Tenth of December
By George Saunders
- Release Date: 2013-01-08
- Genre: Short Stories
Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • NAMED ONE OF TIME’S TEN BEST FICTION BOOKS OF THE DECADE • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE DECADE BY ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY AND BUZZFEED • NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
One of the New York Times’s 100 Best Books of the 21st Century
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: People, The New York Times Magazine, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, New York, The Telegraph, BuzzFeed, Kirkus Reviews, BookPage, Shelf Awareness
Includes an extended conversation with David Sedaris
One of the most important and blazingly original writers of his generation, George Saunders is an undisputed master of the short story, and Tenth of December is his most honest, accessible, and moving collection yet.
In the taut opener, “Victory Lap,” a boy witnesses the attempted abduction of the girl next door and is faced with a harrowing choice: Does he ignore what he sees, or override years of smothering advice from his parents and act? In “Home,” a combat-damaged soldier moves back in with his mother and struggles to reconcile the world he left with the one to which he has returned. And in the title story, a stunning meditation on imagination, memory, and loss, a middle-aged cancer patient walks into the woods to commit suicide, only to encounter a troubled young boy who, over the course of a fateful morning, gives the dying man a final chance to recall who he really is. A hapless, deluded owner of an antiques store; two mothers struggling to do the right thing; a teenage girl whose idealism is challenged by a brutal brush with reality; a man tormented by a series of pharmaceutical experiments that force him to lust, to love, to kill—the unforgettable characters that populate the pages of Tenth of December are vividly and lovingly infused with Saunders’s signature blend of exuberant prose, deep humanity, and stylistic innovation.
Writing brilliantly and profoundly about class, sex, love, loss, work, despair, and war, Saunders cuts to the core of the contemporary experience. These stories take on the big questions and explore the fault lines of our own morality, delving into the questions of what makes us good and what makes us human.
Unsettling, insightful, and hilarious, the stories in Tenth of December—through their manic energy, their focus on what is redeemable in human beings, and their generosity of spirit—not only entertain and delight; they fulfill Chekhov’s dictum that art should “prepare us for tenderness.”
GEORGE SAUNDERS WAS NAMED ONE OF THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN THE WORLD BY TIME MAGAZINE
Reviews
flowing with the stream
4By FunnelEffectRewarding for readers who are into stream-of-consciousness writing. If that's not your thing, look elsewhere.10th of december
5By Usjsnslsjdbsmksbdthats my birthday!!Tenth of December
5By bwassonThis the first book by this author I have ever read. I stayed up all night to finish it. I found it absolutely compelling, fascinating, and re-read each short story as I finished to be certain I really understood what I had just read. I am a voracious reader, have read for more than fifty years. This is as great a book as I have read, ever. I will think about the Tenth of December for a very long time. Fabulous!Who edited this?
1By witnersNot a single "quotation mark" around conversations. Random ? Question marks in the middle of sentences. It is HORRIBLE. The absolute worst editing job I have ever seen, impossible to read smoothly. I had to re-read everything because nothing made sense. Don't waste your money, I want a refund. If you want a good laugh on what NOT to do, check out the sample.Just enough.
4By DogBoySFI downloaded a sample of this book from iTunes, came to the end of the first story, Victory Lap, and thought, No! Tell me that's not how the story ends! I immediately hit the Purchase button and downloaded the rest of it. Phew; there was more to that story after all. Every one of these stories is a peculiar gem that leaves you wanting more, but more would be too much. You'll find yourself, days later, mulling over what might happen after that last page is turned. That's part of Mr. Saunders' genius. He tells you just enough.Love this book
4By HtbritThis is a surprising, fresh and interesting group of short stories. I loved the unexpected point of view and the dark humour.Genius brain
5By spotclintonWhat kind of brain can think this stuff up!!?? Not having a genius brain myself, at times these stories were difficult to "track", but it was so, so worth the effort. To go into ANY detail about any particular story would be a spoiler. Think "mushroom tripping" to describe the experience. This from someone who has never mushroom tripped or has ever even SEEN an illegal drug (other than marijuana, in the 70,s). So, take into consideration my life experience filter in evaluating this review, but these stories were super, super good.Terrible
1By LarryRGVHow in the world did this get great reviews? What a waste of time.Tenth of December
1By Emmet AloysiusThis book is highly overrated & hard to follow. Very disappointing book!Deeply complex and riveting
4By DJStiritupDefinitely an ode to the best day of the year! Aka my birthday.Reread
5By Patricia OffermanAm considering how many books from my nightstand pile I need to cram in before I start this again. This is my first Saunders book - will not be the last..... By a long stretch.Tenth of December
1By mazel100The most forgettable short stories you will ever read in one volume. All style, no substance.Quick and Engaging
5By matthewwbakerRented this from the Library, not sure how my feelings would be different had I paid the $12.99 for it. Stories are all interesting and different. Home, Tenth of Dec, Victory Lap, and Diaries were my favorites, but all were good. I've never read anything from Saunders, but will definitely checkout his other books. Book flew by, short at 250 pages and relatively large print. Very enjoyable and thought provoking. Author is very effective at getting you into the mind of the character and then twisting and turning (nearly impossible to guess where any of the stories are going). He also had a tendency to throw in "SciFi" elements that are very plausible. I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a fast, engaging read filled with different perspectives.Tenth of December
5By ShipschemistJust finished reading George Saunders' Tenth of December. Book has received praise reviews and deserves it. A collection of short stories it's range is stunning. I particularly liked the different voices he creates. This an 88-year-old man whose imagination has only matured and strengthened with time. Ron LytleTerrible
1By Annie4126This is an awful piece of garbage. Awful. I want my money back.Sinful Waste Of Time
1By *W*~*A*Life is too short for garbage like this. The "good reviews" must have had a pay check included. Utter trash.Tenth of December
5By Carrie OnnYou either love this book or hate it. Note the people who hate it want to lump us love-its into a category dismissed as intellectual. Is that a disease you get in libraries? I could not put down this brilliant work. The loose text makes it look skimmable, and those who bought it with that in mind must feel cheated. Saunders has folded an opera into drugstore CD rack format. Genius! A five-star collection. Even though it has no pictures.Tough sledding with the occasional smooth patch
3By UrquhartSome of the negative reviews seem to indict the reviewer more than the author. One's inability to comprehend a piece of literature doesn't necessarily render it inferior. I don't think Saunders is writing to entertain the literati or befuddle the rest of us, but some of these stories are brilliant. Three stars though, because some I just didn't like.Completely short changed!
1By Fishboy327What an utter waste of human energy!
