Michael Moore Books In Order

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Michael Moore is an American political activist filmmaker and author most notable for addressing social and political issues in the US using his novels and documentary films. Moore was born in Flint Michigan to Richard Moore who worked in an assembly line and Helen Moore a secretary. Moore who has English, Scottish and Irish ancestry was brought up Catholic. He went to the St. John Elementary School, a parochial primary school before proceeding to Sat Paul’s Seminary and then Davison High School, where he was an active member of the debate and drama clubs. After graduating from high school as an 18-year old, he became a member of the Flint school board, the youngest ever elected official. He soon began attacking the injustices of the American capitalist system in what was viewed as a populist assault. In 1976 he enrolled at the University of Michigan at Flint though he never graduated as he quit to found the “Flint Voice,” a radical newspaper that he has been editor of for the past decade. He was also made editor of the “Mother Jones” a left-wing magazine from Francisco though he never lasted more than a few months and was fired.

Coming back to Flint, he filmed “Roger & Me” in 1989, which marked the beginning of his documentary film making career. The film chronicled the effects of unemployment in Flint after a raft of changes at General Motors that included downsizing and closing down two factories. The highlight of the film was Moore trying to get an audience with Roger Smith the GM chairman. He mixes in poignancy, indignation, and humor to make for one of the most memorable films that were a huge success at the box office as well as with critics. Following the success of the film, Moore established “Dog Eat Dog Films” and moved to New York. He also established a foundation to finance filmmakers and social action groups. He would then executive produce three television series and limited release films. One such example was the 1995 comedy “Canadian Bacon” whose premise was a Cold War that an American president started with Canada as a ploy to improve his approval ratings. He was very successful with the 2002 film “Columbine” that won the best documentary at the Academy Awards for its profile of gun violence in the US. One of his best-known works is “Fahrenheit 9/11” that was a criticism of the handling of the September 11 attacks by the George W Bush administration. While it was a highly controversial film, it grossed more than 200 million worldwide and is the highest-grossing documentary film ever.

As an author, Moore has written and co-written more than eight nonfiction works on the themes similar to those of his documentaries. The 2001 published novel “Stupid White Men” is a critique of the foreign and domestic policy of the United States though Moore has also asserted that it is also intended to have political humor. The novel questioned the motives, methods, and legitimacy of the Bush administration including the decision to invade Iraq. The 2003 work “Dude, Where’s My Country” was also very successful as it was an analysis of the strong ties between the Saudi royal family, the Bush family and the Bin Laden family. It also analyzed the interconnections between the different powerful actors to the energy industry and was something of a call to action for liberals to act in the upcoming elections in 2004. His other works include “Downsize This” which is also a critique of the American government and American society in general and what needs to be done to fix it. He published a collection of autobiographical stories in 2011 titled “Here Comes Trouble” and a guidebook to the 2008 elections titled “Mike’s Election Guide.” Moore’s novels have earned him much acclaim and broken many records. “Stupid White Men” was awarded British Book of the Year, which was the first time an American novel had ever been bestowed the honor. Between 2002 and 2004 he spent more time in the hardcover nonfiction list on the New York Times than any other author.

Michael Moore’s novel “Dude, Where’s My Country” is a question to the Bush administration that was in power in the year 2003. While it could have been an attack on Bush, Moore writes it to reprimand Americans for voting for George Bush. He also chastises them for unquestionably and willingly accepting his actions. He asks a series of questions on the president’s reaction to the 9/11 attacks and his relationship to the main actors. Moore investigates the personal and business relations that many Americans were unaware of. He then goes ahead to condemn Bush for all the lies that he told to get Americans to support an unjustified war against Iraq. He then shifts gears to express his belief that the world needs to slow down on its use of fast depleting oil reserves so that future generations can also make use of the valuable resource. Michael then discusses terrorism and how the government took advantage of it to restrict freedoms by passing bad laws. He asserts that the best way to stop terrorism is by Americans not being terrorists. He writes a typical novel aimed at a liberal audience, about the things that conservatives are getting wrong and how liberals can take advantage or resist such actions.

“Stupid White Men” which he published in 2002 took the world by storm. Michael Moore anti-Bush novel was a breath of fresh air for readers that were skeptical and tired of George Bush’s sky-high approval ratings. They are still reeling from the Enron scandal and the jingoism that was prevalent following the events of 9/11. Book buyers loved the novel as an anti-Bush manifesto that became a bestselling nonfiction work for most of 2003. Moore has an unerring eye for corruption, hypocrisy, and greed and a very good take on the events that transpired at the dawn of the century. Whether he is asking for an overthrow of the Bush Family Junta or asking that African Americans install white only signs on unfriendly businesses, the novel is a perfect portrayal of the Mediocrity and Malfeasance of America. It is an interesting yet hilarious take on the big con and how those that perpetrate it are able to get away with it time and again.

“Downsize This” is a thoroughly researched novel that takes a deeper look into the phenomena of downsizing and corporate politics. Moore assaults the different cogs in the system from unfair sexism against Hillary Clinton, the OJ trial, institutionalized racism, privatized prisons, and corporate lobbying. He tackles a range of issues all associated with the desire for corporate America to expand the bottom line and make massive profits. He asks just when is profit too much and at what cost does it come. Where do the corporations get their power that makes it possible for them to gain at the expense of disenfranchised groups? Moore goes further by providing the addresses, phone numbers, and names of politicians that one can contact for more information. He provides information on how one can get involved in fighting the misinformation that the American public gets fed with. He also satirizes the different ways false movement or companies promote cognitive dissonance for profit. The issues are incredibly frustrating though the humor makes it easier to digest.