presented by
The 2024 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes, is now over, and the 2024 Rooster went to Blackouts by Justin Torres, who said about the win:
I so love the spirit of this competition, and am grateful to the readers and reviewers for their care and consideration. To my mind, this tournament represents the best of literary culture—thoughtful, generous, and slightly ridiculous. And while “I can’t accept your prize cock, I have nowhere to put it” is not a sentence I ever expected to compose… I gladly accept the sentiment behind the cock; it fills my heart.
Relive the Action
Play-In Match
March 6 • Rufi Thorpe
The Auburn Conference v. The Bee Sting v. The Librarianist
Opening Round
March 7 • Leah Schnelbach
Blackouts v. Boys Weekend
March 8 • Anna E. Clark
Dayswork v. Cold People
March 11 • Dan Kois
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store v. Open Throat
March 12 • Lucy Tan
Big Swiss v. The Lost Journals of Sacajewea
March 13 • Isaac Fellman
The Guest v. The Shamshine Blind
March 14 • Stephen Krause
Chain-Gang All-Stars v. Brainwyrms
March 15 • Steffan Triplett
The Librarianist v. What You Are Looking for Is in the Library
March 18 • Tajja Isen
Monstrilio v. American Mermaid
Quarterfinals
March 19 • Nicole Acheampong
Blackouts v. Dayswork
March 20 • Natashia Deón
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store v. The Lost Journals of Sacajewea
March 21 • Dan Sinykin
The Guest v. Brainwyrms
March 22 • You
The Librarianist v. Monstrilio
Semifinals
March 25 • Elizabeth Minkel
Blackouts v. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
March 26 • Dan Sheehan
The Guest v. The Librarianist
Zombie Round
March 27 • Kyle Chayka
Blackouts v. The Bee Sting
March 28 • Johanna Fateman
The Librarianist v. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
Championship
March 29 • All judges
Blackouts v. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store