Mormon Lit's August Insanity thmonth of theric

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Good news: my nine-year-old son loves me more than James's nine-year-old daughter loves him. But it's okay because I love him.



Reasoning:

[Tennis Shoes] sounds interesting. I'ld kind of like to read it.

Bound on Earth sounds funny when one of the girls' husbands go crazy. The other one sounds interesting, the guy who had to end his mission. It would be interesting to know about all the people who lived after the war.

Hooligan. Becuase I'm reading Tom Sawyer right now, it would be interesting to compare them. And it would also kind of be interesting to learn if they were similar in their tricks and stuff, and what adventures they each had.

I think Byuck partly because of the play with the stuff, and I think it would help me learn more about BYU. The Backslider doesn't sound interesting to me. But Byuck---is that how you pronounce it---sounds better.

I think Saturday's Warrior would be more intersting but Death of a Disco Dancer would also be interesting. But I want to know how Saturday's Warrior ends.

I think Added Upon. It just sounds better to me, because I kind of want to know about how they were in heaven then on Earth and become friends and then the Millenium happens.

Martyrs' Crossing because I would like to know how they defeat the king and the part inbetween with the heaven and the world and all the books ever written. I kind of know all the stuff in the other won.

I can't decide in between these two! I think A Short Stay in Hell, but it's still really hard. The Dialogue between Joseph Smith and the Devil sounds interesting too even though it's not really a book.

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Tennis Shoes because I like time travel.

I think Byuck because I kind of like plays and rock-star music.

I think Added Upon because--I geuss because it would be interesting to see how they meet each other on the Earth.

A Short Stay in Hell because there's so many more books and it would be interesting to see all the things the guy does in the giant library and how he finds his book.

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Hmmm. Can we come back?

A Short Stay in Hell because I hope to know what some of the other books are.

Because it talks about how they prepare for their play, that's why [Byuck].

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I think Byuck because it also would be interesting--say one of the kids isn't too good at the instrument he has to play or isn't good at memorizing the music. That little part would be intersting to me.

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Last March Madness, some teachers at my school invited me to fill out a bracket and play for bragging rights. I decided to play the odds. Leave hope and story out entirely. I picked the higher ranked team in every single matchup. And I was right on more games than anyone else who played.

I've decided to go for equal heartlessness with August Insanity*. I'll not be swayed by Cinderella stories. I'm just picking likely winners.

*(see the Mormon Lit Blitz Facebook page for more information)

So here's my reasoning, in counterclockwise inward spiral. I'll throw up my bracket itself in the comments.

>>>>Folk of the Fringe vs Tennis Shoes Among the Lamanites

Unless the Skip Ender's Game people hear about this contest, I don't see Heimerdinger winning this one. His is a charming book I loved as a kid and Card's is a book I bought ten years ago and still haven't read, but Card simply has more fans among likely voters, methinks.

>>>>Children of the Promise vs Bound on Earth

Dean Hughes is an important writer and a terrific storyteller. But so is Angela Hallstrom and she's a poet besides. This might come down though to which branch of MoLit fannery shows up in larger numbers to vote. But I think Angela will win the day.

>>>>Charly vs Hooligan

Charly is a book people don't like to admit liking. Hooligan is a book people don't like to admit not liking. Ergo, Hooligan.

>>>>The Backslider vs Byuck

When I first saw what Byuck was up against I threw up my hands and said better luck next year. But then it occurred to me that Levi Peterson is not likely to mount a campaign. AND I CAN. Cf. thmazing.blogspot.com. Besides, as more than one person has mentioned, if people vote by cover, I got this all nailed down.

>>>>A Dialogue Between Joseph Smith and the Devil vs A Short Stay in Hell

Tough one. But you may have noticed a trend where I choose the book people are excited about now over established classics. And few books are more Exciting Right Now than Steve's. So Soren's visit to over Satan's visit from.

>>>>The Five Books of Jesus vs Martyrs' Crossing

Hoo. Tough one. But James has a serious advantage over Mel in that his words are more readily available to readers. And he has the sort of advantage an incumbant president has in that, as the runner of the shebang, he naturally is the most visible participant. He'll take this round easily. Sorry, Mel.

>>>>Added Upon vs Dispirited

This is the only time I'm giving a classic the win. Not because Luisa is less beloved than other writers but because Nephi Anderson is undergoing a bit of renaissance and this is the only book of his people recognize by title. Plus, I don't think voters want ALL the classics to lose. And I'm guessing Luisa is just unlucky to be going against the most famous of all Mormon novels.

>>>>Saturday's Warrior vs Death of a Disco Dancer

In some ways, Saturday's Warrior has the greatest advantage of all the classics in that it comes packaged with tunes many of us still play in our internal jukeboxes. But I suspect that, barring the arrival of a major fan contingent, this will result in a kneejerk backlash. Besides, can anyone seriously argue that Disco Dancer is in any way inferior to its competition?

>>>>Folk of the Fringe vs Bound on Earth

Bound on Earth will take this one unless the large science-fiction contingent of LDS readers swoops in to defend their preeminent contestant.

>>>>Hooligan vs Byuck

Against some of Thayer's other books, I would be in big trouble. And people won't want to reward me for beating Backslider. But I think the campaign can take Hooligan. Theric over Thayer.

>>>>The Five Books of Jesus vs A Short Stay in Hell

Here we have the two best connected contestants. This one might be the most voted-upon contest in the entire event. But I see James winning. That presidential advantage will take him through this tight spot.

>>>>Death of a Disco Dancer vs Added Upon

Ultimately, people think Added Upon is more important than good. I can't see it winning twice. Sorry, Nephi. You know I love you, bro. Bring your A-game next time.

>>>>Bound on Earth vs Byuck

And here my cheerful ride ends. Those who think Angela's book is better (pretty much everyone) and those who think I really should not have beat Backslider (pretty much everyone) will be glad for this opp to kick me out of the tourney. It's been fun, guys!

>>>>The Five Books of Jesus vs Death of a Disco Dancer

This will be James's easiest win. Death of a Disco Dancer is a terrific novel, but it's just not as widely known.

>>>>Bound on Earth vs The Five Books of Jesus

I see Angela seeming to be the favorite but ultimately unable to overcome James's social capital.

Which will leave James to face awkward questions as angry Lex de Azevedo fans begin screaming that the whole thing was rigged from the start.