Thoughts 
by George Saunders, Random House 2013, 254 pages
STORY COLLECTION
Highly praised; LOTS of literary awards including: nomination for Goodreads Choice for Fiction 2013, Paris Review Best of the Best 2013, Folio Prize 2014, Story Prize 2013, and National Book Award Finalist for Fiction 2013 (WOW! I’ve read the winner for 2013: The Good Lord Bird! woo hoo)
My favorite was the title story “Tenth of December”. In less than 40 pages, I was blubbering. Very moving, very touching.
My least favorite was one of the longest stories and to be honest: I skipped the middle, reread the first few pages too many times and couldn’t make sense of the last 4 pages. That one was “The Semplica Girl Diary” – failure all mine; it has been critically acclaimed.
I do not read story collections in order.
I usually read the shortest stories first.
If there is a theme here, I will borrow/steal from Greg of The New Dork Review and say “the moving target of morality”. His thoughts and reactions (not a review?) are worth reading if you are intrigued.
It has been said in the blogosphere that these are rather depressing stories. Note.
I read this because The Socratic Salon mentions it. Click on this sentence to see their discussion of “Can You Learn to Love Short Stories?”
When I do bother to read a short story collection, I tend to LOVE most of the stories.
I don’t expect to like all of them. I just need to find some gold and some sparkle and some heartfelt provoked reaction.
Short stories are all good by me.
Four Slice of Pie 
Pie Quote: “Guy never works a day in his life, just goes around stealing pies off windowsills, then starts yelping about his rights?”
Past Story Collections I Have Recommended:
Dorothy Parker!
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Simon Van Booy’s Love Begins in Winter
The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
Click –> HERE <– for more reviews.
Care's Books and Pie 
“I don’t expect to like all of them. I just need to find some gold and some sparkle and some heartfelt provoked reaction.”
That’s it, exactly! Well said!
I liked this collection a lot as well. I guess I’m a rule follower, though – I usually read the stories in order.
I haven’tr read a story collection in a while. I think I started this collection at some point but maybe not.
I didn’t find them depressing, but a number of them were disturbing. Sometimes it’s good to be disturbed; it makes you think.