Lincoln in the Bardo

Lincoln in the Bardo weaves a haunting tale of grief and love set against the backdrop of the American Civil War. When Abraham Lincoln’s young son Willie dies in 1862, the president’s anguish draws him to the Georgetown cemetery where his son is laid to rest. Unbeknownst to Lincoln, the cemetery is a liminal space—a bardo—where spirits linger, refusing to accept their deaths. Among them are a cast of unforgettable characters, including a printer killed in a tragic accident, a man who took his own life, and a reverend tormented by his past.

The novel explores the tension between the living and the dead, blending historical accounts with supernatural elements. Saunders crafts a chorus of voices, from ghosts to historical figures, to paint a vivid portrait of a nation in turmoil and a father’s struggle to reconcile loss. The bardo becomes a metaphor for the human condition, where hope, regret, and the fear of oblivion collide.

Rich in lyrical prose and dark humor, the story balances heartbreak with moments of levity. Ghosts bicker, philosophize, and cling to fragments of their former lives, while Lincoln’s visits to Willie’s crypt ignite a poignant battle for the boy’s soul. The narrative structure—pieced together from fragmented voices—mirrors the chaos of war and the fragility of memory.

Critics have praised the novel as a masterpiece of empathy, blending the intimate and the epic. Saunders’ imaginative leap into the afterlife asks timeless questions about how we endure loss and find meaning in a transient world. The result is a luminous, genre-defying work that lingers long after the final page.