Guessing the NBA Fiction Longlist

10 books worth reading even if they don't win

Hello Readers.

As I teased last week, I’m playing along with the

Book Riot Podcast

hosts’ attempts to guess the National Book Award in fiction longlist, which will be announced in the New Yorker later this week.

A simplified scoring system

I found the scoring system

Rebecca Schinsky

and

Jeff O'Neal

are using to be a bit Byzantine. It’s like they think knowing about new releases is their job or something. I’ve simplified it for the rest of us.

• The book you’re most confident will show up on the list is worth 10 points if it makes it. And -10 if not.

• Choose three high confidence titles for +/-3 points each

• Choose three medium confidence titles for +/-2 points each

• Add three wild cards, dark horses, underdogs for +/- 1 point each

• Maximum score: 28. Minimum score: -28

It’s not too late to submit your own guess. I had said 9/9 at 11:59, but then I realized the Fiction list won’t be announced until Friday, September 13. So have at it until Thursday, if you want.

My thought process

This was tough— it feels like it has been a great year for new b…