Author Guide · Lisanne Swart
Books Written by George Saunders
George Saunders spent years working as a geophysical engineer before becoming one of the most acclaimed short story writers in America — and that background shows up in his fiction as a strange, exacting kindness toward people trapped inside broken systems. His stories are often satirical, sometimes absurd, and almost always aimed at the same target: how hard it is to be decent inside institutions built to make decency inconvenient.
Quick answer
George Saunders has published five short story collections, one novel (Lincoln in the Bardo, 2017, which won the Booker Prize), and two nonfiction books. Tenth of December (2013) is his most acclaimed collection; Lincoln in the Bardo is his best-known single work.
Key facts
- Born: 1958, Amarillo, Texas; raised in Chicago
- Background: Worked as a geophysical engineer in Sumatra before becoming a writer
- Books published: 5 story collections, 1 novel, 2 nonfiction books
- Major prize: Booker Prize, 2017, for Lincoln in the Bardo
- Teaches: Creative writing at Syracuse University
Jump to a book
The complete bibliography
1. CivilWarLand in Bad Decline
1996 · Short stories
Saunders’s debut collection, set largely in decaying theme parks and corporate dystopias — establishing the satirical, morally serious voice that would define his career.
2. Pastoralia
2000 · Short stories
A collection centered on employees performing roles inside absurd corporate and entertainment systems, sharpening the theme-park satire of his debut into something darker and funnier.
3. The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil
2005 · Novella
A slim political fable about a tiny nation, a tyrannical leader, and the mechanics of how ordinary people enable cruelty — Saunders’s most direct piece of political satire.
4. In Persuasion Nation
2006 · Short stories
Stories skewering advertising, consumerism, and manufactured emotion, including the widely anthologized title story narrated partly by commercial mascots.
5. Congratulations, by the way
2014 · Essay
A short book based on Saunders’s viral 2013 Syracuse University commencement speech, distilled to a single, direct piece of advice: err in the direction of kindness.
6. Tenth of December
2013 · Short stories
Widely considered Saunders’s best collection, blending his trademark satire with genuine emotional risk — it was a finalist for the National Book Award and won the inaugural Folio Prize.
7. Lincoln in the Bardo
2017 · Novel
Saunders’s first novel, set over a single night in a graveyard as the ghost of Abraham Lincoln’s young son lingers in the bardo between life and death. Told through a chorus of ghostly voices and historical fragments, it won the Booker Prize.
8. A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
2021 · Nonfiction
A craft book built from Saunders’s Syracuse fiction classes, closely reading seven Russian short stories to explain how fiction actually works — part textbook, part love letter to the form.
9. Liberation Day
2022 · Short stories
Saunders’s most recent collection, returning to the corporate and technological dystopias of his early work with a sharper edge, shaped by a decade of political upheaval.
“Try to be kinder.”
— George Saunders
Frequently asked questions
What is George Saunders’s best book to start with?
Tenth of December is the best entry point — it’s his most acclaimed collection and shows the full range of his satirical and emotional register in one book.
Is Lincoln in the Bardo a true story?
It’s based on the real death of Willie Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln’s son, in 1862, and historical accounts of Lincoln visiting the crypt afterward, but the bardo itself and its chorus of ghosts are Saunders’s invention.
What did George Saunders do before becoming a writer?
He worked as a geophysical engineer in Sumatra, Indonesia, and held various other jobs including doorman and roofer, before his fiction career took off in his thirties.
Is A Swim in a Pond in the Rain good for aspiring writers?
Yes — it’s built directly from his Syracuse University fiction workshop and is one of the most practical, specific craft books available, using close readings of Chekhov, Tolstoy, and Gogol rather than abstract advice.
