I picked up "Pastoralia" from a "you might also like" link on Amazon. Sea Oak is good but the one that really got me is "The last days of FIRPO in the world". It's EXACTLY what being a kid was like (except for the end).

And "The Falls," which is in Pastoralia. Devastating.

Thanks for the old link to "Jon"--another great one.

http://newyorker.com/printable/?fiction/030127fi_fiction

I know Saunders has been linked here before, but...some stuff should stay sticky.

And I scroll down to find that Laidlaw already posted about it. Fucker.

George Saunders is the shit, and I mean that in a good way.

A friend of mine in the business recommended to me Super Flat Times by one Matthew Derby and it too is a worthwhile read. The first story or two make perhaps a little too much use of certain Saunders hallmarks, but he settles down into his own groove soon enough.

The copy I read was an advance proof but I see that it is now available.

Sea Oak was a cracking read.
Thanks Mr Laidlaw, I needed a new author.

ps get on with HL2 - we're dying of excitment here.