Kurt Vonnegut — 1922-2007
Today is a sad day in the writing world. Kurt Vonnegut, who wrote “Slaughterhouse-Five” and taught at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, died last night in New York City. He was 84.
I just saw the news on the Los Angeles Times website. I checked the Iowa City Press-Citizen for the angle from the Ol’ Unchanging, but there was no word of it yet. (Look at me: This is why I think newspaper journalism is doomed. Give me news — NOW Goddamnit!)
The only Vonnegut book I’ve read is “Slaughterhouse-Five.” It blew me away (no pun intended). If you’ve never read it I suggest picking it up. It’s quick and easy; the prose is fast and it’s not long, embodying the massacre it outlines. It couples brevity with powerful and intriguing events. The braiding is seamless. There are scenes and sentences still etched in my mind. You know the times when you read something, stop, look up from the page, and think, “Whoa”? They’re those types of conscious changing lines. My favorite is the scene at the prison camp, when the POWs are naked outside in the bitter cold.
Vonnegut was a witty, satirical humanist. He despised war and killing machines. He criticized materialism and preached caution with innovation. I like this line taken from the Times article: “…he explained that his goal in writing novels was to ‘catch people before they become generals and Senators and Presidents’ and ‘poison their minds with humanity. Encourage them to make a better world.’”
His humor, imagination, and insight will be missed.
I just saw the news on the Los Angeles Times website. I checked the Iowa City Press-Citizen for the angle from the Ol’ Unchanging, but there was no word of it yet. (Look at me: This is why I think newspaper journalism is doomed. Give me news — NOW Goddamnit!)
The only Vonnegut book I’ve read is “Slaughterhouse-Five.” It blew me away (no pun intended). If you’ve never read it I suggest picking it up. It’s quick and easy; the prose is fast and it’s not long, embodying the massacre it outlines. It couples brevity with powerful and intriguing events. The braiding is seamless. There are scenes and sentences still etched in my mind. You know the times when you read something, stop, look up from the page, and think, “Whoa”? They’re those types of conscious changing lines. My favorite is the scene at the prison camp, when the POWs are naked outside in the bitter cold.
Vonnegut was a witty, satirical humanist. He despised war and killing machines. He criticized materialism and preached caution with innovation. I like this line taken from the Times article: “…he explained that his goal in writing novels was to ‘catch people before they become generals and Senators and Presidents’ and ‘poison their minds with humanity. Encourage them to make a better world.’”
His humor, imagination, and insight will be missed.
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