I'm a huge Saunders fan from way back when, but this book felt like a parody of a Saunders book. Sad, and hoping his next one is better!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to review George Saunders new short story collection Liberation Day. I was really excited to gain a copy of this collection of short stories from one of the best short story writers in recent years. I loved Saunders’s Tenth of December; so many of the stories were absurd. There is a similar level of absurdity in these stories, but I didn’t find it quite as humorous or absurd as those in other collections. Nevertheless, a great short story collection is invaluable since you can pick up almost anywhere and enjoy a variety of perspectives and narratives. In this case, the stories maintain some of the themes of problems with capitalism, work, and adulthood, whether it is parenting, relationships, or masculinity. A standout story was “Ghoul” about the hell-themed amusement park and the conflicted demon that works there. I’ll have to revisit some of these stories.

Liberation Day by George Saunders is a set of dystopian stories that focus on themes of human nature, technology, and societal control. These tales are interconnected by their critique of contemporary culture.

The humor of these stories is dark, and the characters are flawed, This book won't be for everyone, but it's a literary work worth trying.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Liberation Day is a collection of the best short stories you will ever encounter. I had never read George Saunders before, but when I received an invitation from Random House and Net Galley to read and review this book, I remembered him by reputation and jumped at the chance. This book is for sale now.

Sometimes I feel conflicted when I see words like “Booker prize winner” and “exquisite” I feel torn. The book may be brilliant, but it also may be a whole lot of work to read. I am happy to report that is not the case here. Every one of these nine stories could serve as the cornerstone of a collection; the title selection is first, but I suspect that is more about length than anything, as it approaches novella length. It’s science fiction but also vaguely political; a group of people have had their brains scrubbed to near emptiness, and they are mounted on a “speaking wall.” Their sole purpose is to provide entertainment as a sort of scripted Greek chorus. They may only speak upon command; they assume this is a good arrangement, because they have no memories of their prior lives. But then the home (and Speaking Wall) owners are visited by their adult son, who concocts a scheme to liberate the speakers.

Many of these stories have stylized prose and invented words that might be difficult for a reader whose first language isn’t English. “Mother’s Day,” which is one of my favorites, begins:

“This distinguished-looking gentleman would appear at your door somewhat sloshed and ask, Were your trees slaggard? Were they gublagging behind the other trees? Did they need to be prodderated? And hold up the little device. In this way they had nearly lost the house.”

Happily, for underconfident readers, there is an audio version available. I used it part of the time because I was running behind. There’s a different narrator for each story; actor Tina Fey does one of them! My notes are full of praise for these performers, who make a brilliant book even more so.

I especially enjoyed “The Mom of Bold Action,” which features the ultimate unreliable narrator, and my absolute favorite, “Ghoul”. Imagine, if you will, landing in Hell, or its amusement park equivalent, but there are still rules of etiquette to be observed; in particular, you are expected to be positive, and constantly encourage the other ghouls as they commit the ultimate misdeeds assigned to them. I laughed so hard at this one that it made my family a little cranky, and I had to go off by myself to hear the rest. Worth it.

The stories are a mixed bag in terms of genre, and all are outstanding.

Highly recommended in whatever format makes your heart happy.

This is another stellar story collection by our greatest living short story writer. I had read some of these before but I loved everyone of these stories--both those I was rereading and those that were new to me. It just seems that Saunders keeps getting better and his stories even more unique and interesting.

Very interesting and challenging collection of short stories - some resonated more than others with me personally but overall most were thought-provoking and made me reflect on them long after I finished them.

Saunders fans will eat this one up! Another solid book from one of our absolute best short story writers. Will recommend to patrons.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance reader's copy of this short story collection.

There's no question that George Saunders is working at a level of creativity and skill that is somewhat rare. I was one of the many people who loved Lincoln in the Bardo and couldn't stop thinking about it after I read it. But this short story collection mostly ended up annoying me. I loved the final story in the collection, "My House," but the rest of them felt like they were too unique for their own good. Perhaps I'm just not in the mood for this sort of writing these days. I can't really think of anyone I would recommend this collection to.

I honestly do not feel anywhere near qualified to critique a book written by George Saunders. He is, without a doubt, one of the greatest writers of our generation and this latest does not disappoint.

I don't think I need to say much to convince readers of George Sauders' brilliance. Amazing collection with unique, weird, and slightly absurd stories. I enjoyed every second of it!

I just love George Saunders. I was first introduced to his writing through Lincoln in the Bardo, but have come to love his short stories. This latest collection is as witty and contemplative as those I've read before (Tenth of a December and Fox 8) and there's not a single story I didn't enjoy. I love the way he blends humor and absurdity and even discomfort as he explores the many facets of human nature, and I think the titular story in particular will stay with me for a long time.

Liberation Day, both the story and the collection of stories, revolve around the idea of liberation (from body, mind, etc.). Overall, I enjoyed most of these stories but they sometimes required patience; the writing was always beautiful, but it took me a bit of time to acclimate to some of the stories.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Random House for e-galley access in exchange for a review.

Saunders is the master of short stories, and this collection was further evidence. While the book carries the same title as the first story, the whole collection revolves around the theme of liberation. Some are liberated in their minds, some in death, and some in forgiveness, but each story has a form of liberation that ties this collection together perfectly. There wasn’t a single story in the collection I didn’t like.

These series of short stories will haunt you. So.e are fantastical where you question what is life and what is real. Do you stand up for your friends, or succumb to the outside forces? While these stories varied in impact, all grabbed me and stayed with me long after I was finished reading them.

What a great collection! This was my first time reading George Saunders and I'm impressed by these memorable and wonderful stories, many of which are both thought-provoking and insightful. A page turner for sure.

I adore this book! there are nine stories, about everything important and personal. While I may not love each story, the writing I adore. I've reread several and this is such a wonderful and valuable addition to my Saunders collection.

I didn't love this as much as his other collections, but he's an extremely unique and welcome voice to have on the shelves.

I am not a huge fan of short stories, but I loved “Lincoln in the Bardo” so much that I have tried some of the author’s short stories. One of my problems with short story collections is the unevenness of the selection. This book is no exception.

“Liberation Day” was one of my favorites, a long, strange dystopian story featuring erased memories (this also comes up in “Elliott Spencer”, my least favorite story). For a long time I thought the characters were androids. I also liked “Love Letter”, written in the form of a letter from a grandfather to his grandson. This is the most overtly political of the stories. Some people think that this is also dystopian. I think it is very much of the moment as it describes the present day normalization of the abhorrent.”Sparrow” and “My House” were very slight and felt like filler.

I really hopes the author writes another novel, because I definitely don’t feel the same magic from his short stories.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

George Saunders is TGE master of the short story, so a new collection is always a treat. This collection is no exception. Razor-sharp, wickedly funny, and always a joy. Simply exquisite.

George Saunders' Liberation Day is a collection of nine short stories with complex world building and beautiful writing. Each word, each sentence is orchestrated with intention, and atmosphere and feeling seep through the pages.

There is no shortage of short story collections, but Saunders sets himself apart with brilliant prose and unique frameworks. In short order he conveys key details of the settings, and there are few authors out there at such a level. Fans of Ted Chiang will find George Saunders an equally excellent author operating at a level few others can achieve. I'm in awe of the creativity time and again., both apparent in this collection and his earlier works.

(I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)