I have read 1/4 of it and it is very different from what I was expecting. Wondering how it all come together... The 'author', Billy... Got to read some more...
So I go...
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I have read 1/4 of it and it is very different from what I was expecting. Wondering how it all come together... The 'author', Billy... Got to read some more...
So I go...
I'll grab a copy after next Wednesday, perhaps too late, but that's when I have my last final.
I can't remember, is it Slaughterhouse Five where he goes into the various sci-fi tales of Kilgore Trout? I think it might be "God Bless You Mr. Rosewater" but I'm not sure, they've blurred a bit since highschool.
right, IP. Billy creates scenarios of time-travel based on Kilgore Trout's sci-fi, or else he really does time-travel, if you want to disregard his head injury and war-trauma.
I meant where Vonnegut gives summaries of Trout's works, not Billy personally. I seem to remember his stories seemed so interesting, and I wondered if they might really have been early pieces Vonnegut wrote.
I'd have to re-read it again closer to make a decision on whether he does time-travel or not. First time through, not really having read much from a post-war experience persepective I just assumed he did really travel through time (or that the author presents it this way as an absurd contrast to real life in war). If that makes sense. In this case I tend to agree with Virgil's assessment of psychoanalytic takes on all behavior. Sometimes absurdity for absurdity's sake is great too.
He does give summaries of the Trout stories but most seem to reflect Billy's experiences.. Doesn't Trout show up in more than one Vonnegut novel? It's been so long since I've read them. I wonder too if they were early Vonnegut stories.
and I agree, absurdity for absurdity's sake. :)
Yeah, he shows up in "God Bless You Mr. Rosewater", "Breakfast of Champions", "Jailbird" (I think), and "Cat's Cradle" (which I haven't read). I dig 'im.
to see that one, i'll help by doing the windows, virge! :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Virgil
Trout is the central character in Timequake.
Ok, I'm about 1/2way through and this is one of the best things I've read in a while. I really should've picked this up before.
Agree with Kilted that it is one of the best things I have read... Especially after the third chapter, it is proving hard to put down for me.
It is interesting that even though Vonnegut does not make use of any gory descriptions or explicit violence, some of the passages are chilling to read, letting the reader feel exactly how horrendous wars can be. Eg the description of soldiers' transportation to the camps (the very end of Chapter 3 and beginning of Chapter 4, I think?). Everytime Vonnegut says 'humanbeings', one knows that these people are not treated as humanbeings or reduced to something less by the other 'humanbeings' and by the war. They are transported like cattles, they don't have the privacy (and luxury) to use a toilet...
I think it was Riesa who mentioned above that it is a slow read and I agree. Even though I enjoy it very much, I find myself re-reading some passages.
Hmpf, I still don't have my copy ...
I finished it this morning, as I said earlier I enjoyed it immensely. He dealt with such serious subjects but at no point was I sad reading it (in fact the majority of the time I was trying to stifle myself from laughing)
So I was catching up on a recent copy of sports illustrated & I found this (written shortly after his death):
From April 23rd, 2007 edition of Sports Illustrated, page 20Quote:
In 1954, Vonnegut - a talented young writer who confessed to knowing nothing about sports - was hired to write for SI, which had yet to begin publishing. One of his first assignments was to write a caption about a race horse who had jumped the rail at Aqueduct and galloped across the infield. Vonnegut pondered the task, typed one sentence and then walked out of the office, never to return. His caption: The horse jumped over the bleeping fence. SI's loss was literatures gain
Looks I'll pick it up in my library.
well what is there to say about this book..
I read it a long time ago.. i think around 5-6 years.. i loved it alot..
although it was not the first i read by him.. its actually a wierd story..
The first book by Mr Vonnegut i recived from a friend during my army service.. and it was in my bag.
I was hypnotized by it and was half way thorought when someone stole my bag and the book with it..
Needless to say i was really sad but the worst part was that it turned up to be that it was not possible to buy this book again since it was out of print..
i fet crap and thought i would never have my chance to read it again.
But luck would have and around 3 years later i was in another friend house
when suddnly i looked on his book shelf and there it was!
My lost book (another copy of course)
of course he gave it tome (or more likely i took it) and finelly was able to finish this amazing book..
so defintly recommended auther..
other good book - the cats cradle
After my library finally had sent it to me, I read it in two days. It really was hard to put down. I especially liked the way it opened, with Vonnegut introducing his situation as a writer. The alien parts were also very interesting, it reminded me a bit of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, though of more philosophical depth.
However, I wouldn't say I was overwhelmed by it. The many many decided "So it goes." were somewhat disturbing to me. I believe they would have been more effective if they had been less numerous.
I wouldn't mind reading it again, though. Probably I should :).
Picked up my copy the other day. Either I am going to eat major crow or never sway my critical thoughts.