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Every book George Saunders recommended on podcasts
Across 2 podcasts. Every show George Saunders appears on, in one place — not just one.
George Saunders appears on literary and interview podcasts as a celebrated fiction writer deeply engaged in exploring human morality, mortality, and the literary traditions that shape narrative art. During his appearances, Saunders frequently reflects on classic works that influenced his own writing, such as Leo Tolstoy's novella The Death of Ivan Ilyich and the collected tales of Nikolai Gogol, including stories like The Nose and The Overcoat, which he often teaches. When recommending books to audiences, Saunders favors selections that offer diverse perspectives or meditative escapes. He highlights Victor Klemperer's diary I Will Bear Witness as an incredible read and champions Isaac Babel's short story collection Red Cavalry for its chaotic and kaleidoscopic view of the world. Additionally, Saunders suggests James Rebanks's non-fiction work The Place of Tides as a quiet, thoughtful antidote to the relentless speed of modern life, rounding out a reading profile rooted in both profound historical tragedy and restorative introspection.
Books recommended by George Saunders
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Infinite jest
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace is a sprawling, maximalist novel exploring addiction, entertainment, and modern American culture.
Discussed“and also I've been reading I I I hadn't read infinite J until a few years ago and reading that it occurred to me that that's a book of monologues”
Where to get it
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I Will Bear Witness
I Will Bear Witness by Victor Klemperer is a powerful and harrowing historical diary documenting the daily life, increasing persecution, and gradual disenfranchisement of a Jewish professor in Germany under the Nazi regime from 1933 to 1941.
Recommended“Well, there's one I'm sure you read this, but um, I will bear witness by Victor Clemper. It's an incredible I bought this recently, but I have not read it yet.”
Where to get it
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Red Cavalry
Red Cavalry by Isaac Babel is a classic collection of short stories depicting the brutal, chaotic, and kaleidoscopic experiences of the Soviet-Polish War through the eyes of a Jewish intellectual serving in a Cossack cavalry unit.
Recommended“And then the other one I I would recommend, I maybe have recommended it before because I love it so much, but it's Red Cavalry by Isaac Babble, the Jewish Russian writer.”
Where to get it
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The Place of Tides
James Rebanks's non-fiction work transports readers to a remote island setting to examine a quiet way of living away from modern distractions.
Recommended“And then the third one would be more u maybe more of a an antidote. It's a beautiful book called The Place of Tides by uh James Reebanks and he just goes non-fiction and he goes to uh an island um I think it's off Iceland and he lives with this woman...”
Where to get it
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Nevsky Prospect
Discussed“and another one a flawed Masterpiece called nevy Prospect so I've taught these stories and I especially the overcoat and the nose”
Where to get it
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The collected tales of Nikolai Gogol
Discussed“I'd love for you to tell us about the book that you've read the most over the course of your life I it's this one it's the collected Tales of Nikolai Gogle”
Where to get it
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The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories
The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories by Leo Tolstoy is a profound novella exploring mortality, self-deception, and the existential reckoning of a dying man.
Discussed“One of the books I had in mind while I was writing this was death of Ivan Illich by Toltoy. In that book it's it's a much more modest sinner and his sin is just that he he lived his life by the credo that I just want to do what everybody else is doing.”
Where to get it
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The Nose
Discussed“it's the classics the the nose and the overcoat and then a couple of side stories that I like to teach called the story of how the two Ivans quarreled”
Where to get it
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The Overcoat
Discussed“it's the classics the the nose and the overcoat and then a couple of side stories that I like to teach called the story of how the two Ivans quarreled”
Where to get it
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The Tale of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich
Discussed“and then a couple of side stories that I like to teach called the story of how the two Ivans quarreled and another one a flawed Masterpiece called nevy Prospect”
Where to get it
Books George Saunders wrote
- A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
- Lincoln in the Bardo
- Vigil
- The very persistent gappers of Frip
- Congratulations, by the way
- Liberation Day
- Pastoralia
- Tenth of December
- The Peanuts Papers
- CivilWarLand in Bad Decline