In Persuasion Nation is the second book I read by George Saunders after The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil, and it certainly won’t be his last. Saunders is a fantastic dystopian author. He can terrify you and make you laugh at the same time.
In Persuasion Nation is a book consisting of twelve stories. Each of these stories has such a powerful effect that you will have to take frequent breaks from reading. And when you read the first story, you’ll understand what I mean; you will be amazed. Especially people who have just had children will be more affected.
In this book, Saunders explains the consumer society and the system that nurtures it so well. Yes, these are dystopias, yes this is a book, but when you think about it, they are not far away. Our insatiability increases as we consume and, what is happening in the world now tells a lot. Anyway! I was particularly impressed by the story called Brad Carrigan, American, which I will not forget for a long time. If you haven’t read George Saunders yet, I can say you’re losing a lot. Go and read this book. You will find yourself wanting to read them all because they are all great. Enjoy!
In Persuasion Nation
The stories In Persuasion Nation are easily his best work yet. “The Red Bow,”about a town consumed by pet-killing hysteria, won a 2004 National Magazine Award and “Bohemians,” the story of two supposed Eastern European widows trying to fit in in suburban USA, is included in The Best American Short Stories 2005. His new book includes both unpublished work, and stories that first appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, and Esquire. The stories in this volume work together as a whole whose impact far exceeds the simple sum of its parts. Fans of Saunders know and love him for his sharp and hilarious satirical eye. But In Persuasion Nation also includes more personal and poignant pieces that reveal a new kind of emotional conviction in Saunders’s writing.
George Saunders
George Saunders is an American writer of short stories, essays, novellas, children’s books, and novels. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, McSweeney’s, and GQ. He also contributed a weekly column, American Psyche, to the weekend magazine of The Guardian between 2006 and 2008.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
