Lincoln in the bardo [electronic resource] : A Novel. George Saunders.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780812995350 (electronic bk)
- Physical Description: 1 online resource
Content descriptions
Reproduction Note: | Electronic reproduction. New York : Random House, 2017. Requires Adobe Digital Editions (file size: 5 KB) or Kobo app or compatible Kobo device (file size: N/A KB). |
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Genre: | Electronic books. |
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Electronic resources
- Library Journal Reviews : LJ Reviews 2016 October #1
Short story master Saunders (Tenth of December) eagerly awaited first novel may not be what fans of his dystopic, sf-like short stories have expected. It begins with snippets of historical fact, accompanied by citationsâpresumably both actual and fictionalizedâthat set the novel at the time of the death of Abraham Lincoln's son Willie. The entries shift to quips made by individuals, and we realize we are hearing conversations among spirits that haunt the Washington graveyard where Willie is buried. When Lincoln returns for a grieving nighttime visit, these apparitions attempt to reunite Willie's spirit with his father. Bardo is a term from Tibetan Buddhism referring to the transitional state between death and the next realm; the wraiths in this amorphous space chatter, float about, see visions, and change shape in disorienting ways. Yet they are confined, both by their previous lives and by a fear of final judgment, of which Saunders provides a truly horrifying glimpse. VERDICT A stunningly powerful work, both in its imagery and its intense focus on death, this remarkable work of historical fiction gives an intimate view of 19th-century fears and mores through the voices of the bardo's denizens. [See Prepub Alert, 6/29/16.]âReba Leiding, emeritus, James Madison Univ. Lib., Harrisonburg, VA. Copyright 2016 Library Journal. - Library Journal Reviews : LJ Reviews 2017 April #2
This first novel from the acclaimed short story writer (Tenth of December) has been adapted into a cinematic (and potentially record-setting) audiobook that pushes the current boundaries of the format. The story takes place early in the Civil War over the course of one night in 1862. Though the Lincolns' son Willie has been laid to rest, his spirit lingers in the cemetery where his father pays a final visit. Saunders alternates between scene-setting historical and scholarly quotes (some fabricated) and the observations of the cemetery's longtime inhabitants, many of whom suffer Dantean torments. Into the endlessly repetitive existence of those caught between life and death come a catalyzing Willie and Lincoln himself, who departs with a better understanding of the intimate tragedies that soldiers' families suffer. Featuring 166 narrators, including stars such as Nick Offerman, David Sedaris, Megan Mullally, and Keegan-Michael Key, as well as the author himself, the audio presentation brings a chorus of voices to raucous, guilty, fearful, and complicated life.
Copyright 2017 Library Journal.VERDICT Recommended for all collections. ["A stunningly powerful workâ¦this remarkable work of historical fiction gives an intimate view of 19th-century fears and mores through the voices of the bardo's denizens": LJ 10/1/16 starred review of the Random hc.]âAnna Mickelsen, Springfield City Lib., MA