CivilWarLand in Bad Decline
by George Saunders
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Book Summary Information
Author: George SaundersEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1997-02-01
ISBN: 1573225797
Number of pages: 192
Publisher: Riverhead Trade
Book Reviews of CivilWarLand in Bad Decline
Book Review: "Read one story per month."
Summary: 4 Stars
I think a dosage label should come with all of Saunder's books. It should read
"Read one story per month."
What was your first Saunders? "Offloading for Mrs. Schwartz" was mine. It was in the first issue of The New Yorker with Tina Brown at the helm. I remember this well, because I wrote a review of the "new" New Yorker for my college paper at the time and was super-impressed with Offloading, especially juxtaposed against the boring John Updike short that was also featured in the issue.
In the last 4-5 months, I've read a number of Saunders stories in the New Yorker: "Sea Oak," "The Barber's Unhappiness," and "Pastoralia," all of which are probably featured in his second collection of shorts. I read these stories 2-3 months apart, and I must say, that's the right pace for Saunders.
That brings me to CivilWarLand. Excellent stories, no doubt about it, but when I end up reading one story after next, a rather boring pattern forms:
Royally Screwed Protagonist does Something Stupid and ends up Getting Even More Screwed.
The whole corporate-speak thing gets old fast. It's Orwellian, sure, but when you dip into the well that often, well, you might as well just jump in. (Maybe Murakami will save you, who knows.)
The best stories are the ones with a heart. There's only one of those, and that's Offloading. What a sweet, spectacular ending! It's probably worth the book just for that story alone.
The worst story is the novella, "Bounty." It just doesn't work. Boring.
Still though, Saunders makes me laugh. Writing humor is a tough thing to do, so I have to tip my beenie to Saunders. I don't think there's a funnier writer out there right now.
4 stars
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