Lincoln in the Bardo

This first novel from the acclaimed short story writer (Tenth of December) has been adapted into a cinematic (and potentially record-setting) audiobook that pushes the current boundaries of the format. The story takes place early in the Civil War over the course of one night in 1862. Though the Lincolns' son Willie has been laid to rest, his spirit lingers in the cemetery where his father pays a final visit. Saunders alternates between scene-setting historical and scholarly quotes (some fabricated) and the observations of the cemetery's longtime inhabitants, many of whom suffer Dantean torments. Into the endlessly repetitive existence of those caught between life and death come a catalyzing Willie and Lincoln himself, who departs with a better understanding of the intimate tragedies that soldiers' families suffer. Featuring 166 narrators, including stars such as Nick Offerman, David Sedaris, Megan Mullally, and Keegan-Michael Key, as well as the author himself, the audio presentation brings a chorus of voices to raucous, guilty, fearful, and complicated life.