Bestselling author and professor of English George Saunders G’88 has received numerous accolades in his literary career. His book, Lincoln in the Bardo, won the 2017 Man Booker Prize; his most recent work, Liberation Day, was chosen as one of President Barack Obama’s favorite books of 2022; and earlier this year, three of his books were included in The New York Times list of The 100 Best Books of the 21st Century.

Now, Saunders’ work is reaching an even broader audience as his Lincoln in the Bardo takes center stage as Grammy-winning superstar Dua Lipa’s October book club pick.

Lipa’s monthly book club is part of her global platform called Service95, which provides fans with a curation of lists, stories, perspectives and conversations with the world’s most compelling voices. Members of the club are invited to read a different book each month and engage with content centered around the author, including discussion guides, author Q&As and further reading lists. She amplifies that content to her millions of social media followers around the world.

Lincoln in the Bardo was Saunders’ first novel and debuted at number one on The New York Times Bestseller List. The book is Saunders’ conception of a visit by President Abraham Lincoln to the cemetery where his deceased 11-year-old son, Willie, is buried. The experimental novel explores Abraham Lincoln’s grief for the loss of his son alongside a cast of narrating ghosts who are in the “bardo” - a limbo state between death and the afterlife.

The global acclaim for Lincoln in the Bardo demonstrates the profound impact that creative writing can have in uncovering fresh insights on history, while also nurturing readers' emotional and intellectual growth.

When asked why she loved the book, Dua Lipa said in an article on Service95.com, “There is no one writing today who can match George Saunders for compassion and empathy. The very last page still replays in my mind. The voices of these spirits – the wretched and the brave, and the dead boy Willie Lincoln – will stay with me forever.”

Dua Lipa (left) talking with George Saunders (right) during her monthly book club interview.

Throughout the month of October, the Service95 Book Club will offer exclusive insights, interviews and articles from Lipa and Saunders.

Service95 content includes:

• An interview of George Saunders by Dua Lipa
• An essay from George Saunders
• A roundup of Lincoln in the Bardo
• The reading list that inspired Saunders’ Lincoln in the Bardo
• A 10-question prompt to help readers discuss Lincoln in the Bardo
• The Historical Context Around Lincoln in the Bardo