Vonnegut dies

yukoncpa · #1 04-12-2007, 02:36 AM

Kurt Vonnegut just died at 84. I really enjoyed Slaughter house five but couldn’t get into his other books. This has been a long time, so maybe now, I would enjoy reading another of his books. Would anyone please give a recommendation of their favorite Vonnegut novel and a brief description why.

Dane S · #2 04-12-2007, 02:49 AM

Kurt's up in heaven now.

I loved that guy. I read most of his books several years back, in high school. My favorites were Slapstick, Bluebeard, Sirens of Titan, Hocus Pocus, and Cat's Cradle, in that order, in addition to Slaughterhouse Five. I've also been told Galapagos is great but haven't ever gotten around to that one.

Most of the rest of his stuff is good reading too, but not on the level of the ones I listed imo. Welcome to the Monkey House is a collection of short stories that has some absolute gems, including the famous Harrison Bergeron, if you like short stuff.

yukoncpa · #3 04-12-2007, 02:58 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Kurt's up in heaven now.

I loved that guy. I read most of his books a few years back in high school. My favorites were Slapstick, Bluebeard, Sirens of Titan, Hocus Pocus, and Cat's Cradle, in that order, in addition to Slaughterhouse Five. I've also been told Galapagos is great but haven't ever gotten around to that one.

Most of the rest of his stuff is good reading too, but not on the level of the ones I listed imo. Welcome to the Monkey House is a collection of short stories that has some absolute gems, including the famous Harrison Bergeron, if you like short stuff.

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Well, this is great, thank you. I was told by a friend that Cat’s Cradle was his best. I loved Slaughter House Five because it was surreal, dark, and I'm just a sap for time travel. The main character was stuck in time, meaning he would wake up one morning and be in his childhood and wake up the next and be in World War II.
Sometimes I wish I could be stuck in time, if for no other reason than to relieve the monotony of life. The problem with Billy ( I think was his name ) was that this was it for him; he was stuck forever in his small, but exciting existence. But in actuality, this may be how eternity is anyway.

rothko · #4 04-12-2007, 03:59 AM

unfortunately, many people will remember him for something he never wrote; found in isolated spots on both the eastern and western coasts of america, they will apply sunblock in the summer and think, mistakenly, that they do so because of vonnegut.

sleep well--you were great on ice.

KilgoreTrout · #5 04-12-2007, 07:40 AM

So it goes.

TheDudeAbides · #6 04-12-2007, 07:48 AM

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So it goes.

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diebitter · #7 04-12-2007, 07:48 AM

Aye, so it goes.

KilgoreTrout · #8 04-12-2007, 08:55 AM

Breakfast of Champions is my favorite. I think I'll reread it this weekend.

Kurt, I hope you've been swept away by the chrono-synclastic infindibulum, where all truths fit together. Good boy, Kazak. Good boy.

katyseagull · #9 04-12-2007, 08:59 AM

I didn't like Slaughterhouse Five at all. But I remember thinking Sirens of Titan was pretty good.

yukoncpa · #10 04-12-2007, 09:20 AM

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I didn't like Slaughterhouse Five at all. But I remember thinking Sirens of Titan was pretty good.

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I posted a brief critique (see below) as to why I liked Slaughter House Five. I’ll say, that none of my friends liked it, but they liked other Vonnegut novels. Could you please explain what it was about Sirens of Titan that you liked? I’m just simply curious about this man’s huge appeal. I loved his most famous book, but then my favorite Dickens novel was Tale of Two Cities, which afficionados of Dickens assure me is not at all his best. So please help me. Give me an explanation as to why you loved Sirens of Titan. Also other posters, if you would, please explain what it is that you love about his other works. Thank you.