Natural Disaster

by Al Burian

Natural Disaster is the compilation of Issues #10, #11, #12 and #13 of Burn Collector as well as Issues #1 and #2 of Natural Disaster. Al Burian weaves an excellent fictional but real account of twenty / thirty something life in the modern USA. Here is an "We see humans engage in similar behavior, although admittedly less in the context of procreation and Darwinistic survival and more in the are of pay-per-view cable entertainment options, in the form of the "Ultimate Fighting Championship" program, an international sporting event in which there seem to be no rules except those generally governing global human rights abuses and war crimes. Martial arts masters from the Far East go up against guys from Newark whose idea of fighting expertise is drinking from a bottle of gin and starting a bar fight. The results are often surprising. The constant is the insane violence, the disturbing spectacle of seeing people pounding on each other like animals. "Ultimate Fighting Championship" viewing never fails to deliver a queasy, unsanitary sensation, the bottom-feeding feeling of watching the very lowest common denominator in what can still be identified as "entertainment" - one step up, maybe, from watching videos of police car wreck footage. Although, I must if, as in ape culture, the prize for being the winner of "Ultimate Fighting Championship" was the exclusive right to mate with the women of earth, it would probably make the program more compelling viewing. In any case, I am not sure where I stand in regards to this whole mating-for-life-issue. Humans, Judith points out, are the only creatures that mate for entertainment. That whole aspect complicates everything greatly, we both agree. The great apes have a good thing going for their needs, in that they have an effective, albeit socio-mechanically primitive, form of assuring that the greatest of the ape qualities are passed on, and since these great qualities consist of exactly two, ass-kicking and chest-pounding, the selection process is reasonably simple. If humans subscribed to a winner-takes-all pecking order of the type the great apes favor, the only person currently allowed to initiate sexual intercourse would be someone like Bill Gates, a man of great power and influence but also a man whose dancing was characterized by Newsweek magazine as looking like "a twelve year old kicking around a squirrel."

Genres: Nonfiction

Paperback

First published September 25, 2007

Reviews

[Sparky Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Al Burian is one of my favorite writers. He's not another boring zinester/beat-poet ripoff playing it cool while traveling and looking for adventure. He's troubled, panicked, and miserable, facing breakdown after breakdown, while trying to find some shred of meaning worth holding onto. And he's blazingly honest about it.
Natural Disaster collects several issues of his personal zine Burn Collector, his zine Natural Disasters, and a little bit of new stuff too. One of the repeating concepts in the book is that of the non-stop party wagon, or the feeling of propulsion when one begins saying yes. Yes I'd like a ride, sure let's go out...saying yes is when things begin to happen. Although this idea is a small light in the dark of Al's depression, it adds a bit of hope to what is certainly a gloomy book. But he's such a clever, descriptive author, seemingly unaware of the depth of his talent. Whenever I finish this book, I pick it up and read it again.

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

even though i've read all the individual zines (which are pretty much my favorite zines ever), it's nice to have everything handily compiled like this. and i think this was exactly what i needed to (re)read at this particular moment.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes to all of this no page numbers real frustrating feelings sketches trying to find things
It made me remember what I used to feel in the nineties reading these vignettes of people I knew through scrawled short notes in the mail. A world was there beyond my high school. Other people also felt like aliens and didn’t know what they were doing.
Rome Berlin Chicago NC. And always the same old you.

[Brendan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Al Burian is a great writer, funny as fuck, miserable without need for sympathy or pity, and his collections of Burn Collector are gems that everyone should read.

[Jason Schreurs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still one of the greatest writers of our generation.

[camilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always loved Al Burian's zines. He makes being a hermit in Chicago sound interesting even if he's miserable all the time. In this collection of selections from both his Burn Collector and Natural Disaster zines I got a little tired of it. He reminds me of an exboyfriend who was shitty but used the excuse that that's just who he was and there was no changing it. There's only so much sulking and misery I can stand before I start rolling my eyes and wishing he'd figure out a way to be happy. I don't think that's really what he's looking for though. He seems to be more interested in surviving. He is a great writer though.

[Karly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things to look for that are amazing: his story about bus rides, the non-stop party bus, and the Journey story. Those were probably the highlights for me.

I liked this a lot better than Burn Collector, though I liked the latter's layout a bit better. Still, it was pretty cool to see how he rearranged his stories to make a whole.

[Chris Estey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Burian's second book collection is just as enjoyable as when the stories came out as Burn Collector and the zine of the name of the this book, with a little Punk Planet thrown in. I really like his work; some things seem like maybe he's presenting himself in a certain way to be liked (by people like me) but that could be my own sarcastic insecurities.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never having delved into the world of zine/fanzines, I was new to this style of writing and this author in particular. Really good insights on youth culture/Americana/Chicago in general and extremely well-written for a self-described slacker and unmotivated human. Lots of great Chicago and and punk/metal references had me laughing

Highly recommended.

[Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always Al has truly outdone himself again. Kind of crazy to see this bound in paperback after having it stored on the back of my toilet seat after Milemarker played their first show at my house in 1997. I have to admit that I kind of find myself over neurosing mundane situations like Al does in this book. I guess to the general public that probably makes me seem like a space cadet.

[emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

contains burn collector no 11, which i really loved (chicago in the dead of winter; journey's don't stop believing; non-ironic experiences with judas priest), but it was a bit jarring to read them (#10-13) out of order and mixed with natural disasters. but there's gunther again!

[Jason Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though I have all the zines included within, it's nice to have them compiled here, in Natural Disaster. Burian's a great writer and a swell guy, and if that isn't a hearty endorsement, I don't know what is.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Same

[paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

i guess i'll perpetually always be reading this. considering i lost it somewhere along my move. it's probably in my parents attic somewhere. one day?

[Mako · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another compilation by Al Burian. Not quite as good as Burn Collector and a bit disjointed but what the hell, still damn good.

[Francis Bashore · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of the same, more of coming of age of Burian.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait to read more Al. His observations and "non-stop party wagon" mentality are perfect. I am gonna pick up a few newer Burn Collector issues tonight! Best book I read this year, I think.

[meliss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heard a reading by Al Burian at Firehouse 13 and bought the book. It was amusing - not amazing, but definitely enjoyable to read.

[Lauren orso · Rating 3 out of 5]

i wanted to finish this before my birthday because i thought if i was 26, i wouldnt keep liking it, and i was kind of right.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, funny, and uncomfortably relatable. Al Burian does it again.

[Trace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A favorite for sure.