Tenth of December, by George Saunders

Declared the “best book of the year” on the cover of the New York Times Magazine (this in early January with almost 12 months to go) and glowingly reviewed on the cover the its Book Review a mere two weeks later (not to mention laudatory appearances on Diane Rehm’s Show, etc.), one’s approach to this book is already compromised – will I be hip and cool enough to “get it?”  Well, not entirely, as it turned out.  I kept putting it down to pick up more traditional collections by Munro and the new author Megan Mayhew Bergman (reviewed above) to more or less refresh my palate.  Sadly, I’m really not hip enough to find this the best book of the year for me, but the last, and title story, is just wonderful.  It is one of the most affecting stories I’ve ever read.  251 pp.