George Saunders G’88, professor in the Department of English’s Creative Writing Program in the College of Arts and Sciences, was featured in a New York Times interview discussing his latest novel "Vigil," his teaching philosophy and his evolving understanding of literature's role in fostering empathy and human connection. The piece also explored Saunders' reflections on moral complexity, judgment and the writing process.

In the article, Saunders, who has taught in Syracuse's creative writing M.F.A. program since 1996, discussed how his new novel grapples with questions of determinism and responsibility through two ghostly characters visiting the deathbed of a climate-change-denial architect. He explained his approach to moral ambiguity in fiction, noting that "a work of art doesn't have to solve a problem — it just has to formulate it correctly."

Saunders also reflected on his viral 2013 speech on kindness at the College of Arts and Sciences’ Convocation, which was republished in The New York Times and later became a best-selling book.

See the full interview in The New York Times.