Bookwaves/Artwaves – April 30, 2026: George Saunders, “Vigil” 2026

About this episode

George Saunders discusses his latest novel 'Vigil' and themes of forgiveness and accountability in a conversation with Richard Wolinsky.

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues George Saunders: Award-winning Novelist and Short Story Author George Saunders, whose latest novel is Vigil, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky. George Saunders is the highly acclaimed author of several short story collections, including “Tenth of December,” and “CivilWarLand in Bad Decline,” and others, along with political commentary that has appeared in The New Yorker and other magazines. He won the 2017 Booker Prize for his earlier novel, “Lincoln in the Bardo.” This latest novel, Vigil, takes place in the in-between time before death, when an elderly oil oligarch lies dying, and an angel of mercy, a ghost, named Jill, is on hand to comfort him. The question at hand concerns forgiveness, accountability, grace and several other issues that become involved when someone whose actions were deleterious to humankind and the planet is forced to examine their actions on earth. Justification, remorse, sin? What does it mean, and how do we, the living, deal with these issues when there are so many bad actors doing damage these days on the world and national stages. Recorded…

People in this episode

Host: Richard Wolinsky

Guest: George Saunders

Topics covered

• literature
• forgiveness
• accountability
• grace
• political commentary
• death
• theater

Keywords

• George Saunders
• Vigil
• forgiveness
• accountability
• literature
• interview
• political commentary
• death
• theater

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The New Yorker

Books & works: Vigil, Tenth of December, CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, Lincoln in the Bardo

Places: TheatreWorks Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts

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