Short-story writer George Saunders makes thrilling foray into novels

Getting out of a pair of handcuffs was one of Harry Houdini's oldest tricks. In 1904, during a performance in London, the illusionist was manacled in a pair on which a blacksmith had spent five years perfecting the locking mechanism, claiming "no mortal man" could pick it. It took Houdini more an hour and 10 minutes to get out of them. As he was held aloft by a roaring crowd, the master of escape wept.

American short-story writer George Saunders often references Houdini for the fact that he constantly set himself tougher new challenges. "As an artist, the difficult thing is to think of new tricks - old tricks won't work," says Saunders, whose latest book, and first novel, "Lincoln in the Bardo," was recently published in Greek by Ikaros.

Having earned Saunders the 2017 Man Booker Prize, "Lincoln in the Bardo" is a thrilling, touching and humorous exploration of life,...