The Braindead Megaphone

published	2007 by Riverhead Trade
binding	Paperback
isbn	159448256X (isbn13: 9781594482564)
description	The breakout book from "the funniest writer in America"-not to mention an official Genius-a trade paperback original and his first nonfictio...more [close] The breakout book from "the funniest writer in America"-not to mention an official Genius-a trade paperback original and his first nonfiction collection ever. George Saunders's first foray into nonfiction is comprised of essays on literature, travel, and politics. At the core of this unique collection are Saunders's travel essays based on his trips to seek out the mysteries of the "Buddha Boy" of Nepal; to attempt to indulge in the extravagant pleasures of Dubai; and to join the exploits of the minutemen at the Mexican border. Saunders expertly navigates the works of Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, and Esther Forbes, and leads the reader across the rocky political landscape of modern America. Emblazoned with his trademark wit and singular vision, Saunders's endeavor into the art of the essay is testament to his exceptional range and ability as a writer and thinker.
date added	03-19-07 edit book

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David rated it:

01/13/08

Read in January, 2008

recommended to David by: Katie

There is a nice confluence between this book and DFW's Consider the Lobster-- in particular the last of Wallace's essays, which is on American talk radio, segues seamlessly into the Saunders' first essay, "The Braindead Megaphone", which is as good an essay on the dumbing influence of mainstream media as I've ever read. Oh, and it's fucking hilarious, which when you think about it, why shouldn't it be?

So I had never read GS before, neither his fiction nor non-fiction, and DFW is a...more There is a nice confluence between this book and DFW's Consider the Lobster-- in particular the last of Wallace's essays, which is on American talk radio, segues seamlessly into the Saunders' first essay, "The Braindead Megaphone", which is as good an essay on the dumbing influence of mainstream media as I've ever read. Oh, and it's fucking hilarious, which when you think about it, why shouldn't it be?

So I had never read GS before, neither his fiction nor non-fiction, and DFW is a hard act to follow, let me tell you. But they write with a similar style, both tending to write about writing what you are now reading and often openly discussing the difficulties of being lucid, which (paradoxically?) makes for more lucid writing.

Saunders is less "brainy", if you want to call it that. Whereas DFW is nervous in the high-strung neurotic sense and is constantly worried about seeming pretentious, which itself is a kind of pretension, GS is more comfortable in his skin, his open-mindedness, pacifism, and general wonder in the world.

The gems for me were: the title essay, the essays on writing---namely "Thank You, Esther Forbes", "Mr. Vonnegut in Sumatra", and to a lesser extent (gem-wise, not writing-subject-wise) "The Perfect Gerbil" and his introduction to Huck Finn (that's got to stroke the ego, eh?), which he more or less steals (pays hommage, whatever) to Vonnegut's Slaugherhouse Five by opening with his own difficulties undertaking the---understably---daunting task of writing an intro (which you are at this moment reading) to what might be the greatest American novel ever written (if you believe Hemingway, for example). Some of the other essays---more overtly satirical---I liked, but is just Not My Cup of Tea and reads more like Jack Handey's stuff in Shouts & Murmurs of the New Yorker. What's left are his travel essays for GQ, which frankly I wouldn't have been heart-broken to miss. Again though, I should say it was good and as far as typical travel writing goes its really good; just NMCoT.

In short, what you'd really like is not more GS books, but more people like GS inahbiting the world---or at least the US. He approaches writing with humor, humility, doubt, and an appreciation for how difficult it is to get through the things that really suck in life. Until everyone swallows the reflective-thoughtful-nice-funny-person pill, let's be grateful at least we can read GS' books....less

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Suzanne rated it:

10/16/07

Read in October, 2007

recommends it for: everyone

This is a great book of essays. I don't know that they will change the world or illuminate much for those who are most likely to read them, but still it's good to put these subjects and Saunders' perspective into the public collective.

My reading of "The Braindead Megaphone" was biased by the fact that I saw George Saunders read from it at Booksmith on Haight. It was a small reading, and I had an excellent seat. Saunders was funny, down-to-earth, and downright charming. Unexpect...more This is a great book of essays. I don't know that they will change the world or illuminate much for those who are most likely to read them, but still it's good to put these subjects and Saunders' perspective into the public collective.

My reading of "The Braindead Megaphone" was biased by the fact that I saw George Saunders read from it at Booksmith on Haight. It was a small reading, and I had an excellent seat. Saunders was funny, down-to-earth, and downright charming. Unexpectedly so. He was also quite humble. Seeing him in person no doubt colored my reading of the book. If anything, I probably took him more seriously. The essays are, after all, personal essays, which mean they contain is opinion and subjective reflections. And as part of the very Media he disparages, there are also times he's meant to be objective and simply reports the facts of what he's experienced.

He writes these essays using a lot of capitalized, broad strokes. Referring, for example, to Megaphone Guy but meaning something more particular. In this way he manages to be politically correct, and a not-so-clever person risks missing the point at times. In person, Saunders was quite clear that these essays were written on assignment and by spending a week with the Minutemen on the border of Mexico, for example, he can really only write with the authority of a visitor, not an expert. At the reading he pointed out that it was hardly fair to characterize real people on the basis of spending a very small amount of time with them, and I respect Saunders for saying so. Still, what he gives us is more insight than we/I had before. His essay about Dubai, for example, was fascinating to me because it's unlikely I'll be going there any time soon.

Saunders also employs a heavy dosing of sarcasm, which was funny in the essay about the Britons, although I kind of wish his thoughts had been less aimed at poking fun at stereotypes of the British and more introspective, deeper. What I mean is, he chastises Americans for being ignorant, and so the focus was not really on the British at all. Which was surely his point, but not what I expected.

All in all, a great read....less

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C. rated it:

09/20/07

Read in September, 2007

George Saunders is a popular contemporary author whose work often reminds me of Kurt Vonnegut.
His name is well-known, but the critics like him.
The New York Times calls him the "creator of satirical theme-park fiction."
"The Braindead Megaphone" is a collection of his essays.

The writing in "Megaphone" can be divided into three categories:

Saunders as a reader and writer, Saunders the traveler and Saunders the writer of experimental essay-stories.
...more

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