the official Kurt Vonnegut thread

[TRIUMPH]

As I move through life there are writers that I keep returning to. I first read Vonnegut in 9th grade that resulted in reading all of his books in a few months and eventually opening my eyes to the realm of literature. I have revered Vonnegut at times and at other times thought he was a boob. I keep going back and find pleasure in his work though. My favorites are still Slaughterhouse 5 and cats cradle but Breakfast of Champions, Galapagos and slapstick are not far behind.
I attended a relief sale in Mio this weekend and picked up a fist edition of Breakfast of Champions with a good dust jacket for a mere $.50

[shabba4detroit]

I recently reread Slaughterhouse 5, a book I enjoyed in highschool, and thought it was a bowl floater. Was it me or the book that changed? And what do you think makes it great?

Peace,

Shabba

[smr-nj]

Love Vonnegut.

I have been reading him since about 1970.

Slaughterhouse Five is probably my favorite also. I actually had an English comp final my freshman year in college on that book.
Cat's Cradle is also my second fav.
Welcome to the Monkey house is a great selection of short stories.

I'm not as fond of his later stuff - I don't even remember anything about Wampeters, Foma & Grandfallons, though I know I read it.

I may have to pick up an old copy of Monkey house and re-read some short stories out of it.

[smr-nj]

Triumph - have you read John Irving?
I find that most people who are Vonnegut fans also like Irving.

[shabba4detroit]

Originally posted by smr-nj
Slaughterhouse Five is probably my favorite also. I actually had an English comp final my freshman year in college on that book.

Then I'll ask you too. And I'm asking in earnest. What do you think makes that book so great?

(In other words, I know enough people do, and I myself used to, that I want to know what I missed.)

Peace,

Shabba

[TRIUMPH]

Shabba, i honestly don't know why I always come back to Vonnegut. For me it has something to do with the humanistic aspect. Vonnegut questions the value of ascribing blindly to an ideology (liberal bashing may commence). I also like his style of writing, he can pull off the short satire and choppy writing like no other.

Sue, i read the Hotel New Hampshire and enjoyed it but for some reason have never gotten back to J. Irving. I am currently reading Umberto Eco's the name of the Rose and started John Fowles the Magus and have been reading some short stories by Jorge Borges. I really like like The Name of the Rose and Borges short stories are exceptional. I only wish I had more time, and I need to get some reading glasses (i promised myself I would quit when I needed glasses but I don't think that's going to happen:cheeky: )

[Joe Gahona]

I think the treatment of time travel is borderline great in Slaughterhouse. But other than that, the story itself didn't really set me on fire. I'm a horrible judge of what's good in fiction, though.

BTW, 12 Monkeys also does a great job with time travel.

[smr-nj]

Originally posted by TRIUMPH
Sue, i read the Hotel New Hampshire and enjoyed it but for some reason have never gotten back to J. Irving. I am currently reading Umberto Eco's the name of the Rose and started John Fowles the Magus and have been reading some short stories by Jorge Borges
I actually enjoy Irving's earlier books, i.e. Setting Free the Bears, The 158 pound marriage, etc.
Name of the Rose was good, also, but I didn't find it an "easy" read.

shabba-
I haven't read Slaughterhouse Five in almost 30 yrs, so I can't say for sure that if I re-read it (or other Vonnegut books) now, that I wouldn't be somewhat underwhelmed also.
What I remember liking about the book, and just about Vonnegut in general, is his writing style and sarcasm, as Triumph mentioned.
Po-te-weet. :classic:

[Amish Love Machine]

And here I thought Kurt Vonnegut was just a character made up for "Back to School"...

[shabba4detroit]

Originally posted by Amish Love Machine
And here I thought Kurt Vonnegut was just a character made up for "Back to School"...


As I always love a well-done cameo, I do have a fondness for Vonnegut. I think for cameo performances, his is the best ever, or at worst, tied for the best with Charlton Heston in "Wayne's World" and Suzanne Pleschette in the series finale of "Newhart."

Peace,

Shabba