The Dayton Metro Library’s “Books and Brackets Tournament” is down to its final four.
What started in round one as 64 books vying for the best American novel has been reduced to a final quartet in a “tournament” of online voting.
Announced Thursday, April 1, semi-final matchups pit Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” vs. John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” and J. D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye” vs. Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”
The brainchild of library community relations manager Mark Willis, the first-year competition was fashioned after the NCAA basketball tournament.
He got the idea last year, but too late to do it during the 2009 basketball tournament. This year’s tournament will have its semi-finals starting Saturday, April 3.
“I’d be happy to share it with other libraries. It would be interesting to see the different results in different places.” Willis said. “We’re looking at doing it every year Maybe next year, the tournament can be for the best American author. After that, maybe the best children’s book, the best play, and so on.”
To reach the final four, “To Kill a Mockingbird” conquered “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” 221-65, “Of Mice and Men” whipped “The Call of the Wild” 191-82, “Catcher in the Rye” threshed “Catch 22” 156-111, and “Huckleberry Finn” eked past “Grapes of Wrath” 146-132.
Semi-final voting will continue through Friday, April 2. Balloting on the last two books will run from Saturday, April 3, through 5 p.m. on Monday, April 5.
“It’s interesting that in “Huck Finn” and “Catcher in the Rye” we have two books about wanderers and in “Mockingbird” and “Mice and Men” we have two about honorable men trying to reach decisions in tough situations,” Willis said.
To cast a ballot or check out the complete bracket, go to www.daytonmetrolibrary.org.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Literary arts
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By NCF
April 1, 2010 3:21 PM | Link to this
Drat. I should have turned in my bracket. I have Mockingbird v Catcher in the Final, and am hoping for Mockingbird to be the Champion.