Updated with results for 2020: Let’s pick the best, together!

And the Book Madness winner is…

We went from 16 titles to 1 clear winner, and former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Becoming takes the prize!

Thanks to everyone who voted online these last two weeks; more than 450 votes were cast. Percentage breakdowns by rounds and individual pairings are available below. Funny to see how some contests were real nail biters, and others, well clearly not!

Now, the question is… should we do it again with new titles? New genres? Let us know »

Book Madness: Winning Bracket

The results

Want to know which title won by how much? See the breakdown of voting in each round below.

Championship Round

Title matchupsPercentage of votesWinner
1. Becoming by Michelle Obama72.2%
2. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng27.8%

Round 3: Final 4

Title matchupsPercentage of votesWinner
1. Becoming by Michelle Obama66.7%
1. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah33.3%
2. The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi
Coates
32%
2. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng68%

Round 2: Elite 8

Title matchupsPercentage of votesWinner
1. Becoming by Michelle Obama87.4%
1. Normal People by Sally Rooney12.6%
2. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah54.7%
2. Educated by Tara Westover45.3%
3. The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi
Coates
63.2%
3. Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane
Moriarty
36.8%
4. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng63.2%
4. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead36.8%

Round 1: Sweet 16

Title matchupsPercentage of votesWinner
1. Becoming by Michelle Obama79.4%
1. The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo20.6%
2. Normal People by Sally Rooney57.1%
2. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides49.2%
3. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah73.1%
3. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah26.9%
4. Educated by Tara Westover50.9%
4. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor
Towles
49.1%
5. The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi
Coates
56%
5. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett44%
6. Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane
Moriarty
62.9%
6. Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny37.1%
7. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng53.1%
7. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia
Owens
46.9%
8. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead77.1%
8. Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy
Brodesser-Aner
22.9%