this post was submitted on 28 Nov 2023
1 points (100.0% liked)
Books
1 readers
1 users here now
founded 10 months ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Lincoln in the Bardo
'Lincoln in the Bardo' by George Saunders tells the story of Abraham Lincoln's grief-stricken visit to the crypt of his young son, Willie, who has recently died. Set in a graveyard that is populated by spirits stuck in the "bardo," the book explores themes of love, loss, and the search for redemption.
I’ll tell you. It was one of the most enjoyable, yet truly weird beyond reads I’ve ever experienced. 10/10 would recommend. Incredible though provoking and not in a way that you would ever expect.
It’s an absolutely gorgeous book, and I always think it’s saner until I remember the big dick ghost
Our book club read it a couple of years ago, and I absolutely adored it while no-one else really did. It was bonkers and interesting and deep and stupidly funny all at once.
That's a great description of a Saunders short story as well!
I found it really tedious and obtuse. I know I didn’t give it the attention it deserved but I was soured on it almost from the start. I loved his short stories but this didn’t do it for me.
Thank you! Everyone was raving about that book to the point where I suspected people were pretending to like it because to me it was... not good.
I wonder if you might like it in audiobook format. The audiobook is a full-cast production, and so many of the characters are really delightful with the voice actors' performances' breath of life in them.
Seconding the audiobook, but would add have the text handy at least at first to get the gist. However, it isn't for everyone. I adored it!
Did I write this comment?? I feel exactly the same way, pretty much verbatim. Loved his short story collection so much but found Lincoln tedious and obtuse.
I’m glad I’m not the only one!
LOVED the audiobook version!
Really?! I felt it was like listening to someone read a pile of cereal boxes! I had to abandon. (Had you previously read the print book? Most people who recommended this audiobook to me were already familiar with the print book.)
No. I hadn’t read it in print. I felt like I was listening to a play on stage with so many actors reading their parts.