Since its publication in 1996, George Saunders’ debut collection has grown in esteem from a cherished cult classic to a masterpiece of the form, inspiring an entire generation of writers along the way. In six stories and a novella, Saunders hatches an unforgettable cast of characters, each struggling to survive in an increasingly haywire world. 

With a new introduction by Joshua Ferris and a new author’s note by Saunders himself, this edition is essential listening for those seeking to discover or revisit a virtuosic, disturbingly prescient voice.

Praise for George Saunders and CivilWarLand in Bad Decline:

“It’s no exaggeration to say that short story master George Saunders helped change the trajectory of American fiction.” (The Wall Street Journal)

“Saunders’s satiric vision of America is dark and demented; it’s also ferocious and very funny.” (Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times)

“George Saunders is a writer of arresting brilliance and originality, with a sure sense of his material and apparently inexhaustible resources of voice. [CivilWarLand in Bad Decline] is scary, hilarious, and unforgettable.” (Tobias Wolff)

“Saunders makes the all-but-impossible look effortless.” (Jonathan Franzen)

“Not since Twain has America produced a satirist this funny.” (Zadie Smith)

“An astoundingly tuned voice - graceful, dark, authentic, and funny - telling just the kinds of stories we need to get us through these times.” (Thomas Pynchon)