Between 3 and 45

I was checking my emails every half an hour yesterday — wishing for the results of the first round of nominations. But, of course, that was an unreasonable desire: the Chair had to collate fifteen people’s nominations and format them in a way that makes sense into a word document with write-ups and spread sheets with #’s and other basic information. Steven sent it out before midnight west coast time — and I woke up with the information loaded in my gmail and thus my phone. Before even putting on my glasses at 6:00 a.m., I was reading the nominations…. You guessed it — it’s not THREE titles. (If everyone had nominated the same three books, that would have been the case.) And it’s not FORTY-FIVE titles (everyone nominating completely different three books.) It is somewhere in between. But I can’t tell anyone the exact number. I CAN, though, share my various reactions: I am DELIGHTED and EXCITED by the strong support of certain titles. I am PUZZLED by some of the choices. I am RELIEVED to see that I’ve read and thought hard on almost all the titles except for a couple and that can easily be remedied. I am MOTIVATED by some nominations to read the nominating paragraphs carefully and also to re-read really really carefully and figure out why my own initial reactions are so at odds with some of my committee members. I am EAGER to continue reading and finding fall/winter titles that might have not been on anyone’s radar yet. I am IMPRESSED by the professionalism and thoughtfulness of all my fellow committee members. And I am definitely HUMBLED by the intelligence and elegance shown in my colleagues’ nominating paragraphs. Now, continue reading!