Booker Prize winner George Saunders joins How To Academy in Austin to reflect on VIGIL, his new novel of conscience and transformation, and on the creative vision that has made him one of America’s most vital writers.

Over three decades, Saunders has established a singular place in contemporary literature. His short stories, essays, and novels have appeared in The New Yorker, been collected in volumes such as Tenth of December and CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, and earned him recognition as one of the most original chroniclers of the American spirit. Known for his sharp wit, moral clarity, and imaginative daring, he combines the surreal with the deeply humane, illuminating the absurdities of modern life while revealing the tenderness that persists beneath them.

VIGIL continues this exploration. Set during the last night in the life of an oil executive guided toward his reckoning by an unearthly companion, the novel opens a conversation about responsibility, grace, and the cost of progress.

In this evening of ideas and storytelling, Saunders will discuss the questions that shape his work, the strange joy of writing about death and renewal, and what it means to remain humane in an age of collapse.

Join George Saunders and How To Academy for a rare and searching conversation that invites us to see the world and one another with greater alertness and care.

Most seats include a pre-signed copy of VIGIL. Additional pre-signed copies of VIGIL are available during checkout at a 30% discount and onsite at full retail price. All books can be collected at the event.