{
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    "slug": "civilwarland-in-bad-decline-george-saunders",
    "nstc": null,
    "title": "Civilwarland in bad decline",
    "subtitle": null,
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    "description": "<p>Since its publication in 1996, George Saunders&rsquo;s debut collection has grown in esteem from a cherished cult classic to a masterpiece of the form, inspiring an entire generation of writers along the way. In six stories and a novella, Saunders hatches an unforgettable cast of characters, each struggling to survive in an increasingly haywire world. With a new introduction by Joshua Ferris and a new author&rsquo;s note by Saunders himself, this edition is essential reading for those seeking to discover or revisit a virtuosic, disturbingly prescient voice.<br> &#160;<br> <b>Praise for George Saunders and <i>CivilWarLand in Bad Decline</i></b><br> <i>&#160;</i><br> &ldquo;It&rsquo;s no exaggeration to say that short story master George Saunders helped change the trajectory of American fiction.&rdquo;<b>&mdash;<i>The Wall Street Journal</i></b><br> <i>&#160;</i><br> &ldquo;Saunders&rsquo;s satiric vision of America is dark and demented; it&rsquo;s also ferocious and very funny.&rdquo;<b>&mdash;Michiko Kakutani, <i>The New York Times</i></b><br> &#160;<br> &ldquo;George Saunders is a writer of arresting brilliance and originality, with a sure sense of his material and apparently inexhaustible resources of voice. [<i>CivilWarLand in Bad Decline</i>] is scary, hilarious, and unforgettable.&rdquo;<b>&mdash;Tobias Wolff</b><br> <i>&#160;</i><br> &ldquo;Saunders makes the all-but-impossible look effortless.&rdquo;<b>&mdash;Jonathan Franzen</b><br> &#160;<br> &ldquo;Not since Twain has America produced a satirist this funny.&rdquo;<b>&mdash;Zadie Smith</b><br> &#160;<br> &ldquo;An astoundingly tuned voice&mdash;graceful, dark, authentic, and funny&mdash;telling just the kinds of stories we need to get us through these times.&rdquo;<b>&mdash;Thomas Pynchon</b></p>",
    "additional_content": null,
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    "language_code": "eng",
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    "page_count": 224,
    "duration_seconds": null,
    "publication_date_first": "2016-04-26",
    "publication_date_latest": "2016-04-26",
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    "editions": [
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            "isbn": "9780812987683",
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    "created_at": "2025-09-19T13:18:21+00:00",
    "updated_at": "2025-11-06T00:26:37+00:00",
    "publisher": {
        "id": 4108,
        "slug": "random-house-us",
        "name": "Random House US",
        "created_at": "2025-09-19T13:07:56+00:00",
        "updated_at": "2025-09-19T15:10:09+00:00"
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    "contributors": [],
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    "subjects": [
        {
            "scheme_identifier": "32",
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            "subject_code": "300",
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