Jennifer Government

By: Max Barry

Narrated by: Michael Kramer

The irreverent author of the cult classic Syrup hits his target in this satire on the wages of big capital. In Max Barry's hilarious vision of the near future, the world is run by giant American corporations, and employees take the last names of the companies they work for; The Police and The NRA are publicly traded security firms, and the U.S. government may only investigate crimes if they can bill a citizen directly. When lowly Merchandising Officer Hack Nike unwittingly signs a contract that involves shooting teenagers to build up street credibility for Nike's new line of $2,500 sneakers, he goes to The Police, only to be pursued by Jennifer Government, a tough-talking agent with a bar-code tattoo under her eye, the consumer watchdog from hell.©2003 Max Barry (P)2003 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

Selected for School Library Journal Adult Books for Young Adults

"Wicked and wonderful....[It] does just about everything right. Fast-moving, funny, and involving." (The Washington Post Book World)

"Funny and clever....A kind of ad-world version of Dr. Strangelove. [Barry] unleashes enough wit and surprise to make his story a total blast." (The New York Times Book Review)

Government's in the house!

Imagine a drama mixed with suspense; throw in a splash of action and a main character that looks good in a skirt and you have this novel. Jennifer Government makes you wonder who done it, and how did he do that. In addition, you will want to share this book with friends and family, but I highly recommend you tell them to buy their own, as you will never want to give up your copy. This book is a modern day classic and Max Berry deserves all the accolades we can give him.

a world of possibilities that doesn't hit the mark

great world with lots more that I wanted to see but the main character didn't have a voice and the plot wasn't that engaging, but the world and setting makes for an engaging read.

Engaging all the way through

I read this book when it first came out, then got the audio version and liked it so much I started playing the game that’s loosely based on it - “Nation States” (nationstates.net). I’m still playing the game, and that’s made the book even better this time. I recommend both very much. Michael Kramer is one of my favorite narrators and his performance as always makes the experience even more immersive.

What a world

It’s not far off from a reflection of today’s society. To imagine they were this far gone. Incredible story, I’ve been a growing fan of Max Berry. If you liked Lexicon You’ll love this as well. Otherwise check them both out!

Decent performance, anvilicious story.

It's 20XX and corporate consumerism is bad, mm'kay? In a world where government is reduced to funding by donation, private corporations beat innocent people over the head with shallow portrayals of the little guy being subjugated as their executive oppressors are systematically rewarded for their ruthlessness.

Just okay

I think the world created is fantastic, but the execution was just okay. I fully admit that the story felt a little close to home with everything happening in the world right now, especially in politics.

Fun story, great narration

This spot-on social satire had me laughing out loud as it skewered unfettered capitalism to the stock exchange room floor and left it cringing there in its own pool of what’s-in-it-for-me red ink.

It is a world in which kids in school write reports lauding the privatized system of America, which has “all the best companies” and denigrating the socialist system still hanging on in Europe. Fortunate citizens of the group of countries that now comprise “America” have jobs with big global corporations like Walmart, and take their employer’s names as their own surnames. If you work for Walmart, your kids go to Walmart schools and shop at Walmart, of course. Jobs are strictly contracted and if you fail to perform, you lose not only your job, but also your last name and quickly become a social pariah. The titular character, Jennifer, is one of the few who still believe in and work for the federal government, characterized as “cheap suits, dour expressions, always asking for money.”

Brief one-liners explain some of the many ways in which capitalism has ‘improved” day-to-day life, such as when a character needs to get somewhere quickly, he simply pays more to drive in corporate-owned fast lanes on the expressway. At one point another character is reminded that being convicted of a crime will not only land him in prison, but he will also have to pay back the cost of his imprisonment, a financial penalty that can take decades to pay off.

Highly recommended for anyone who likes a little—okay, a lot of—social commentary with their scifi.

[I listened to this as an audio book performed by Michael Kramer, who did a fantastic job of putting just the right amount of irony into his voice and catching all the humor inherent in the novel. I enjoyed Kramer’s narration so much that I immediately sought out other works narrated by him, which led me to Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy, which I also enjoyed immensely.]

great story, even better narration

Michael Kramer's narration is amazing. the story is fascinating and the pace never drops or slows.

An interesting look at consumerism

I’m a fan of Max Barry and have read most of his books, but Jennifer Government was my first and favorite. The premise of the book is very plausible, which makes the book almost frightening; one has to wonder what a company would do for a sale. Barry takes thing to the extreme on occasion which adds humor to the levity that most of this is really possible.
Michael Kramer’s reading did irritate on occasion, such as Jennifer’s daughter, but the rest is enjoyable.

Great Escape with Meaningful Warning

Well written and narrated, a story with a meaningful message of what will happen if we allow the the unchecked power of the ultra right in this world and country. At the same time Max Barry uses humor, and an intriguing story, to help you forget for a little while the brutality of puppet Shrub and his Masters.