Mike Nelson's Mind over Matters (Paperback)

As for the words that are printed on the pages that lie beneath the Head of Mike Nelson, well, they're pretty funny too (especially the order that he puts some of them in). The essays collected here are a fairly random group of observations on everyday life. They're vaguely ordered into a loose grouping of nine categories, but he rarely feels the need to be bound by them. The book is a free-flowing river of comedy that runs in many different directions, sometimes at the same time.

Nelson really has a gift for coming up with hilarious turns of phrase. He has a wonderful way of describing even the most mundane of everyday tasks in a wickedly amusing manner. Make no mistake; this is no simple Seinfeldian "Did you ever notice...?" type of humor, but rather stretching the commonplace until it you see it through Mike's skewed and offbeat point-of-view. Who would have thought that a simple visit to the neighborhood Radio Shack could be fraught with such unrelenting horror (well, apart from anyone who has ever visited their neighborhood Radio Shack)? After reading this, it's frighteningly easy to imagine Mike Nelson taking several months off to "research" this book, where the "research" consists of arranging an interview with his shorts, reading Schopenhauer, and voyaging through the dark side of his wife's skin care collection.

In short, this is funny stuff. While a slight handful of the essays aren't quite as funny as they should be, there is more than enough funny material to make this a highly recommended read. If Nelson hits a subject that isn't particularly amusing, you only have to wait for another page or two for him to burst out in an entirely different direction. Fans of his first book, or his MST3k work should be very happy with this. And if you're someone who has never experienced this brand of bizarre entertainment before, MIND OVER MATTERS is definitely a great place to start.

Nelson cut his teeth ripping apart films in the cult hit Mystery Science Theater 3000, where he served as co-producer, head writer and star. With such a pedigree, it was hardly surprising to see him stretch his wings as a full-fledged (and funny) film critic in "Movie Mega-Cheese", his first book. "Cheese" was an immensely funny read that -- despite overwhelmingly good reviews from book and film critics alike -- was largely disregarded outside of Nelson's Mystery Science Theater 3000 cult following.

In his follow-up "Mind Over Matters", Nelson strays from the comfortable arena of humorous movie criticism he mined in "Mega-Cheese", opting instead for the more adventurous medium of observational biography (a la David Sedaris or David Rakoff). Unlike "Mega-Cheese", "Mind Over Matters" doesn't limit itself to the discussion of bad films. Readers will find a collection of essays with topics ranging from consumerism to family matters. Not just for film geeks anymore, Nelson's comedic style should be immediately accessible to any fan of the comedic essay form.

As an overall read, "Matters" is a mixed but promising book. At his best, Michael J. Nelson is a caustically funny writer with a deadly sharp wit. On many occasions I found myself laughing until tears streamed down my face, so much did I enjoy a particularly hilarious turn of phrase or tongue-in-cheek description. Nelson has a flair for the art of the diminutive and unequivocal put-down, and can get you laughing through the lengths he will cross to convince you of the worthlessness of an event or thing. Radio Shack employees, small-town theater, morally obtuse relatives and customer service representatives bear the brunt of some of his most hilarious verbal assaults.

Unfortunately, many of the essays sandwiched in the middle of "Matters" give one the impression of padding. While still amusing, subject matter in these median sections tend to be almost too inconsequential to really matter, and leave you wondering, "Well, so?". By the time Nelson starts riffing on an advertisement he saw in the back of a furniture magazine, one begins to wonder who, besides himself and perhaps three others, will get the joke.

But these are small concerns. "Mind Over Matters" had me laughing to the point of tears on many, many occasions, which is more than I can say for any book I read last year. Though admittedly a hot-and-cold read, "Matters" will make you laugh so hard during the hot bits, you'll forgive Nelson for the cold ones. If nothing else, "Matters" showcases the considerable writing talents of a shamefully neglected comedian; if you're the sort of person to purchase the latest offering from David Sedaris, Jon Stewart, Steve Martin, Dave Eggers and the like, then you'd be committing a crime not to add this title to the bookshelf.

Many find Mike Nelson's writing to be an acquired taste, as the humor in his essays often depends on sticking with him through a series of interlinked digressions that may, or may not, have any sort of real point. As a result, casual readers might be put off by Nelson's skewed approach to the essayist's craft, particularly if they aren't ready for it. However, fans of Nelson's writing, and his MST3K work, will be thrilled with this latest release, and will doubtless have to wipe tears and stop to catch their breath more than once.