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A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
- Narrated by: George Saunders, Phylicia Rashad, Nick Offerman, Glenn Close, Keith David, Rainn Wilson, BD Wong, Renée Elise Goldsberry
- Length: 14 hrs and 44 mins
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A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
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Publisher's summary
Bloomsbury presents A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders, read by George Saunders, Phylicia Rashad, Nick Offerman, Glenn Close, Keith David, Rainn Wilson, BD Wong and Renée Elise Goldsberry.
From the Man Booker Prize-winning, New York Times best-selling author of Lincoln in the Bardo, a literary masterclass on how to become both a better writer and reader, on what makes great stories work and what they can tell us about how to live.
In A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, George Saunders guides the listener through seven classic Russian short stories he's been teaching for 20 years as a professor in the prestigious Syracuse University graduate MFA creative writing program.
Paired with stories by Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy and Gogol, these essays are intended for anyone interested in how fiction works and why it's more relevant than ever in these turbulent times. Saunders approaches each of these stories technically yet accessibly and through them explains how narrative functions; why we stay immersed in a story and why we resist it; and the bedrock virtues a writer must foster. For the process of writing, Saunders reminds us, is as much a craft as it is a quality of openness and a willingness to see the world through new eyes.
Funny, frank and rigorous, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain ultimately shows how great fiction can change a person's life and become a benchmark of one's moral and ethical beliefs.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
Critic reviews
"A morally passionate, serious writer.... He will be read long after these times have passed." (Zadie Smith)
"George Saunders makes you feel as though you are reading fiction for the first time." (Khaled Hosseini)
"What warm, kindhearted and radical writing. Such delicacy, such serious wit. I love it." (Max Porter)
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What listeners say about A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Greg
- 05-20-22
One of the best books I've ever read!
This changed the way I think about reading and writing. It opened me up to a new world of analysis. The stories were beautifully explained. Yet one of my favourite parts of this book were the afterthoughts. Specifically one about the process of writing (or any creative work) that left me feeling inspired and lucky that I get to pursue my craft. It reminded me that all the obstacles I find in my work can only be overcome through continuing to work.
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