Random Thoughts From An Unarmed Writer

Michael Moore is famous. After making his extraordinary directorial debut with Roger & Me and then going on with the early nineties television series, TV Nation, followed by his awesome Canadian Bacon he cemented himself into our culture. After watching his 2002 award-winning movie, Bowling For Columbine, I knew that I liked him a lot so I went back to view his older stuff. One of the things I looked at was his movie, The Big One, which was made around 㥨 or 㤏. The movie was a documentary on his book tour for his first novel, Downsize This: Random Thoughts From An Unarmed American. After watching that sobering movie about how corporate America was firing people left and right then I knew that I just had to read this book.

Chances are that if you are reading this then you have probably seen or heard about Michael Moore’s most recent documentary, Fahrenheit 9/11. Well, forget about that! This book has nothing to do with the types of politics described in the flick. The topics in Downsize This are more about corporate takeover, corporations firing workers to get more profit (AKA downsizing, destaffing, dehiring, or personal surplus reductioning), and he even dives into some social topics like the OJ Simpson case and being infatuated with Hillary Rodham Clinton. A lot of the things that Michael Moore has done in his career has been controversial whether it’s been what he talks about or trying to send politicians’ kids into the military. He’s been very controversial, by some of the things in this novel (as well as in his movie, The Big One) will definitely ruffle peoples’ feathers regardless of their political status.

Whether you like Mikey Moore or not, you have to admit that this man has very large cojones for the stuff that he says. If you thought what he talks about in his documentaries was outrageous then I dare you to read Downsize This. The chapter titles say it all: Chapter 13: If Clinton Had Balls…, Chapter 14: Steve Forbes Was An Alien, Chapter 20: My Forbidden Love For Hillary, and my favorite chapter, #25: I Try To Commit Bob Dornan. If you thought the titles were condescending enough then you should just read the chapters! If you liked the “pranks” Mike did in his movies then read Downsize This and find out for yourself how Moore tried to commit racist A-hole Robert Dornan to an asylum or how he tried to get Jesse Helms sent to jail for threatening the president. There is one thing Mike explains in this book that really took the cake, though, and that was the part about sending checks to politicians from made up organizations endorsing their campaign. Whether it was the Hemp Growers of America, Pedophiles For Free Trade, or even The John Wayne Gacy Fan Club he sent checks to the politicians in order to see which dude would cash the check first.

I own the paperback version of Downsize This: Random Threats From An Unarmed American, which was released in 1997. This version has a couple of new chapters as well as some updated information that wasn’t in the hardcover. Included in the bonus stuff is a new epilogue, introduction, and chapter on OJ Simpson. What I liked a lot about Downsize This is that it was a quick read. Although some people may think that 316 pages isn’t necessarily “quick”, I thought the time spent reading the book was very fast because the variety of the topics kept things interesting and exciting. Not only is Michael Moore a really good filmmaker, but he also has some solid writing skills. Not only are they really dynamic, but there are also so well grounded and thought out. What I like a lot about Moore is how he can put his thoughts into words magnificently so that people—regardless of their political prowess or reading level—will be able to understand where the guy’s coming from. The format of the book will also appeal to everyone because it’s so simplistic and easy to follow. He breaks up his writing down with dividers, bullets, and pictures just to keep his writing varied.

I have to admit that his views are pretty biased if I do say so myself, but some liberals and left wingers will definitely agree more with his humbling thoughts—I know I agreed with him on a lot of things. And that’s my opinion. It’s hard to write a review on a satire like this without giving your own opinion about what he talks about. Overall, I had a fun time reading Downsize This because it put into words what I had been quietly hearing for years, but said in a voice that even the most prejudiced person could listen to. Moore researched everything really well and the way he put his thoughts to paper is just incredible. It was a joy to read and if you read this then you will undoubtedly love his other books, which are much newer and more political and critical. A suggestion to you, though: don’t read this book (or any of his stuff) in public because people will glare and you never know if secret agents are going to arrest you for reading it in an airport. Anti-American, my as*. Moore is a model American and the way he cares for total strangers is something that is certainly worth something. Read it.

© Jason Haskins, 2004

“JiggyJay”




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