Pastoralia

Synopsis: 'Saunders is an astoundingly tuned voice - graceful, dark, authentic and funny - telling just the kind of stories we need to get us through these times' Thomas Pynchon In PASTORALIA elements of contemporary life are twisted, merged and amplified into a slightly skewed version of modern America. A couple live and work in a caveman theme-park, where speaking is an instantly punishable offence. A born loser attends a self-help seminar where he is encouraged to rid himself of all the people who are 'crapping in your oatmeal'. And a male exotic dancer and his family are terrorised by their decomposing aunt who visits them with a solemn message from beyond the grave. With an uncanny combination of deadpan naturalism and uproarious humour, George Saunders creates a world that is both indelibly original and yet hauntingly familiar.

Review: I didn't realise for a while that this was a short story collection (I didn't read the blurb and the first story is quite long) and in a way I was disappointed because I was enjoying the first one so much. It's called 'Pastoralia' and it's about a man who works in a caveman theme park where authenticity is taken to rather a startling level. The highlight of the day is finding a goat in their 'Big Slot' and some matches in their 'Little Slot' because otherwise all they have is 'Reserve Crackers'. His co-worker has personal problems and is not absolutely focused on the job in hand (ie she talks instead of grunts and she keeps trying to initiate conversations) .. on his 'Daily Partner Performance Evaluation Form' our caveman tries to cover up for her but the management are not buying it ... 'you know what it's like to me?' he says. 'The Bible. Remember that part in the Bible when Christ or God says that any group or organization of two or more of us is a body? I think that is so true. Our body has a rotten toe by the name of Janet, who is turning black and stinking up the joint, and next to that bad stinking toe lives her friend the good nonstinker toe, who for some reason, insists on holding its tongue, if a toe can be said to have a tongue. Speak up, little toe, let the brain know the state of the rot, so we can rush down what is necessary to stop Janet from stinking. What will be needed? We do not yet know. Maybe some antiseptic, maybe a nice sharp saw with which to lop off Janet. For us to know, what must you do? Tell the truth.'

Another favourite was a story called 'Sea Oak' which is about an aunt who comes back from the dead. Her view is that she's back to make up for the rubbish life she led whilst alive, she's also got some rather startling advice for her family. She died a virgin and that's one thing she wants to change, she's also turned into a bit of a potty mouth. Unfortunately though she's decomposing and bits soon start dropping off and oozing.

This is a weird and wonderful set of stories, set in modern America where consumerism and corporate speak rule. It's laugh out loud funny in places, crude though and littered with bad language. If you've got a bit of a bizarre, dark, sick, cynical sense of humour then these stories are for you. I didn't think I had but it made me laugh lots so what do I know. The only downside is that it's a bit repetitive in a 'life is sh*t' type of way and relentlessly grim so you tend not to want to read them all in one go .. there's only so much cynicism you can take in one sitting.