Book Madness Champion 2018

“I’ve found that there is always some beauty left — in nature, sunshine, freedom, in yourself; these can all help you.” – Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

The Diary of a Young Girl took the UW Book Madness crown over Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women in the final round – taking 63% of the votes – after knocking out other favorites such as  The Crucible, A Wrinkle in Time, and The Kite Runner. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and The Great Gatsby rounded out this year’s UW Book Madness Final Four.

See the final completed bracket here.

#UWBookMadness Number Crunching

• Closest Vote: Four pairings were decided by only 1 vote:
  • Hidden Figures lost to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in Round 1.
  • The Count of Monte Cristo lost to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo in Round 3.
  • The Princess Bride lost to I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings in Round 3.
  • Animal Farm lost to I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings in Round 4.
• Biggest thumping: The Color Purple outshone The Notebook in Round 1, winning 84% of their votes.
• Total individuals casting votes: 1,485
• Total votes cast: 14,674
• 2017 results: To Kill a Mockingbird over Green Eggs and Ham 65%-35%
• 2016 results: Matilda over Emma 57%-43%
• 2015 results: The Hobbit over 1984 61%-39%
• 2014 results: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban over Game of Thrones 67-33%
• 2013 results: The Lord of the Rings over Pride and Prejudice 64%-36%

Can’t get enough?

You can find a copy of The Diary of a Young Girl, or any of this year’s competitors, at a UW-Madison Library via our Library Catalog.

And keep an eye on those reading lists this summer – there are only 10 months to prepare for UW Book Madness 2019.