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A review by jmcphers
CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders
3.0
I was mostly enticed to read this because I enjoyed Saunders' [b:Tenth of December|13641208|Tenth of December|George Saunders|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349967540s/13641208.jpg|19256026], and was hoping for more of the same. Indeed, this is what I received, but almost too much of it. This feels like very early writing, in the "finding his voice" sort of way, and the stories are nearly all very similar in theme and content.
The best part of the book is the afterword, in which he explains how the stories are written, *why* they are all similar, and the circumstances of his life in which they were written. I found this frank and self-aware commentary much more engaging than at least half the stories. If you start to get bored reading the stories, read the afterword, and then go read some more stories.
The best part of the book is the afterword, in which he explains how the stories are written, *why* they are all similar, and the circumstances of his life in which they were written. I found this frank and self-aware commentary much more engaging than at least half the stories. If you start to get bored reading the stories, read the afterword, and then go read some more stories.