CivilWarLand in Bad Decline : Stories and a Novella

One of the most influential works of modern American fiction is available for the first time as an eBook, featuring exclusive content not found in the print editions, including an additional short story and original commentary from George Saunders and Joshua Ferris. Since its publication in 1996, George Saunderss debut collection has grown in estimation from a cherished cult classic to a masterpiece of the form and inspired an entire generation of writers. In six stories (CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, Isabelle, The Wavemaker Falters, The 400-Pound CEO, Offloading for Mrs. Schwartz, Downtrodden Marys Failed Campaign of Terror) and a novella (Bounty), Saunders introduces readers to an unforgettable cast of characters struggling to survive in an increasingly haywire world. This eBook edition is the perfect occasion to discover or revisit a virtuosic, uniquely American voice. Now available are a bonus short story, A Lack of Order in the Floating Object Room, originally published in 1986 but no longer in print; a new Afterword by George Saunders discussing his life and career at the time he wrote these stories; a new Introduction by National Book Award finalist and PEN/Hemingway Award winner Joshua Ferris; and an excerpt from Saunderss upcoming collection, Tenth of December. Praise for George Saunders and CivilWarLand in Bad Decline There is no author I recommend to people more oftenfor ten years Ive urged George Saunders onto everyone and everyone. You want funny? Saunders is your man. You want emotional heft? Saunders again. You want stories that are actually about somethingstories that again and again get to the meat of matters of life and death and justice and country? Saunders. There is no one better, no one more essential to our national sense of self and sanity.Dave Eggers The debut of an exciting new voice in fiction . . . Saunderss satiric vision of America is dark and demented; its also ferocious and very funny.Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times Not since Twain has America produced a satirist this funny.Zadie Smith George Saunders makes the all-but-impossible look effortless. Were lucky to have him.Jonathan Franzen An astoundingly tuned voicegraceful, dark, authentic, and funnytelling just the kinds of stories we need to get us through these times.Thomas Pynchon In CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, George Saunders is improvising around a single scary note. Few writers have sounded it with such clarity, boldness, and wit.The Philadelphia Inquirer Subversive, hilarious, and emotionally piercing. Few writers can encompass that range of adjectives, but Saunders is a true originalrestlessly inventive, yet deeply humane.Jennifer Egan This book is a rare event: a brilliant new satirist bursting out of the gate in full stride, wildly funny, pure, generousall that a great humorist should be.Garrison Keillor [Saunders has] shades of both Denis Johnson and Raymond Chandler. . . . By turns hes ferocious, witty, and uproarious, but what makes his fiction memorable is the gravitas of its dark portraiture of America.The Boston Globe Since its publication in 1996, George Saunders’s debut collection has grown in esteem from a cherished cult classic to a masterpiece of the form, inspiring an entire generation of writers along the way. In six stories and a novella, Saunders hatches an unforgettable cast of characters, each struggling to survive in an increasingly haywire world. With a new introduction by Joshua Ferris and a new author’s note by Saunders himself, this edition is essential reading for those seeking to discover or revisit a virtuosic, disturbingly prescient voice. Praise for George Saunders and CivilWarLand in Bad Decline “It’s no exaggeration to say that short story master George Saunders helped change the trajectory of American fiction.”—The Wall Street Journal “Saunders’s satiric vision of America is dark and demented; it’s also ferocious and very funny.”—Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times “George Saunders is a writer of arresting brilliance and originality, with a sure sense of his material and apparently inexhaustible resources of voice. [CivilWarLand in Bad Decline] is scary, hilarious, and unforgettable.”—Tobias Wolff “Saunders makes the all-but-impossible look effortless.”—Jonathan Franzen “Not since Twain has America produced a satirist this funny.”—Zadie Smith “An astoundingly tuned voice—graceful, dark, authentic, and funny—telling just the kinds of stories we need to get us through these times.”—Thomas Pynchon Since its publication in 1996, George Saunders’s debut collection has grown in esteem from a cherished cult classic to a masterpiece of the form, inspiring an entire generation of writers along the way. In six stories and a novella, Saunders hatches an unforgettable cast of characters, each struggling to survive in an increasingly haywire world. With a new introduction by Joshua Ferris and a new author’s note by Saunders himself, this edition is essential reading for those seeking to discover or revisit a virtuosic, disturbingly prescient voice. Praise for George Saunders and CivilWarLand in Bad Decline “It’s no exaggeration to say that short story master George Saunders helped change the trajectory of American fiction.” — The Wall Street Journal “Saunders’s satiric vision of America is dark and demented; it’s also ferocious and very funny.” —Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times “George Saunders is a writer of arresting brilliance and originality, with a sure sense of his material and apparently inexhaustible resources of voice. [ CivilWarLand in Bad Decline ] is scary, hilarious, and unforgettable.” —Tobias Wolff “Saunders makes the all-but-impossible look effortless.” —Jonathan Franzen “Not since Twain has America produced a satirist this funny.” —Zadie Smith “An astoundingly tuned voice—graceful, dark, authentic, and funny—telling just the kinds of stories we need to get us through these times.” —Thomas Pynchon One of the most influential works of modern American fiction is available for the first time as an eBook, featuring a new Author's Note, as well as an Introduction by Joshua Ferris. Since its publication in 1996, George Saunders's debut collection has grown in estimation from a cherished cult classic to a masterpiece of the form and inspired an entire generation of writers. In six stories ("CivilWarLand in Bad Decline," "Isabelle," "The Wavemaker Falters," "The 400-Pound CEO," "Offloading for Mrs. Schwartz," "Downtrodden Mary's Failed Campaign of Terror") and a novella ("Bounty"), Saunders introduces readers to an unforgettable cast of characters struggling to survive in an increasingly haywire world. With original commentary from Joshua Ferris and Saunders himself, this eBook edition is the perfect occasion to discover or revisit a virtuosic, uniquely.. Since its publication in 1996, George Saunders’s debut collection has grown in esteem from a cherished cult classic to a masterpiece of the form, inspiring an entire generation of writers along the way. In six stories and a novella, Saunders hatches an unforgettable cast of characters, each struggling to survive in an increasingly haywire world. With a new introduction by Joshua Ferris and a new author’s note by Saunders himself, this edition is essential reading for those seeking to discover or revisit a virtuosic, disturbingly prescient voice. Source: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/160979/civilwarland-in-bad-decline-by-george-saunders/9780307822222 A novella and short stories on a future America, a land of corporate hypocrisy, violence and pollution. Trendy attractions include pickled babies and cows with plexiglass sides, so you can see the milk made, people buy other people's more interesting memories for downloading into their heads In six stories and the novella, Bounty, Saunders introduces readers to people struggling to survive in an increasingly haywire world. ([source][1]) [1]: http://www.georgesaundersbooks.com/civilwarland-in-bad-decline/