Book Madness Champion 2018

April 11, 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 RunnerI 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.