A review of “A Swim in a Pond in the Rain” in 100 words by Catherine Stover
Here’s what I like about George Saunders: even though he is an award-winning author and a creative writing professor – some go so far as to call him “a secular saint of American literature” – he is a nice guy. In this book, he looks at seven classic Russian short stories. For him, the questions are “How did this part make you feel?” and “How did the writer do that?” Saunders’ curiosity, warmth, and playfulness drives this book. You can imagine him sitting on a bar stool, slapping his knee and saying, “Jeez!” I was swept away by his ideas and enthusiasm.
Work cited:
Saunders, George. A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In which four Russians give a master class on writing, reading, and life. Random House, 2021, p. 6.