Susan Fredericks Hodes

Though not for everyone, I found this book extraordinarily original. Saunders use of excerpts from books and articles to set up the story's historical background was brilliant. I listened to the audio book version and thoroughly enjoyed the interaction of the cast of characters. At first, I was a bit let down by the ending. I thought the story might go on to include the arrival of the slain president to the Bardo before the departure of the others! But when I really thought about it, I understand that the ultimate point of Lincoln's experience is his realization of the pain of all people's lives. The burden of the war on a large scale was made real to him by the pain of a single loss; the understanding of the loss of all sons every day of the war.