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Honduras vs. Bosnia & Herzegovina [World Cup of Literature: Second Round]

This match was judged by Stephen Sparks. For more info on the World Cup of Literature, read this, and download the updated bracket. The battle between Honduras and Bosnia and Herzegovina is a contrast in style. This is obvious as the two teams line up for pre-match ceremonies: on one side, Horacio Castellanos Moya’s ...

Japan vs. Italy [World Cup of Literature: Second Round]

This match was judged by Rhea Lyons. For more info on the World Cup of Literature, read this, and download the updated bracket. One of the first games of the second round finds Elena Ferrante’s Days of Abandonment pitted against the Japanese juggernaut 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. Ferrante’s Days of ...

Brazil vs. Chile [World Cup of Literature: Second Round]

This match was judged by Jeff Waxman. For more info on the World Cup of Literature, read this, and download the updated bracket. It’s hard watching the first round, shoulder to shoulder with other sweating fans at wobbling tables that would sacrifice the first inch of your beer if you ever set it down. It’s ...

First Round Complete! [World Cup of Literature]

The first round of the inaugural World Cup of Literature is complete! Over the past two weeks, we’ve seen sixteen books eliminated from the competition for a variety of reasons. (Click here to read all of the pieces from the first round.) The second round starts—and finishes—next week, so for those of you ...

Germany vs. Ghana [World Cup of Literature: First Round]

This match was judged by James Crossley. For more info on the World Cup of Literature, read this, and download the bracket. It’s an alliterative pair of nations facing off in the final match of the first round, as Ghana takes on Germany. On grass this is a bit of a mismatch, with the European squad ranked second in ...

Uruguay vs. Costa Rica [World Cup of Literature: First Round]

This match was judged by Kaija Straumanis. For more info on the World Cup of Literature, read this, and download the bracket. One of my personal concerns going into the World Cup of Literature was ending up with a book I had already read—something that quickly became not an issue at all, since out of the 32 ...

Belgium vs. South Korea [World Cup of Literature: First Round]

This match was judged by Scott Esposito. For more info on the World Cup of Literature, read this, and download the bracket. Everybody knows you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, and I’m trying damn hard to resist doing just that, but the fact remains that the cover of the St. Martin’s edition of The ...