DECEMBER 2007

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A Review of Saunders's The Braindead Megaphone (2007)
By Jason Jordan, Nov 19, 2007
George Saunders is known for his work with GQ, The Guardian, Harper’s, and The New Yorker, and also for his absurdist fiction collections, but The Braindead Megaphone (Riverhead Books, 2007) is the author’s nonfiction debut, which offers an assortment of stories on various topics. The hardcore Saunders fan will undoubtedly find much to like within this 257-page book, though similar to its predecessor, I must posit that it’s not his finest effort.

Like several compendiums, many of these stories have appeared elsewhere, so if déjà vu hits while reading, it’s probably not a coincidence. Often steeped in politics, Saunders’s opening – “The Braindead Megaphone” – is essentially a piece railing against the Bush administration, Fox News, and other conservative outfits, while lengthy 34-page follower “The New Mecca” tells of the rise of Dubai in a Brautigan-esque manner by incorporating chapter headings, which “A Brief Study of the British,” “The Great Divider,” and “Buddha Boy” copy for their respective jaunts. However, a few tell of the writer’s fascination with writing and his advice for aspiring writers – “Thank You, Esther Forbes,” “Mr. Vonnegut in Sumatra,” “The Perfect Gerbil,” etc. – but some like the comically-inclined “Nostalgia,” “Ask the Optimist!,” and “Woof: A Plea of Sorts” simply feel out of place. Similarly, the politically-minded “Proclamation,” “Thought Experiment,” and “Manifesto: A Press Release from PRKA” overreach to drive their points home when they could’ve been embedded in a riveting story instead of dry versions of “think about this.” Lastly, though entertaining and informative, “The United States of Huck: Introduction to Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” struck me as a strange inclusion, too. Were the publishers set on surpassing the 250-page mark?

So yes, The Braindead Megaphone is an unbalanced body of nonfiction that has its share of meat and filler alike. Yet, Saunders proves charming while weaving captivating tales that typically expose provocative truths about injustices that riddle the disadvantaged. Still, I have to wonder if he’s doing anything to change that, even in some small way, instead of just writing about it. Regardless, and in spite of the iffy nature of this collection, it’s worth picking up if the price is right, providing you haven’t read most of it beforehand.

Jason Jordan's introduction to decomP came in July 2004 when he won our 4th of July contest. He joined the staff of decomP in September 2004 as Staff Reviewer and was promoted to Assistant Editor in January 2007, continuing to write reviews for the magazine, while assuming responsibilities as poetry editor. He has never slowed down in his work on the magazine and will assume the role of Editor in January 2008. Jason has hosted the Bean Street Reading Series, edited the IUS Review, and has been a featured writer at numerous venues throughout the midwest. His work appears in UltimateMetal, The2ndHand, Verbsap, Automiguel, RAGAD, and Pindeldyboz. He is currently pursuing his MFA in Creative Writing at Chatham University in Pittsburgh.

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