Book
Lincoln in the bardo : a novel / George Saunders.
On February 22, 1862, two days after his death, Willie Lincoln was laid to rest in a marble crypt in a Georgetown cemetery. That very night, shattered by grief, Abraham Lincoln arrives at the cemetery under cover of darkness and visits the crypt, alone, to spend time with his son's body.
Set over the course of that one night and populated by ghosts of the recently passed and the long dead, Lincoln in the Bardo is a thrilling exploration of death, grief, the powers of good and evil, a novel - in its form and voice - completely unlike anything you have read before. It is also, in the end, an exploration of the deeper meaning and possibilities of life, written as only George Saunders can: with humor, pathos, and grace.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780812995343 (hardcover)
- ISBN: 0812995341 (hardcover)
- Physical Description: 341 pages ; 25 cm
- Edition: First edition.
- Publisher: New York : Random House, c2017.
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 > Fiction. Presidents > Fiction. Grief > Fiction. |
| Genre: | Historical fiction. Biographical fiction. |
Available copies
- 3 of 4 copies available at Kenton County.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 4 total copies.
Other Formats and Editions
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Covington Branch | SAUND G (Text) | 33126021858034 | Adult Fiction | Available | - |
| Covington Branch | SAUND G (Text) | 33126025218672 | Adult Fiction | Available | - |
| Erlanger Branch | SAUND G (Text) | 33126025165352 | Adult Fiction | Available | - |
| Independence Branch | SAUND G (Text) | 33126021858059 | Adult Fiction | Checked out | 05/01/2024 |
- Baker & Taylor
A long-awaited first novel by the National Book Award-nominated,New York Times best-selling author of Tenth of December traces a night of solitary mourning and reflection as experienced by the 16th President after the death of his 11-year-old son at the dawn of the Civil War. - Baker & Taylor
Traces a night of solitary mourning and reflection as experienced by the sixteenth president after the death of his eleven-year-old son at the dawn of the Civil War. - Random House, Inc.
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ⢠WINNER OF THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE
The âdevastatingly movingâ (People) first novel from the author of Tenth of December: a moving and original father-son story featuring none other than Abraham Lincoln, as well as an unforgettable cast of supporting characters, living and dead, historical and invented
One of The Atlanticâs Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years ⢠One of Pasteâs Best Novels of the Decade
Named One of the Ten Best Books of the Year by The Washington Post, USA Today, and Maureen Corrigan, NPR â¢Â One of Timeâs Ten Best Novels of the Year ⢠A New York Times Notable Book ⢠One of O: The Oprah Magazineâs Best Books of the Year
February 1862. The Civil War is less than one year old. The fighting has begun in earnest, and the nation has begun to realize it is in for a long, bloody struggle. Meanwhile, President Lincolnâs beloved eleven-year-old son, Willie, lies upstairs in the White House, gravely ill. In a matter of days, despite predictions of a recovery, Willie dies and is laid to rest in a Georgetown cemetery. âMy poor boy, he was too good for this earth,â the president says at the time. âGod has called him home.â Newspapers report that a grief-stricken Lincoln returns, alone, to the crypt several times to hold his boyâs body.
From that seed of historical truth, George Saunders spins an unforgettable story of familial love and loss that breaks free of its realistic, historical framework into a supernatural realm both hilarious and terrifying. Willie Lincoln finds himself in a strange purgatory where ghosts mingle, gripe, commiserate, quarrel, and enact bizarre acts of penance. Within this transitional stateâcalled, in the Tibetan tradition, the bardoâa monumental struggle erupts over young Willieâs soul.
Lincoln in the Bardo is an astonishing feat of imagination and a bold step forward from one of the most important and influential writers of his generation. Formally daring, generous in spirit, deeply concerned with matters of the heart, it is a testament to fictionâs ability to speak honestly and powerfully to the things that really matter to us. Saunders has invented a thrilling new form that deploys a kaleidoscopic, theatrical panorama of voices to ask a timeless, profound question: How do we live and love when we know that everything we love must end?
âA luminous feat of generosity and humanism.ââColson Whitehead, The New York Times Book Review
âA masterpiece.ââZadie Smith