A few weeks ago, I got a promotional copy of a novel in the mail. Institutionalized is written by “Fred Smith & Joe Schmoe,” whom I suspect are pseudonyms. (Since the book is copyrighted by Noel Guinane and Cassandra Helm, I’m pretty sure I’m right about that.) I enjoyed it despite itself, and I’m not entirely sure why.

The book tells about ten weeks in the life of Institutionalized Industries, a global plastics manufacturer. It’s a rough ten weeks, starting with the egomaniacal CEO hiring a maverick VP of Sales pretty much on a whim. The vp is as close as the book gets to having a good guy, or at least someone who isn’t a lunatic. The company undergoes crises caused by the depravity of the management team. It’s quite entertaining.

But it’s entertaining despite the fact that the satire is way too broad for my taste. For example, remember that egomaniacal CEO? His name is Bill Oge. The maverick sales vp? His last name is Kirevam. Yes, almost all the main characters’ names are their distinguishing trait spelled backwards. And the characterizations are about as subtle as The Lockhorns. Their worst traits are endlessly put before us: One of them chews pencils like a beaver, the CEO has a Napoleon complex, etc.

So, this should be at best a mixed review. But the truth is that I really enjoyed it despite what I just said. Although I didn’t care about any of the characters, I enjoyed watching them and their company fall apart. And it parodies typical office communications — the weekly pep talk, the self-serving memo, and yes, even blogs — with glee.

Here’s the Amazon link if you want to see for yourself. (This is a book that would really benefit from having a chapter or two posted on the Web.) [Tags: books Institutionalized satire]

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