Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

George Saunders writes he is teaching fiction at a unique moment. Truth has been devalued, words have been cheapened, fine literature no longer commands a large audience. So it’s a little strange that he chooses to write this introduction to fiction by analyzing seven nineteenth century Russian short stories. Surprisingly, he is able to use them to not only provide an introduction but to offer a defense for the place of literature in modern life. Each story is present in its entirety. As an accomplished author, he is obviously able to give a behind the scenes tour that shows the nuts and bolts of what makes these stories work. Chosen for their brevity and apparent simplicity Saunders isn’t out to teach anyone to write like Proust. The book is, after all, an introduction to fiction. But, as the book winds its way through the nineteenth century Russian corpus, a theme grows stronger and stronger. Writing, for Saunders, is an exchange between the best part of a writer and the best part of the reader. It silences, if only temporarily, the natural but delusional perception that the world revolves around us. Ultimately fiction, like prayer or meditation, changes us—hopefully for the better. It’s a noble vision of literature that naturally flows out of the how-tos and what-fors that make up his introduction to penmanship. It’s that rare book that speaks to the present moment while simultaneously possessing something perennial. Cannot recommend enough to writers and readers alike.