Slowly I turn

After a long period of inactivity, we're back at the controls around here, and to my mind what better kick off than the 2011 Tournament of Books sponsored by the venerable Powells.

A round robin bloodsport that's similar in some ways to Canada Reads, but on a larger scope.
And what a list!
The rules are inside the link.

The 16 Books That Will Compete in Our Seventh Annual Battle Royale

Booksellers and readers, please note that we’ll soon have a beautiful brackets poster that you can use for displays, gambling, cubicle decoration, etc. Keep an eye on TMN and Twitter.

• The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, by Aimee Bender
• Nox, by Anne Carson
• Bad Marie, by Marcy Dermansky
• Room, by Emma Donoghue
• A Visit From the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan
• Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen
• Lord of Misrule, by Jaimy Gordon
• Bloodroot, by Amy Greene
• Next, by James Hynes
• The Finkler Question, by Howard Jacobson
• Skippy Dies, by Paul Murray
• Model Home, by Eric Puchner
• So Much for That, by Lionel Shriver
• Super Sad True Love Story, by Gary Shteyngart
• Kapitoil, by Teddy Wayne
• Savages, by Don Winslow