In Persuasion Nation

Taking things just a bit too far, George Saunders takes us to worlds that initially seem foreign. But then you realize that we are already halfway there. What happens when marketing gets even further unleashed? Lots of wisdom woven into whimsical adult fairy tales.

Enjoyed reading the work of George Saunders for the first time. Really interesting stories. Thought provoking yet hilarious and fun.

Nine of these twelve short stories are highly original, outrageous, and delightfully perverse, with an abundance of laugh out loud moments that satirize modern culture, advertising, commerce, junk food, reality TV, addictive consumerism et al. But the three remaining stories weren’t that type of tale and didn’t work for me – “93990”, “bohemians”, and “commcomm.” That doesn’t mean they weren’t good or maybe even great – they just dropped the mood and changed the tone, and I wasn’t willing to go there after being so highly amused. But overall, the book is genius and for the most part, a really fun read.

Saunders' collections require readers to reorient their viewpoint. often times, you have to reorient your viewpoint at the start of every piece. yet, the worlds often seem to share the same authorities, powers, legal systems, and villains. And, like certain bands -- if you can get into the strange rhythms, suddenly everything will make sense from story to story and even collection to collection."I CAN SPEAK!" starts things off with a fantastic letter written in response to a parent complaining about a device that allows children to speak before they know how to speak. The title piece and "CommComm" are the other strong standouts.Not everything works -- "93990" is nothing more than a gruesome lab report describing the death of numbered animals for the sake of science. While a climax involving a chimp that frees himself from bondage may have crossed a line of natural plot progression, offering nothing more than the current ending (I'll spare the spoiler) leaves the reader wondering why there is so much to read with so little to consider (other then "animal testing sure is awful.")Similarly, "My Flamboyent Grandson" seems to be undercooked, relying more on the world then the characters to impart some greater statement about individuality. Indeed, Saunders often leaves the power to change in the hands of media/advertising, reducing his characters to reactionary personalities instead of actors. A positive outcome is not necessary for a story or even a collection to work, but the individual pieces could do more then hammer home the idea that certain forces are all-powerful and irresistible and that individuals don't triumph very often.Saunders isn't always easy but he's often quite fun. If you enjoy a skewed perspective, give this collection a shot.

This is one of George Saunders' best collections. At times his storytelling is absurdist and at others his voice is very conventional, but his stories are all unique, and this collection seems to have the common threads of technology and pop culture throughout, illustrating how difficult it can be to remain human and true to ourselves is a culture that is increasing pressuring us to be something or someone we are not.