LINCOLN IN THE BARDO, by George Saunders, Bloomsbury.

It’s a bold claim but universally believed: George Saunders is

“the man” of this literary moment. Teacher of writing, master of the short story, he’s just published his first novel (with a shoutline from Thomas Pynchon) which has scooted straight up the bestseller lists. Its theme is our relationship with death; his focus the wrenching death of President Lincoln’s son, 11-year old Willy, who breathes his fevered last while a party is going on in the President’s home. Almost broken by grief, Lincoln returns alone at night to the graveyard, to hold his son’s body: this is historical truth. Saunders adds a crowd of ghosts who guard the tomb holding Willy’s body. Their squabbling voices are confounding but as Saunders’ purpose becomes clear, the novel becomes an intense, human portrait of death, life and grief.