The last time George Saunders sat down with Stephen Colbert, he was adamant about his utter lack of desire to write a novel—something the comedian and host ribbed him for last night on the Late Show, where the writer appeared to promote his debut novel, Lincoln in the Bardo.
Described as "quite possibly" the host's favorite living author, Saunders chatted with about the reason he decided to write a longform work of fiction, what exactly a "bardo" is, and what it was like to meditate on the life of Abraham Lincoln. Inevitably, the duo also discussed the presidency of Donald J. Trump and whether or not the American public is being "kind enough" to him during his first 100 days. "We have a president right now—" began Colbert.
Saunders, wryly, interjected: "We do?"
