Published in 2000, Pastoralia is George Saunders's second short story collection. Like its predecessor, it was highly celebrated, being ranked the fifth-greatest book of all time by literary magazine The Millions.
Pastoralia is comprised of (many previously published in The New Yorker and other magazines) Saunders's detailed and vibrant short stories, totaling six in number. The stories cover a variety of topics, but all remain unique; for example, the titular tale, Pastoralia, explores the unusual narrative of a depressed man who lives as a caveman in an amusement park diorama.
Most of the stories in the collection were awarded the O. Henry Award as well as other awards before their publication together. Similarly, Pastoralia as a whole as critically acclaimed; The New Yorker named it one of its "Notable Books" of 2001.
