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
