silverseason
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Like this: Touché
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Kurt Vonnegut
- Thread starter True@1stLight
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Like this: Touché
The waveguide
Member
What would you recommend as Vonnegut's best work? I would love to start with something of his works but from easy ones and and the ones that can be defined as "his best works".
beer good
Well-Known Member
Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse-Five.
The waveguide
Member
Just finished the "SlaughterHouse 5".
Reminded me a bit "The Good Soldier Švejk" book.
Well, there was a lot in the statement that one can not change the past, and the things are just as they are. The wars always happened and always will be.
The peaceful citizens should be well trained for immigration. This is what I would teach my kids - the moment the country burns, immigrate to a peaceful, free place. There is no point in dying for ideology and for several crazy people who call themselves "government".
The only problem that the World War Two was the World War... Nowhere to escape from our little Earth...
Reminded me a bit "The Good Soldier Švejk" book.
Well, there was a lot in the statement that one can not change the past, and the things are just as they are. The wars always happened and always will be.
The peaceful citizens should be well trained for immigration. This is what I would teach my kids - the moment the country burns, immigrate to a peaceful, free place. There is no point in dying for ideology and for several crazy people who call themselves "government".
The only problem that the World War Two was the World War... Nowhere to escape from our little Earth...
Galapagos is a great book. I couldn't put it down when I read it. It's a good display of Vonnegut's style.
beer good
Well-Known Member
It would be nice to be able to say that with A Man Without A Country, Vonnegut went out on a high note.
It wouldn't be true, though.
I'm not even exactly sure what to call this; it's certainly not a novel, it's not really non-fiction... "pamphlet" just about covers it, I guess. Either that or "rant." Because that's what he does; he rants. At 82 years old, Vonnegut was pissed off and it's heartbreaking to hear a man who's always described himself as a humanist and tried to find some good in people even in the most sinister, dark moments, declare openly that he has irrevocably lost faith in mankind. It's not surprising that he is unhappy with the way things are, but his trademark humour and wit tends to take a backseat to crushing pessimism. Is he right to be this pessimistic about us? Quite possibly, and it's not like he hasn't earned the right when you read this in the light of everything else he's written (and that's how the book should be read; I shudder to think what people will make of Vonnegut if this is their first exposure to him). But still.
A Man Without A Country veers back and forth between subjects, which he gets away with since he has things to say on most of them (on how to tell a story, on his outlook on life, on politics etc) even though it gives a slightly scattershot impression. Sometimes he's incredibly poignant, sometimes he's as funny as ever, sometimes he's just brash. (Though I confess that I can't help but crack up when he writes that he's going to sue the tobacco manufacturers for not giving him cancer like they promised, since he never wanted to live long enough to see the world run by "Bush, Dick and Colon".)
I suppose the worst and best part about it is the consistency. Having re-read a few Vonnegut novels since his death, there's really not much new stuff to find here (in fact, large portions of it seem cribbed from the foreword to Jailbird). There's a new president, Kurt is older and crankier, there's some fancy new thing called the Internet which he really doesn't like much (he proudly proclaims himself a luddite), but otherwise he's still pushing the same buttons that he has been for decades only with more bitterness. "Here's what we could have been," he seems to say (namechecking both Marx, Lincoln and Jesus), "and we wasted it all." A Man Without A Country doesn't add anything new, and as much irreverent fun as it is at times, it seems more like petering out than going out with a bang. 3/5 for old times' sake, Kurt. You're up in heaven now.
It wouldn't be true, though.
I'm not even exactly sure what to call this; it's certainly not a novel, it's not really non-fiction... "pamphlet" just about covers it, I guess. Either that or "rant." Because that's what he does; he rants. At 82 years old, Vonnegut was pissed off and it's heartbreaking to hear a man who's always described himself as a humanist and tried to find some good in people even in the most sinister, dark moments, declare openly that he has irrevocably lost faith in mankind. It's not surprising that he is unhappy with the way things are, but his trademark humour and wit tends to take a backseat to crushing pessimism. Is he right to be this pessimistic about us? Quite possibly, and it's not like he hasn't earned the right when you read this in the light of everything else he's written (and that's how the book should be read; I shudder to think what people will make of Vonnegut if this is their first exposure to him). But still.
A Man Without A Country veers back and forth between subjects, which he gets away with since he has things to say on most of them (on how to tell a story, on his outlook on life, on politics etc) even though it gives a slightly scattershot impression. Sometimes he's incredibly poignant, sometimes he's as funny as ever, sometimes he's just brash. (Though I confess that I can't help but crack up when he writes that he's going to sue the tobacco manufacturers for not giving him cancer like they promised, since he never wanted to live long enough to see the world run by "Bush, Dick and Colon".)
I suppose the worst and best part about it is the consistency. Having re-read a few Vonnegut novels since his death, there's really not much new stuff to find here (in fact, large portions of it seem cribbed from the foreword to Jailbird). There's a new president, Kurt is older and crankier, there's some fancy new thing called the Internet which he really doesn't like much (he proudly proclaims himself a luddite), but otherwise he's still pushing the same buttons that he has been for decades only with more bitterness. "Here's what we could have been," he seems to say (namechecking both Marx, Lincoln and Jesus), "and we wasted it all." A Man Without A Country doesn't add anything new, and as much irreverent fun as it is at times, it seems more like petering out than going out with a bang. 3/5 for old times' sake, Kurt. You're up in heaven now.
saliotthomas
New Member
As any of you read Galapagos,is it any good?
beer good
Well-Known Member
I liked it a lot. It's not his best work, but as dystopies go, it's got some interesting twists and of course it's funny as hell. It's got some similarities to Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake, but of course Vonnegut got there years earlier.
saliotthomas
New Member
Thanks,i'll try it.
There was so many contradictory reviews on goodreads that i could not make my mind.
There was so many contradictory reviews on goodreads that i could not make my mind.
saliotthomas
New Member
Just finished it,it's wired! i wasn't expecting that,i'll try another-Cat's Cradle-maybe
TheGoatMan1
New Member
My favorite Vonnegut is Slaughter House V. The paragraph where our protaganist watching video of bombs being dropped in reverse is such a profound a touching piece of work.
St. Stephen
kickbox
I agree. But I mean, it's really hard to compare his works. They all have a different message and that message is very bluntly and amusingly put across to the reader in each novel. Some have more plot than others, some more commentary. But if I had to choose, Sirens wins out. It blew my mind.
Must reads Vonnegut-wise would have to be Slaughterhouse-Five, Breakfast of Champions, Cat's Cradle, Sirens of Titan, and Galapogos. With strong emphasis on Cat's Cradle.
I recently reread Vonnegut's first novel Player Piano picked up on a lot of things I hadn't in the first read, but that could be because I am 12 years older than the last time i read it. It pushed its way up to my top 3 Vonnegut novels.
Sirens is still my top pick though
must reads Vonnegut-wise would have to be everything
Sirens is still my top pick though
must reads Vonnegut-wise would have to be everything
SFG75
Well-Known Member
An excellent point, I'm certain he would not have flattering things to say about such comparisons, formulas of comparing his works, or archaic and stodgy analysis of each and how it fit into the times, blah, blah, blah, blah. You have to approach each one with an open, skeptical, and slightly irritated mindset and go along for the ride.
beer good
Well-Known Member
Either, really; I think Cat's Cradle is his greatest novel, but Sirens of Titan is pretty great too.
Kupov
New Member
His only novel I have read would be Slaughterhouse 5; though I picked up God bless you Dr. Kavorkien (spelling? ) to read on a very short flight.
Once I finish Notes from Underground and The Brothers Karamazov I should read an additional three Vonnegut novels. Considering I have read Slaughterhouse 5 and the other aforementioned novella which three would you recommend I pick up next?
I absolutely love his writing style.
) to read on a very short flight.Once I finish Notes from Underground and The Brothers Karamazov I should read an additional three Vonnegut novels. Considering I have read Slaughterhouse 5 and the other aforementioned novella which three would you recommend I pick up next?
I absolutely love his writing style.