Have you been following the Morning News's Tournament of Books closely? Then you already understand how the tournament works, who's been winning and losing, and what that Rooster is all about ? and you can explain it all to me. But if not, it's time to catch up. The tournament is now officially over. Ali Smith's
The Accidental has just bested Sam Lipsyte's
Home Land to win this year's Cock???er Rooster.
Disappointed Lipsyte fans can take comfort in their American Spirits, and the fact that it was a very close contest. With seventeen judges voting, the result was a nail-biting nine to seven. Those of you with basic math skills may notice that there's a vote missing (nine plus seven does not equal seventeen, now does it?). Alas, Dale Peck was too disgusted at the state of contemporary fiction to vote (though, unfortunately, not too disgusted to compose and submit a long-winded lecture about it).
Fortunately, the rest of the judges did find the strength to vote. To read their frank assessments of both books, please click here.