CivilWarLand in Bad Decline: Stories and a Novella

A little over a year ago, I picked up Tenth of December, the much-acclaimed short story collection by George Saunders, and was blown away. What I expected was stories about "upper class white people problems"; what I got was a collection of funny, sharp, satirical looks at America, with stories ranging from Renaissance Fairs to futuristic nightmares to corporate torture memos. I was floored and thrilled; here, I thought, was a short story writer who got away from tales of ennui and angst, telling stories that had a point but entertained, made you laugh, and still worked as rich, well-written works.I didn't realize when I chose CivilWarLand in Bad Decline as my follow-up that it was Saunders' earliest collection; I knew it was acclaimed, like most of his work, and had a lot of love, and had a pretty great title. What I didn't realize, though, is that it represented a point where Saunders was still finding his voice, to some degree. In the author's note that follows the book, Saunders comments that there's a reason that just about every story here revolves around amusement parks (even if they're all dystopian nightmare amusement parks) - it was a way to force himself out of emulating Hemingway and Carver, and into his own more unique voice.The downside, then, with CivilWarLand is that it doesn't quite show as much range as the masterful Tenth of December. As mentioned, almost all of the stories revolve around bizarre Westworld-type amusement parks, and the few that don't still revolve around escapist entertainment, by and large. As a result, the stories blend together a little more; while each has its own unique story and plot (the title story features the Civil War park forced to recruit mercenaries from Vietnam World to help clear out a gang problem, with predictably nightmarish results), the settings tend to blur together a bit more than you'd hope.And yet, even so, that doesn't keep the collection from being wildly successful, very funny, and even profoundly moving. Saunders has a taste for black comedy, and it pays off superbly here, with the tragicomedy "The 400-Pound CEO" being a real standout, as it tells the story of a morbidly obese man mocked by his co-workers who only wants to be loved. It's both painful and hysterically funny, as Saunders contrasts his passive, lonely hero with the absurd cruelty of his co-workers and the bizarre actions of his employer. Meanwhile, stories like "Offloading for Mrs. Schwartz" show that Saunders is capable of profound emotion, as a man in control of virtual reality experiences searches for a way to escape his own painful life. And, of course, there's that title story, that mixes world-building, violence, and satire into a potent and effective combination.Yes, in some ways, these stories blend together, and sometimes hit a bit too hard on the same themes and tropes. But even so, it's clearly the voice of an author that's finding himself, and the fact that he brings such variation, even in similar tales, speaks well of the author that Saunders would become. And even here, where he's taking his first steps, he's still writing stories unlike much else out there, and creating worlds, characters, and prose that really demand to be experienced. It's not as good as Tenth of December, but that doesn't mean it's not superb stuff indeed.

In my copy of this book, Saunders added an author's note. It gave some interesting insights into his life when he was writing this book. I don't think this was the right time of year for me to read this (not enough sunlight) but, gosh, is he a good writer even if the stories are brutish and sad. He said of his work, "Why is the world so harsh to those who are losing?" I would actually give this a 3.75 for no one getting any happiness. I like it when someone is happy.

All of Saunders's stories are starting to run together for me. That's not necessarily a bad thing. He retells the same story over and over, really, but I really dig it. I say this because every story's theme is basically the same thing: bad guys trying to do good things. I use the term "bad" loosely because here's the rub: we're all bad. We're all bad people just trying to do good. Saunders's stories are a call to action: Do Good.Now, the details:"The Wavemaker Falters" is my favorite in this bunch. Clever symbolism and wordplay punctuated by tragic dark humor. "Leon's been rising steadily since we went through Orientation together, and all told he's saved three Guests and I've crushed the s*** out of one.""CivilWarLand in Bad Decline," the title story is strong. It's like "Pastoralia" (published later, but read first by me) with a supernatural twist. Also, maybe arming crazy gun nuts to protect our safety from scary teenagers isn't a good thing."Bounty", the novella in this collection, is like an extended cut of "CivilWarLand in Bad Decline." With the weird mutations of the Flawed--clawed toes, vestigial tails--I see where Karen Russell gets her inspiration from."Isabelle" is a kick in the teeth. I don't know what else to say."Offloading for Mrs. Schwartz" is a heartstring puller. The closest thing to a three-hanky weeper you'll find in a George Saunders collection."Downtrodden Mary's Failed Campaign of a Terror" is an amazing title that deserves a slightly better story, but, hey, transparent cow. I think this is a real experiment. This story feeds my desire for corporate sabotage."The 400-Pound CEO" reminds me to try hard, try so hard, not to judge people or be mean. This is hard for me. Saunders's stories are plum full of empathy. The narrator says "What do my colleagues know of Dad? What do they know of me? What kind of friend gets a kick out of posting in the break room a drawing of you eating an entire computer? What kind of friend jokes that someday you'll be buried in a specially built container after succumbing to heart strain? I'm sorry, but I feel that life should offer more than this." When people are down, we, as a society, keep them down. And then they want to stay down.

How rare it is to discover an author who uses both humor and drama so well and at the same time.This collection of short stories, CivilWarLand in Bad Decline is as hilarious is it is disturbing and unsettling. This author is a genius in all senses of the word.In the story, CivilWarLand in Bad Decline along with the subsequent story in the collection are about the tyrannical oppression of a Disneyland-type Resort, if it were run by...people. These stories are harrowing and hilarious, and of course crazy.My favorite story in the collection is called the 400 Pound CEO, about a heavy man who lives a sad life. Just when things start going good for him, everything spins out of control and becomes, like CivilWarLand, run by absolute anarchy.This collection is a delight to read in many aspects, and a quick read at that. It is one of the best collections in recent memory, and I highly recommend it.