{"title":"George Saunders","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGeorge Saunders\u003c\/strong\u003e offers a unique blend of sharp wit, poignant insight, and inventive storytelling that explores the complexities of human nature. His work ranges from darkly humorous short stories to imaginative historical fiction, often blending the surreal with moments of profound empathy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect a rich tapestry of voices and styles, from the satirical to the tender, that challenge conventional narrative forms. Saunders' collection invites reflection on society and self, with an unmistakable voice that balances humour and heart in equal measure.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"lincoln-in-the-bardo","title":"Lincoln in the Bardo","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWINNER OF THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2017\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA STORY OF LOVE AFTER DEATH\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘A masterpiece’ Zadie Smith\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘Extraordinary’ \u003ci\u003eDaily Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘Breathtaking’ \u003ci\u003eObserver\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘A tour de force’ \u003ci\u003eThe Sunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGeorge Saunders' extraordinary debut novel, \u003ci\u003eLincoln in the Bardo\u003c\/i\u003e, weaves a heart-rending story set against the backdrop of the American Civil War. As the battle-lines are drawn and a nation is torn asunder, President Abraham Lincoln faces a personal tragedy: his beloved eleven-year-old son, Willie, falls grievously ill and succumbs to a fever. Willie is interred in the crypt of a Georgetown cemetery, where, overcome by unfathomable sorrow, Lincoln is rumoured to return several times to hold his boy’s lifeless body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhile grounded in this deeply human and historical moment, Saunders takes the tale into a poignant, surreal territory known as the bardo, a Tibetan concept of a transitional state between death and rebirth. Here, Willie Lincoln's soul lingers, encountering a cacophony of spirits, each with their own tales of love, regret, and unfinished business. The disembodied voices - be they raucous or reflective, desperate or tender - paint a vivid picture of this state between worlds where the living and dead intermingle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThrough this supernatural lens, \u003ci\u003eLincoln in the Bardo\u003c\/i\u003e conjures a multi-faceted narrative, rich with humour, pathos, and philosophical inquiries. Saunders crafts a kaleidoscope of voices, offering glimpses into the perspectives of historical figures, fictional entities, and those who knew the Lincolns. The spectral inhabitants of the cemetery, with their myriad stories, engage in poignant dialogues and confrontations, ultimately embroiling young Willie's soul in a climactic struggle for salvation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUnfolding over the course of a single, extraordinary night, this novel challenges readers with its inventive structure and imparts a profound meditation on love, loss, and the nature of existence. Saunders' deft blend of historical realism and supernatural invention affirms his standing as one of the most innovative and significant writers of our time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith its unique form and emotionally resonant storytelling, \u003ci\u003eLincoln in the Bardo\u003c\/i\u003e poses the timeless question: how do we endure in a world where everything we cherish must inevitably come to an end? This tour de force is not just a novel but an exploration of the human condition, rendered with Saunders' signature humour, eloquence, and grace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45706532978924,"sku":"9781408871775","price":19.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781408871775.jpg?v=1725888978"},{"product_id":"pastoralia","title":"Pastoralia","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePastoralia\u003c\/em\u003e by George Saunders is a masterful collection of six stories that delves into the absurdities of contemporary life with surreal and darkly comic precision. 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Their existence is a blend of mundane rituals and Kafkaesque absurdity, amplified by the draconian rules of their employers which forbid speaking and enforce rigid conformity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnother story follows a luckless man attending a bewildering self-help seminar that urges him to \"rid himself of all the people who are ‘crapping in your oatmeal’.\" This darkly humorous take on motivational culture critiques the shallow promises of self-improvement fads.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eElsewhere, a male exotic dancer and his family find themselves haunted by their decomposing aunt, who brings an eerie message from beyond the grave. This tale combines elements of horror with uproarious comedy, showcasing Saunders' unique ability to blend genres seamlessly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith an uncanny mix of deadpan naturalism and irreverent humour, George Saunders creates characters who are simultaneously outlandish and poignantly relatable. 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How necessary, at our particular moment’ \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTessa Hadley\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e________________\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e-bestselling, Booker Prize-winning author of \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003eLincoln in the Bardo\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e and \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003eTenth of December\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e comes a literary masterclass on what makes great stories work and what they can tell us about ourselves - and our world today.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor the last twenty years, George Saunders has been teaching a class on the Russian short story to his MFA students at Syracuse University. In \u003ci\u003eA Swim in a Pond in the Rain\u003c\/i\u003e, he shares a version of that class with us, offering some of what he and his students have discovered together over the years. Paired with iconic short stories by Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Gogol, the seven essays in this book are intended for anyone interested in how fiction works and why it’s more relevant than ever in these turbulent times.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn his introduction, Saunders writes, “We’re going to enter seven fastidiously constructed scale models of the world, made for a specific purpose that our time maybe doesn’t fully endorse but that these writers accepted implicitly as the aim of art—namely, to ask the big questions, questions like, How are we supposed to be living down here? What were we put here to accomplish? What should we value? What is truth, anyway, and how might we recognize it?” He approaches the stories technically yet accessibly, and through them explains how narrative functions; why we stay immersed in a story and why we resist it; and the bedrock virtues a writer must foster. 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With his trademark prose—wickedly funny, unsentimental, and perfectly tuned—Saunders continues to challenge and surprise: here is a collection of prismatic, deeply resonant stories that encompass joy and despair, oppression and revolution, bizarre fantasy and brutal reality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Love Letter' is a tender missive from grandfather to grandson, in the midst of a dystopian political situation in the not-too-distant future, that reminds us of our obligations to our ideals, ourselves, and each other. 'Ghoul' is set in a Hell-themed section of an underground amusement park in Colorado, and follows the exploits of a lonely, morally complex character named Brian, who comes to question everything he takes for granted about his 'reality.' In 'Mother’s Day', two women who loved the same man come to an existential reckoning in the middle of a hailstorm. 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