
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life
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By:
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George Saunders
About this listen
From the New York Times best-selling, Booker Prize - winning author of Lincoln in the Bardo and Tenth of December comes a literary master class on what makes great stories work and what they can tell us about ourselves — and our world today.
For the last 20 years, George Saunders has been teaching a class on the Russian short story to his MFA students at Syracuse University. In A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, he shares a version of that class with us, offering some of what he and his students have discovered together over the years. Paired with iconic short stories by Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Gogol, the seven essays in this book are intended for anyone interested in how fiction works and why it’s more relevant than ever in these turbulent times.
In his introduction, Saunders writes, “We’re going to enter seven fastidiously constructed scale models of the world, made for a specific purpose that our time maybe doesn’t fully endorse but that these writers accepted implicitly as the aim of art — namely, to ask the big questions, questions like, How are we supposed to be living down here? What were we put here to accomplish? What should we value? What is truth, anyway, and how might we recognize it?”
He approaches the stories technically yet accessibly, and through them explains how narrative functions; why we stay immersed in a story and why we resist it; and the bedrock virtues a writer must foster. The process of writing, Saunders reminds us, is a technical craft, but also a way of training oneself to see the world with new openness and curiosity.
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain is a deep exploration not just of how great writing works but of how the mind itself works while reading, and of how the reading and writing of stories make genuine connection possible.
This audiobook includes a PDF of the tables, outlines, figures, and appendices from the book.
©2021 George Saunders (P)2021 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
"Saunders is a gentle giant in American letters whose fiction frequently champions the downtrodden and satirizes a society rife with economic inequality.... [A Swim in a Pond in the Rain is] an analysis of classic Russian fiction that doubles as an introductory seminar on the mechanics of short stories - namely, how do they work and why?... Why does fiction matter now? The answer, Saunders finds, lies in understanding reading to be a kind of life skill - for understanding our position in the world, for arbitrating truth.” (The Wall Street Journal)
“This book is a delight, and it’s about delight, too.... [A Swim in a Pond in the Rain is] very different from just another ‘how to’ creative writing manual, or just another critical essay.... One of the pleasures of this book is feeling [Saunders’s] own thinking move backwards and forwards, between the writer dissecting practice and the reader entering in through the spell of the words, to dwell inside the story.” (The Guardian)
“A master of contemporary fiction joyously assesses some of the best of the 19th century.” (Kirkus Reviews)

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By: George Saunders
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The Braindead Megaphone
- By: George Saunders
- Narrated by: George Saunders
- Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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George Saunders's first foray into nonfiction is comprised of essays on literature, travel, and politics. At the core of this unique collection are Saunders's travel essays based on his trips to seek out the mysteries of the "Buddha Boy" of Nepal; to attempt to indulge in the extravagant pleasures of Dubai; and to join the exploits of the minutemen at the Mexican border. Saunders expertly navigates the works of Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, and Esther Forbes, and leads the listener across the rocky political landscape of modern America.
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George Saunders is a genius!
- By caitlyngarofolo on 05-31-20
By: George Saunders
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Pastoralia
- By: George Saunders
- Narrated by: George Saunders
- Length: 4 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Hailed by Thomas Pynchon as "graceful, dark, authentic, and funny," George Saunders gives us, in his inventive and beloved voice, this best-selling collection of stories set against a warped, hilarious, and terrifyingly recognizable American landscape.
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Greatest living short story author reads own work.
- By Spam on 08-25-19
By: George Saunders
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Congratulations, by the Way
- Some Thoughts on Kindness
- By: George Saunders
- Narrated by: George Saunders
- Length: 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Three months after George Saunders gave a graduation address at Syracuse University, a transcript of that speech was posted on the website of The New York Times, where its simple, uplifting message struck a deep chord. Within days, it had been shared more than one million times. Why? Because Saunders’ words tap in to a desire in all of us to lead kinder, more fulfilling lives. Powerful, funny, and wise, Congratulations, by the Way is an inspiring message from one of today’s most influential and original writers.
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Great Speech
- By Lucas Samples on 09-23-20
By: George Saunders
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The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil
- By: George Saunders
- Narrated by: George Saunders
- Length: 2 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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In a profoundly strange country called Inner Horner, large enough for only one resident at a time, citizens waiting to enter the country fall under the rule of the power-hungry and tyrannical Phil, setting off a chain of injustice and mass hysteria. An Animal Farm for the 21st century, this is an incendiary political satire of unprecedented imagination, spiky humor, and cautionary appreciation for the hysteric in everyone.
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4.0 stars
- By ibillinsly@gmail on 06-04-19
By: George Saunders
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Fox 8
- A Story
- By: George Saunders
- Narrated by: George Saunders
- Length: 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Fox 8 has always been known as the daydreamer in his pack, the one his fellow foxes regarded with a knowing snort and a roll of the eyes. That is, until Fox 8 develops a unique skill: He teaches himself to speak Yuman by hiding in the bushes outside a house and listening to children’s bedtime stories. The power of language fuels his abundant curiosity about people - even after danjer arrives in the form of a new shopping mall that cuts off his food supply, sending Fox 8 on a harrowing quest to help save his pack.
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Sly Foxes, Wise Owls, Mean Dudes
- By Mel on 05-28-13
By: George Saunders
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CivilWarLand in Bad Decline
- Stories and a Novella
- By: George Saunders, Joshua Ferris - introduction
- Narrated by: George Saunders, Joshua Ferris
- Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Since its publication in 1996, George Saunders’ debut collection has grown in esteem from a cherished cult classic to a masterpiece of the form, inspiring an entire generation of writers along the way. In six stories and a novella, Saunders hatches an unforgettable cast of characters, each struggling to survive in an increasingly haywire world.
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>>BUCKLE. UP.<<
- By Mary K Foster on 05-23-21
By: George Saunders, and others
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Slouching Towards Bethlehem
- Picador Modern Classics
- By: Joan Didion
- Narrated by: Maya Hawke
- Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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More than perhaps any other book, this collection by one of the most distinctive prose stylists of our era captures the unique time and place of Joan Didion’s focus, exploring subjects such as John Wayne and Howard Hughes, growing up in California and the nature of good and evil in a Death Valley motel room, and, especially, the essence of San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury, the heart of the counterculture.
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The vivid imagery.
- By Anne on 03-20-25
By: Joan Didion
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How to Think Like a Philosopher
- Scholars, Dreamers and Sages Who Can Teach Us How to Live
- By: Peter Cave
- Narrated by: Ben Onwukwe
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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In showing how the great philosophers of human history lived and thought – and what they thought about – Peter Cave provides an accessible and enjoyable introduction to thinking philosophically and how it can change our everyday lives. With a lightness of touch, he addresses questions such as: Is there anything ‘out there’ that gives meaning to our lives? Does reality tell us how we ought to live? What indeed is reality and what is appearance – and how can we tell the difference?
By: Peter Cave
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The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip
- By: George Saunders
- Narrated by: George Saunders
- Length: 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Gappers will get your goat. Literally. If you don't brush them off and return them to the ocean, these bright orange, many-eyed creatures will cover your goats, and the goats will stop giving milk. In a village called Frip, goat's milk was the entire economy. Three families lived there - the Romos, the Ronsens, and a little girl named Capable and her widowed father, who wanted everything to remain the same. It didn't. One day, the Gappers decided for a good reason to concentrate on Capable's goats. Oh, how the Romos and Ronsens turned their backs on the gapper-ridden Capable!
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Imagination & simplicity
- By Cathy A. Briggs on 01-02-24
By: George Saunders
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Fifty-Two Stories
- 1883-1898
- By: Anton Chekhov, Richard Pevear - translator, Larissa Volokhonsky - translator
- Narrated by: Jim Frangione
- Length: 20 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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From the celebrated, award-winning translators of Anna Karenina and War and Peace: a lavish, masterfully rendered volume of stories by one of the most influential short fiction writers of all time.
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Better alternatives for Chekhov
- By Carol V. Macvey on 03-04-21
By: Anton Chekhov, and others
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Robert Lowell, Setting the River on Fire
- A Study of Genius, Mania, and Character
- By: Kay Redfield Jamison
- Narrated by: Jefferson Mays
- Length: 17 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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In his Pulitzer Prize-winning poetry, Robert Lowell put his manic-depressive illness (now known as bipolar disorder) into the public domain, creating a language for madness that was new and arresting. As Dr. Jamison brings her expertise in mood disorders to bear on Lowell’s story, she illuminates not only the relationships among mania, depression, and creativity but also the details of Lowell’s treatment and how illness and treatment influenced the great work that he produced (and often became its subject).
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Review of Robert Lowell by Kay Jamison
- By Margaret C. Neumann on 05-10-17
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Reading Like a Writer
- By: Francine Prose
- Narrated by: Nanette Savard
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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In her entertaining and edifying New York Times bestseller, acclaimed author Francine Prose invites you to sit by her side and take a guided tour of the tools and the tricks of the masters and discover why their work has endured. Written with passion, humor, and wisdom, Reading Like a Writer will inspire listeners to return to literature with a fresh eye and an eager heart.
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Practical, literate, generous
- By Gare on 04-13-08
By: Francine Prose
What listeners say about A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
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Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Alexis N.
- 12-27-21
Wonderful narration
This felt like taking a Russian lit class and was a great way to learn more about it. I liked the stories that were chosen to dissect and it gave me a greater appreciation for them than when I probably had to read some of them in high school. Also the narration was phenomenal on audio.
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- Kevin
- 12-04-22
Beautiful and Brilliant
Saunders picks Russian short masterpieces and explains them in a way I would not have appreciated without such explanation. In this book, I have found some of my favorite stories I have ever heard, performed by some of the best voice actors of our time. This is truly a book of riches.
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- Kais
- 11-21-22
A must read for all readers
A must-read for all readers. It's about the art of short stories but has so much more to offer. I love Saunders' style of having us rethink and relearn on how to look at stories.
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- Caroline
- 04-23-24
just perfect
I return to this audio recording regularly. It's so helpful and inspired, and Saunders' voice in your ear is downright restorative.
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- Datho
- 04-29-25
Excellent analysis and explanation.
I’ve been wanting to understand how to interpret literature better, and this book has really helpful insight to that end. The author does a great job detailing his interpretation of almost every line in all the stories. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommended it.
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- borgyborgy
- 05-05-23
Better than all my college lit classes combined
Now I know more why I respond to reading as I do. Loved every sometimes tedious seeming part which became not tedious then.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-01-22
Exquisite
Read beautifully and comments by George Saunders fresh and brilliant. A perfect book to read with Russian authors who have the humanity that seems to be lacking in the Russia of today.
The short stories portray the whole gamut of emotions.
This is one book I could absolutely read again.
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- Deborah Michaels
- 08-16-22
Great!
A triumph in teaching methods and philosophy. I learned a lot from his style, comments upon the writing methods and look forward to following this author in future evaluations and interpretations of famous authors.
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- Jennifer L. Debevec
- 10-04-24
Incredible, diverse narration, thoughtful, humorous, surprising analysis.
What a great experience it was to listen to this book. George Saunders gave such articulation and breathed new light into the stories. I also love the selection of narrators which infuse the story with pathos and a contemporary twist.
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- Brent Armstrong
- 10-20-21
Go Deeper
The best lesson I've ever received in writing, reading, and understanding fiction. Digs deep into the heart of writing. Don't be misled by other reviews, all of the stories are here in their entirety, read by worthy actors.
In The Cart by Chekov
Gooseberries by Chekov
The Darling by Chekov
Master and Man by Tolstoy
Aloyosha the Pot by Tolstoy
The Nose by Gogol
The Singers by Turgenev
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23 people found this helpful