Katie's review
The Braindead Megaphone by George Saunders
[Truth be told, I’d like to give the book 4.65 stars:]... but oh my Jesus, George has done it again! (And by 'done it' I mean 'been funny' not 'compiled his previously published non-fiction into one book' cause then 'again' would have to read 'for the first time,’ and that's not what I wanted to say. No matter. Still so funny, is my point.) If read in one go the humor might, on occasion, seem overbearing (essays like ‘Ask the Optimist!’ or ‘Woof,’ I thought, were somewhat stale or, dare I say it, trite). But when he turns his perceptively comedic eye on the real world (Dubai, Brownsville Texas, crappy American culture) his signature absurdist voice resonates clearly and with tremendous feeling. Smart, sharp, compassionate and sly, George Saunders is not to be missed.
The book also includes a handful of essays on writers/writing (Barthelme, Vonnegut, Twain, et. al) that are astute and useful to anyone interested in the nuances of storytelling.
The book also includes a handful of essays on writers/writing (Barthelme, Vonnegut, Twain, et. al) that are astute and useful to anyone interested in the nuances of storytelling.
