Librarians pick great books.

The IMPAC Dublin Shortlist is out. It's the only award in the universe selected entirely by librarians (the longlist, anyway). This year, I was promised a spot on the selection committee for my library but my follow up emails were ignored. I am not bitter. I am, however, annoyed by the shortlist. I know it's an international award, which means there are some titles on it that are not so new to us because selections are made based on world-wide availability. Still, I hate seeing old news titles on a brand new shortlist. I live in the moment. I live fast and die young. Or live quiet and stay cranky. Whatever.

That said, I really, really, sincerely and enthusiastically, hope The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz takes home the gold. This book was so moving and funny and kind-hearted and multifaceted and just generally awesome. There are not enough books written with overweight, Tolkein-obsessed Dominican kids at their core.