George Saunders's new novel Vigil is a ghost story that forces its protagonist to confront his legacy and grapple with the consequences of his actions on climate change. The writer finds himself drawn to ghost stories because they invite us to confront our mortality and consider what remains once we strip away the distractions of everyday life.
Saunders has long been interested in exploring the complexities of human identity, as he reflected during a terrifying experience on a plane hit by geese. As an avid reader of Machiavelli's The Prince and Michael Harrington's The Other America, Saunders was exposed to ideas that challenged his views on power and morality from a young age.
The writer attributes his writing style to the Buddhist concept of mindfulness, which emphasizes awareness of the present moment. He sees writing as a form of meditation that requires compassion, empathy, and reflection.
To write a story like Vigil, Saunders had to delve into the complexities of human psychology, exploring the idea of elevation – the notion that our lives are shaped by forces beyond our control. The protagonist's journey raises fundamental questions about personal responsibility, guilt, and redemption.
For Saunders, writing is a deeply personal experience that requires him to confront his own demons and emotions. His writing process is a form of mental health treatment, allowing him to quiet his "monkey mind" and tap into his creative potential.
The writer's relationships are also deeply important to him. He met his wife Paula in college, and the two share a spiritual connection that has endured despite life's challenges. Their love story is one of undeniable chemistry, and Saunders often jokes about how he knew she was the one from the start.
Saunders's views on politics are complex and nuanced. While he recognizes the importance of speaking truth to power, he also understands the value of approaching difficult topics with empathy and compassion. As a writer, he believes that fiction has the power to inspire change by offering alternative perspectives and challenging readers to consider multiple viewpoints.
Ultimately, Saunders sees his writing as a form of activism, one that requires him to be mindful of his words and their potential impact on readers. By exploring complex themes and characters through fiction, he hopes to foster empathy and understanding in his audience.
Saunders has long been interested in exploring the complexities of human identity, as he reflected during a terrifying experience on a plane hit by geese. As an avid reader of Machiavelli's The Prince and Michael Harrington's The Other America, Saunders was exposed to ideas that challenged his views on power and morality from a young age.
The writer attributes his writing style to the Buddhist concept of mindfulness, which emphasizes awareness of the present moment. He sees writing as a form of meditation that requires compassion, empathy, and reflection.
To write a story like Vigil, Saunders had to delve into the complexities of human psychology, exploring the idea of elevation – the notion that our lives are shaped by forces beyond our control. The protagonist's journey raises fundamental questions about personal responsibility, guilt, and redemption.
For Saunders, writing is a deeply personal experience that requires him to confront his own demons and emotions. His writing process is a form of mental health treatment, allowing him to quiet his "monkey mind" and tap into his creative potential.
The writer's relationships are also deeply important to him. He met his wife Paula in college, and the two share a spiritual connection that has endured despite life's challenges. Their love story is one of undeniable chemistry, and Saunders often jokes about how he knew she was the one from the start.
Saunders's views on politics are complex and nuanced. While he recognizes the importance of speaking truth to power, he also understands the value of approaching difficult topics with empathy and compassion. As a writer, he believes that fiction has the power to inspire change by offering alternative perspectives and challenging readers to consider multiple viewpoints.
Ultimately, Saunders sees his writing as a form of activism, one that requires him to be mindful of his words and their potential impact on readers. By exploring complex themes and characters through fiction, he hopes to foster empathy and understanding in his audience.
his ghost stories are like a masterclass in anxiety 
i love how he weaves together these deep philosophical ideas with storytelling - it's like a slow-burning fire that gets you thinking about the bigger questions 
and honestly, i'm kinda jealous of his mental health treatment plan as a writer 
can I just write my way out of existential dread too? 
. It makes sense that he uses this genre to talk about mortality and our place in the world, but don't you think that's kinda heavy for some readers? 
I'm all about that mindfulness vibe too, it makes sense to write from a place of compassion and reflection... gotta get my creative juices flowing in a way that feels authentic 
! His ability to craft a ghost story that actually makes you think about climate change and its consequences on a human level is pure genius 
. The fact that he's drawing from Buddhist concepts like mindfulness and compassion to fuel his creative process is also super refreshing 
. And let's be real, his personal story of finding love with Paula is just the sweetest 
! Can't wait to dive into Vigil and see where this haunting tale takes me 
. I mean, I know meditation is cool and all, but let's not forget we're talking about fiction here, not some self-help book 
. It's like they're speaking down to us or something.
. But don't we want our writers to be a little more, I don't know, mysterious? 
His approach to writing as a form of mental health treatment makes total sense, too - who wouldn't want to quiet their "monkey mind" and tap into their creative potential? 
i mean, as someone who's obsessed with climate change (i've been following saunders's twitter and his essays on the subject are 
), i love how vigil taps into that sense of mortality and guilt – it's like he's holding up a mirror to our collective conscience 
what really resonated with me, though, was how saunders talks about writing as meditation – i've been practicing mindfulness for years (it's literally changed my life), and this feels so true – the way he says writing requires compassion, empathy, and reflection is like he's speaking directly to my soul 
have u read Vigil yet?
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OMG I am SOOOO inspired by George Saunders right now!!! His writing style is like whoa 
. As someone who cares deeply about climate change, I think this novel is going to be SO impactful 
can't wait to dive into Vigil and explore these themes with him 
but seriously, george saunders is like the ultimate mindfulness writer dude 
he's all about that empathy and compassion vibe, which is so refreshing in today's polarized world 
And don't even get me started on his love story with Paula. That's just some classic Hollywood romance trope, if you ask me. But what if it's all part of a larger conspiracy? What if they're both in on something together? 
I'm not saying it's true, but... have you ever noticed how George Saunders always seems to be talking about power and morality? It's like he's trying to tell us something. Maybe we should dig deeper... 