Title: The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil by George Saunders, ISBN: 1594481520, Riverhead Books, New York, 2005, $13.00, 134 pp.

Genre: Socio-political Satire/Fantasy/Science Fiction. Grades 7-12.

Characters: Phil, briefly, the despot of Inner and Outer Horner. Elmer, Carol, Wanda, Old Gus, Curtis, Cal, and Little Andy, the citizens of Inner Horner. Freeda, Melvin and Larry, members of the Outer Horner Militia. Leon, the Outer Horner Border Guard. Jimmy and Vance, Phil’s Special Friends. The President of Outer Horner. Rick, the President of Greater Keller.  

Plot:    The country of Inner Horner is so small that only one citizen can live there at a time. The other six citizens must wait their turn in the Short-Term Residency Zone, but when Inner Horner suddenly and inexplicably shrinks, the citizens, parts of which are now in Outer Horner, are accused of an attempted invasion. The Outer Horner Militia is ready to leap to action, but when Phil, a relative nobody in Outer Horner, suggests taxing the citizens of Inner Horner for their attempted invasion, it seems like a reasonable solution.

The citizens of Inner Horner are taxed ruthlessly by Phil—who no one seems to care has no real authority. First, they lose their money, then their natural resources (they have an apple tree, some dirt and a stream), and eventually the clothes off their backs. Desperate for help, the citizens of Inner Horner write a letter to the President of Outer Horner. The President arrives, but his own imbecility prevents him from doing much: all he can talk about is the affair he had with Mona, a deceased citizen of Inner Horner. Phil is awarded with a Presidential Appointment Metal and declared Special Border Activities Coordinator for enforcing the President’s decrees.   

When Phil meets Jimmy and Vance, two huge bodybuilders, he hires them as his own security force, known simply as “Phil’s Special Friends.” Cal, increasing frustrated by the will of Phil, crosses the border and attacks him. But “Phil’s Special Friends” intercede and after much discussion Cal is “disassembled” as a future warning to the citizens of Inner Horner. Freeda, an Outer Horner Militia member, is horrified by Phil’s actions and writes the President to complain. Phil is summoned to the Presidential Palace, but “Phil’s Special Friends” literally take the Palace apart and move it near Phil’s apartment, thereby completing Phil’s coup of Outer Horner. As his first act as President, Phil creates his Border Area Improvement Initiative in order to deal with the Inner Hornerite problem.

The citizens of Greater Keller—a six-inch wide country that surrounds Outer Horner—hear of the disquiet and decide to send an Expeditionary Force to check things out. However, when “Phil’s Special Friends” see the Greater Kellerites they are frightened and flee (the Kellerites are three times their size). Phil, who because he took his brain out is becoming increasingly stupid, dies. The Kellerites, prior to returning to Greater Keller, tell the citizens of Outer Horner to simply enjoy themselves. Abandoned by the rest of their comrades, the Outer Horner Militia is suddenly outnumbered by the citizens of Inner Horner, who attack them. The battle ceases when the giant hands of the Creator appear in the sky. The citizens of Inner and Outer Horner fall asleep and the Creator disassembles the Outer and Inner Hornerites, creating fifteen new people with the parts. The only parts he doesn’t use are Phil’s. He makes a monument out of Phil’s parts, with a plaque which simply reads: “Phil. Monster.” The Creator advises the new people to be kind to one another this time, and he declares the creation of New Horner. 

Touchy Areas: None.

Related Titles: The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip (2000) by George Saunders; Pastoralia (2001) by George Saunders; Civilwarland in Bad Decline (1997) by George Saunders

Movies: Dr. Strangelove; or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964); Brazil (1985)

Music: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002) by The Flaming Lips

Photos: “Eggbeater” (1917) by Man Ray

Related Websites: The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil Website (http://www.reignofphil.com); Ben Gibson, illustrator of The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil (http://ben-gibson.com/)  

Art: The Phil Sketches (2005) by Ben Gibson (the book includes several accompanying pictures)

Poetry: The Dunciad (1743) by Alexander Pope

Classic Work: Animal Farm (1946) by George Orwell

Evaluation: The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil is an amalgamation of many seemingly disparate elements, but Saunders (as only he can) makes it work. This novel is silly and subtle, serious yet straightforward. Students should enjoy the absurdly humorous aspects of the tale, while teachers will get a kick out of deciphering its complicated, intellectually challenging pieces. Its brevity makes it a quick, entertaining read, but it’s intellectually dense, well worth extended analysis and discussion. This is an important—and hilarious—work by one of our country’s best satirists, a great substitute for the sometimes stodgy canonical dystopias of Huxley and Orwell. I rate this book 10 out of 10. 

Reviewed by: David Pyles, University of Toledo