February
To Paradise – Hanya Yanagihara (2022)
I like this book and its enormous ambition and Yanagihara’s writing more than I think it all totally works. From what I’ve read, this novel started out as three separate ideas that Yanagihara then turned into the three composite parts of the novel. While I like the interconnectedness of the book, I think I would have preferred a full novel of each section instead.
The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip – George Saunders (2000)
This is a short story with wonderful illustrations that I believe was intended as a children’s book? I loved it as I do almost any George Saunders work. I am also not the intended audience (a child) so take it all with a grain of salt.
March
CivilWarLand in Bad Decline – George Saunders (1996)
This was a fascinating exercise in exploring my favorite author. CivilWarLand is Saunders’ first collection and while I mostly liked it, it certainly isn’t the same voice I’ve grown to love and admire. Here, Saunders is meaner and far more cynical. In fact, the trait I typically love most about a Saunders story is the almost uncrushable optimism in the face of great hardship and perversity. In this collection you have those same elements but that stray bit of optimism always seems to get crushed. Still, while I wouldn’t recommend this as a starting place for Saunders, it’s more than worthwhile for any of his fans.
September
War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy (1867)
Sam Writes Shit 