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BOOK CLUB - Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
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MEMBERS ONLY |
| When: |
Tue Apr 21 |
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| Public details: Lincoln in the Bardo is George Saunders's first novel, a historical and experimental work set in 1862, focusing on President Abraham Lincoln's grief over his son Willie's death, which intersects with a supernatural realm of ghosts in a cemetery. The story unfolds over one night as Lincoln visits his son's crypt, while Willie finds himself in a purgatory-like "bardo" where ghosts, unaware they are dead, struggle over his soul, leading to a profound exploration of love, loss, and the Civil War. The novel is known for its unique, multi-voiced narrative, blending historical accounts with the voices of over 100 ghosts.
Key aspects of the novel:
Plot: After his son Willie dies, a grief-stricken Lincoln visits the Georgetown cemetery crypt. Willie's spirit is trapped in the "bardo," a transitional state between life and death, where he encounters other spirits who are stuck in their own unresolved earthly attachments.
Setting: Primarily Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C., during the early days of the Civil War.
Structure: A unique, experimental form that uses a chorus of voices from historical texts and the ghosts themselves, creating a kaleidoscopic narrative.
Themes: Explores grief, love, death, the meaning of life, and the national tragedy of the Civil War through the lens of personal loss.
"Bardo": A Tibetan Buddhist term for the intermediate state after death, which Saunders uses as a purgatory where spirits cling to life, unable to move on.
Characters: Features a large cast, including the historical figures of Lincoln and his son, alongside numerous invented ghosts like the Reverend Everly Thomas, who are disfigured by their earthly desires. |
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