PastoraliaPastoralia
Score Modern
What it's about
Six stories set in a slightly warped America. In the title story, a man works as a caveman in a failing theme park, grunting in a cave all day with a partner who's falling apart. In Sea Oak, a male stripper's dead aunt comes back from the grave, furious about the life she never had. Other stories feature a self-help seminar and a barber who can't stop fantasizing.
Why it's worth reading
The New York Times named it one of the best books of the 21st century. Saunders is hilarious and heartbreaking about people trapped in bad jobs and their own heads.
You'll love it if you liked
Tenth of December
Lincoln in the Bardo
A Confederacy of DuncesGood to know
It's short. The humor is dark, and Sea Oak has a rotting corpse who swears a lot.
By the numbers
- Readers52 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller17 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #164 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #593 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1128 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Adventurous, Dark
More by George Saunders
Tenth of DecemberLincoln in the BardoIf you like this, read next
A Game of Thrones
The Fifth Season
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Gideon the Ninth
Red Rising
OutlanderExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Pastoralia worth reading?
Yes. The New York Times named it one of the best books of the 21st century. It ranks #1,128 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Pastoralia about?
Six stories set in a slightly warped America. In the title story, a man works as a caveman in a failing theme park, grunting in a cave all day with a partner who's falling apart. In Sea Oak, a male stripper's dead aunt comes back from the grave, furious about the life she never had. Other stories feature a self-help seminar and a barber who can't stop fantasizing.
How long does it take to read Pastoralia?
About 6 hours (225 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Pastoralia?
If you liked it, try Tenth of December by George Saunders, Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders or A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.