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Read The Tyee's New Novel!

Brand new, funny and fresh, Too Many Georges is a serialized romp from B.C. to American's surreal heartland

David Beers 30 Jul 2004TheTyee.ca

David Beers is the founding editor of The Tyee and serves as current editor-in-chief.

He started the publication in 2003 as an experiment in new ways of doing online journalism in the public interest, including solutions-focused reporting, crowd-funded support and a humane work culture. He loves what The Tyee has become thanks to amazing colleagues and readers.

He has lived in Vancouver since 1991. Before The Tyee he was a senior editor at Mother Jones Magazine and the Vancouver Sun, and his writing has appeared in many U.S. and Canadian outlets. He is an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia's graduate school of journalism.
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Need a good read to while away the carefree days of summer in British Columbia … and, eventually, those dread-filled nights leading up to coronation of the next leader of the American Empire? Welcome to The Tyee's serialized novel Too Many Georges, an original, never before published work by acclaimed B.C. writer Brian Preston.

You'll find the first chapter here today, and a new chapter on The Tyee site every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through October.

Curious about George

Too Many Georges is the story of Dalton, a 30-year-old copy shop employee in Vancouver who has little to show for his master's degree in history other than obsessions with England's King George II and America's own curious George the second: Dubya.

Taking his lesson from George III (the one the Americans revolted against) Dalton is convinced that two George Bushes are too many already, and for the sake of all that is good and Canadian, a third must never take up residence in the White House. So, when not slaving over a hot copier or trying to digitally woo his old flame Meghan, now living on a Kootenay commune, Dalton readies for a personal quest. He's on a mission to meet, and politely deter, George P., the next big Bush.

Along the way are many roadside attractions, from B.C.'s slacker havens to the strip clubs and Promise Keepers meetings of Texas.

What happened to best one wins?

The novel, says author Preston, "Started out as a rant about how powerful families have taken over the politics of America. Yeah, Paul Martin is heir to power and fame, too. But somehow the elevation of Dubya is even harder to take for a Canadian. The American president is leader of the world, but we don't get any say in it, and we just watch these other people voting for the worst possible candidate. I mean, Bush likes to brag: 'I'm proof that a C student can become president.'"

But the deeper he got into writing his political satire, says Preston, the more it became a chiding of disengaged Canadians like himself, as well. "Dalton is essentially me on some level, with so much alienation from mainsteam politics that there's not even a point of entry. I mean, I thought about getting involved in this last election, but I couldn't face the meetings."

Anthropologist of cannabis

Preston's recent book Pot Planet, a non-fiction tour of the world-wide marijuana trade and culture, received raves from Salon.com, The New Yorker and others, and sold particularly well in the United Kingdom, where globe trotting is more a rite of passage for youth.

The wandering Preston now says he's settling down in Victoria "for good." Recently married, he likes the idea of raising children there, and wants to be close to his parents in their golden years. One small problem: "Trying to figure out how to make a living in Victoria." He's thinking about working as a letter carrier … at least until Too Many Georges lands the big Hollywood deal.

In the meantime, enjoy the unfolding of Too Many Georges every Monday, Wednesday and Friday over the next twelve weeks.

David Beers is founding editor of The Tyee. [Tyee]

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