found drama

In lieu of a actual substantive review, a few notes about George Saunders’ In Persuasion Nation:

(1) A typical Saunders collection. This means you’re getting some delightfully weird prose but it also means you’re getting (more than?) a few tales oblique enough to blot out the sun. Which is not to comment on whether/not those stories are any good.

(2) Recipe for a Saunders short story: take 1 protagonist (preferably male) in some way already at the end of his distressed rope; add 1 foil (preferably female) at the end of her respective rope with him, mix liberally with 2 parts cuckoldry (though henpecking will do as a substitute if beaten with sufficient vigor). Blend in a conservative portion of concentrated lampoon of consumer-culture. If you haven’t already, make sure to de-bone the protagonist before the story’s end and to remove any chance of success. Garnish with a zombie; or if no zombie is available, try ghosts.

Out to four decimal places, the composite Goodreads score is: 3.4166

• I CAN SPEAK!™ – ★★★
• My Flamboyant Grandson – ★★★★★
• Jon – ★★★★★
• My Amendment – ★★★
• The Red Bow – ★★½
• Christmas – ★★½
• Adams – ★★★
• 93990 – ★★★ ¹
• Brad Carrigan, American – ★★★
• In Persuasion Nation – ★★★★
• Bohemians – ★★★½
• Commcomm – ★★★½

A version of this review appears on Goodreads.com.

1. Note to self: oblique, re-read will be required.[↩]

About Rob Friesel