France vs. USA [World Cup of Literature: Quarterfinals]
After two exciting quarterfinal match ups yesterday—with Chile and Mexico moving on to the semifinals—we’re back today with two “impossible to call” matches. First up is Michel Houellebecq and the pride of France facing off against America’s David Foster Wallace as The Map and the ...
>
Mexico vs. Uruguay [World Cup of Literature: Quarterfinals]
The second quarterfinal matchup today features Mexican author Valeria Luiselli’s Faces in the Crowd up against Uruguay stalwart Mario Benedetti and his The Rest Is Jungle. Luiselli got to this match by sliding past the Croatian representative Dubravka Ugresic and her Baba Yaga Laid an Egg 3-2 and then running ...
>
Chile vs. Italy [World Cup of Literature: Quarterfinals]
The first quarterfinal matchup features two prominent, stellar authors: Roberto Bolaño represents Chile with his novel By Night in Chile, facing off against Italian author Elena Ferrante and her Days of Abandonment. Bolaño made it to this point by annihilating the Netherlands and Koch’s The Dinner by a score of ...
>
Nothing Ever Happens
You are not ashamed of what you do, but of what they see you do. Without realizing it, life can be an accumulation of secrets that permeates every last minute of our routine . . . The narrative history of José Ovejero’s Nothing Ever Happens lies in its five protagonists (the chapters are titled with the names of the ...
>
The Quarterfinal Matchups [World Cup of Literature]
Now that all of the second round matches have been decided, it’s time for an updated bracket. You can download a PDF version here. These quarterfinal matches are all pretty tight . . . And, they’ll all be decided over the next two days. Today, Monday, July 7th, Chile (By Night in Chile by Roberto ...
>
USA vs. Belgium [World Cup of Literature: Second Round]
This match was judged by Lori Feathers. For more info on the World Cup of Literature, read this, and download the updated bracket. Conventional wisdom pronounced that Team USA would face a quick death in this year’s World Cup: drawing into the “group of death”; no superstar players; Coach Klinsmann’s ...
>
Argentina vs. France [World Cup of Literature: Second Round]
This match was judged by Tom Roberge. For more info on the World Cup of Literature, read this, and download the updated bracket. I genuinely love the World Cup. And yet every four years I’m reminded why I haven’t picked an English Premier League team to support, why in the end I’m glad it’s over, why I have no ...
>