Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel Summary
George Saunders

Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel Overview

Lincoln in the Bardo is an experimental historical novel by American author George Saunders. This winner of the 2017 Man Booker Prize is set in 1862, shortly after the death of Abraham Lincoln’s son, Willie Lincoln. Most of the novel takes place in the bardo, which is an intermediate metaphysical space between life and the afterlife. Willie Lincoln arrives in the bardo after his death and is greeted by other occupants of the bardo who have been buried in the same cemetery as he has. The novel gives information about Abraham Lincoln and the life and death of Willie with the use of historical entries, some of which are real, and some of which are invented by the author. Themes explored in the novel include death, grief, relationships, and morality.