Book Quote by George Saunders
![“The book says [Lincoln in the Bardo],"I really need this sci-fi device of a ghost inhabiting another person." You say okay kind of begrudgingly. So the structure seemed informed by need and efficiency.” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/336/george-saunders-317_book_the-book-says-lincoln-in-the-bardo-i-rea_759066.jpg)
“The book says [Lincoln in the Bardo],"I really need this sci-fi device of a ghost inhabiting another person." You say okay kind of begrudgingly. So the structure seemed informed by need and efficiency.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, 2017
A character longs for a sci‑fi‑like ghost that can inhabit another, reflecting a desire for efficient, transformative help.
In simple terms: Wants a ghost that can help efficiently.
Key Takeaway
Seek practical solutions, not just fantasies.
Themes
desire
efficiency
transformation
Mood
curious
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- creative writing
- personal growth
- problem solving
Key Concepts
science fiction
possession
need
Questions to Reflect On
- What would you sacrifice for efficiency?
- Is it right to use others for personal gain?
A Different Perspective
May overlook ethical implications of using others.
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![“[Lincoln in the Bardo] is not a long book. And that meant I could obsess over it and live in it both backwards and forwards and hyper-control everything.” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/afc/george-saunders-317_backwards_lincoln-in-the-bardo-is-not-a-long-book_2176474.jpg)
![“While writing this book [Lincoln in the Bardo], [idea of inclusion] occurred to me, you either believe in the Constitution or you don't. If you do, it's intense in what it wants of us.” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/367/george-saunders-317_believe_while-writing-this-book-lincoln-in-the-b_2048122.jpg)
![“As the writer of this book [Lincoln in the Bardo], what I loved was the feeling of having so many surprises come at the end that I hadn't really planned or planted.” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/869/george-saunders-317_book_as-the-writer-of-this-book-lincoln-in-th_507145.jpg)
![“Whole swaths of the book [Lincoln in the Bardo] are made up of verbatim quotes from various historical sources, which I cut up and rearranged to form part of the narrative.” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f08/george-saunders-317_book_whole-swaths-of-the-book-lincoln-in-the_1268701.jpg)
![“Something in me was changed by Lincoln in the Bardo, and the great sublime/grotesque risk of [George Saunders'] ghosts was a part of it.” quote by Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c50/zadie-smith-584_changed_something-in-me-was-changed-by-lincoln-i_2919261.jpg)
![“The last page of [Lincoln in the Bardo] - without giving too much away - involves somebody entering somebody else. Not in a sexual way. But it says one of the simplest things you could ever say, which is that we must try and be inside each other. We must have some kind of feeling for each other…” quote by Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bae/zadie-smith-584_entering_the-last-page-of-lincoln-in-the-bardo-wi_1986495.jpg)
