• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

RIP Kurt Vonnegut

jazzgeek

jazzgeek

The Rule Of Thirds.
If there was any writer in my lifetime that I'd consider an "influence", it was Kurt Vonnegut. His style of mixing dark humor (and many times, not-so-dark hilarity), scathing social commentary, and ersatz science fiction into a delightful literary stew was peerless; many of the the characters in his novels (Billy Pilgrim, Eliot Rosewater, Kilgore Trout, Felix Hoenikker, et al) were, even if autobiographical or references to his times, are icons of 20th Century literature.

I had the opportunity to obtain his autograph when he spoke at Marquette University over a decade ago. He signed my hardcover copy of "Palm Sunday", and included the trademark hand-drawn asterisk (which represented his sphincter). It's now one of my prized possessions.

God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut. You will be missed.

"Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia." - KV

regards,
jazz
 
I heard about that earlier today, but I had never heard of the man. Sounds like he was a great writer and a great person.

RIP Kurt Vonnegut.
 
Now you've gone and made me sad.

Kurt Vonnegut is easily my favorite writer and satirist of ALL times. Truly a sad day in the literary world.

There was never one before him, and there will be none after. He is a one of a kind writer, and he will be missed.

RIP Kurt.

PS--How could anyone not know who he is? Isn't he required reading anymore? No offense, just idle curiosity. His works were required when I was in school. Slaughterhouse Five, Cat's Cradle, Breakfast of Champions...these were on every required reading list I HAD in High School...what happened?

FWIW--anyone who isn't familair with Vonnegut's work but would LIKE to be, should check out Bagumbo Snuff Box. It is an hilarious compilation of short stories, essays, letters and lectures that definitively sums up his philosophies on everything from modern civilization to evolutionism. GREAT compilation, IMO...

Or "TimeQuake"..."Ting-a-ling, you son of a b&%*$..."
 
tyflier said:
FWIW--anyone who isn't familair with Vonnegut's work but would LIKE to be, should check out Bagumbo Snuff Box. It is an hilarious compilation of short stories, essays, letters and lectures that definitively sums up his philosophies on everything from modern civilization to evolutionism. GREAT compilation, IMO...

Or "TimeQuake"..."Ting-a-ling, you son of a b&%*$..."
Click to expand...
Or "Slapstick".... "Hi ho." :)

(And don't forget his self-effacing cameo in the Rodney Dangerfield movie "Back To School".)

regards,
jazz
 
jazzgeek said:
Or "Slapstick".... "Hi ho." :)

(And don't forget his self-effacing cameo in the Rodney Dangerfield movie "Back To School".)

regards,
jazz
Click to expand...
You know...he has so many incredible works of literary genius already on the market...it's impossible to list them all, but I can guarantee anyone reading this topic with curiosity...they are ALL worth reading.
 
R.I.P. and see ya later...

jazzgeek said:
If there was any writer in my lifetime that I'd consider an "influence", it was Kurt Vonnegut. His style of mixing dark humor (and many times, not-so-dark hilarity), scathing social commentary, and ersatz science fiction into a delightful literary stew was peerless; many of the the characters in his novels (Billy Pilgrim, Eliot Rosewater, Kilgore Trout, Felix Hoenikker, et al) were, even if autobiographical or references to his times, are icons of 20th Century literature.

I had the opportunity to obtain his autograph when he spoke at Marquette University over a decade ago. He signed my hardcover copy of "Palm Sunday", and included the trademark hand-drawn asterisk (which represented his sphincter). It's now one of my prized possessions.

God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut. You will be missed.
Enough said. Good words bud.
"Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia." - KV

regards,
jazz
Click to expand...

Goods words. Enough said bud.
 
tyflier said:
PS--How could anyone not know who he is? Isn't he required reading anymore? No offense, just idle curiosity. His works were required when I was in school. Slaughterhouse Five, Cat's Cradle, Breakfast of Champions...these were on every required reading list I HAD in High School...what happened?
Click to expand...

Not sure. We talk about numerous writers in our English class but our teacher has never told us about him. Also we have never had to read those books. I wonder if most people around my age have heard of him? But I will definitely ask my English teacher when we go back on Monday.
 
Dave123 said:
Not sure. We talk about numerous writers in our English class but our teacher has never told us about him. Also we have never had to read those books. I wonder if most people around my age have heard of him? But I will definitely ask my English teacher when we go back on Monday.
Click to expand...
I didn't notice your age before...

I don't know what grade you're in, but around 10th grade was when Vonnegut started becoming required reading. If you want...I have an OLD copy of Cat's Cradle, which is, IMO, a GREAT introductory to Vonnegut as it poses all of his satirism and dark humour in place, but it is written in a way to be a VERY fast read, and extremely entertaining.

Get permission from your parents, and if they agree, PM me your address and I will send you my copy. It is an heirloom...I bought it around 1989 or so...which means it is well worn and possibly abused...but is still complete and in readable condition...Let me know...


BTW--you mention that you've discussed many writers in English class...has John Irving popped up yet? Another incredible American writer(and a personal friend of Vonnegut's, FWIW)..."A Prayer for Owen Meany" is another "instant classic"...
 
tyflier said:
I didn't notice your age before...

I don't know what grade you're in, but around 10th grade was when Vonnegut started becoming required reading. If you want...I have an OLD copy of Cat's Cradle, which is, IMO, a GREAT introductory to Vonnegut as it poses all of his satirism and dark humour in place, but it is written in a way to be a VERY fast read, and extremely entertaining.

Get permission from your parents, and if they agree, PM me your address and I will send you my copy. It is an heirloom...I bought it around 1989 or so...which means it is well worn and possibly abused...but is still complete and in readable condition...Let me know...


BTW--you mention that you've discussed many writers in English class...has John Irving popped up yet? Another incredible American writer(and a personal friend of Vonnegut's, FWIW)..."A Prayer for Owen Meany" is another "instant classic"...
Click to expand...

I'm in 9th grade and maybe thats why I have never heard of him. Now I think I have heard of John Irving but never read anything of his. We are into the traditional stuff. IE... Romeo and Juliet, The Lord of the Flies, Animal Farm, To Kill a Mockingbird, Other Edger Allen Poe stuff, a book filled with poems and short stories, and soon we are going to start The Odyssey.

Thanks for the offer but not sure if I can. It sounds like a good book though. I may check it out sometime at our school library. Ill PM you if interested but really thanks for the offer and the info. You are a nice guy. :)
 
For Tralfamadorians, time is not a linear progression of events, but a constant condition: "All moments, past, present, and future, always have existed, always will exist." They do not consider death a significant event, since when a person dies he or she "is still very much alive in the past."

RIP Mr. Vonnegut...even though you're not really gone...
 
Dave123 said:
I'm in 9th grade and maybe thats why I have never heard of him. Now I think I have heard of John Irving but never read anything of his. We are into the traditional stuff.
Click to expand...

Kurt Vonnegut _is_ the traditional stuff...

Nanci
 
tyflier said:
PS--How could anyone not know who he is? Isn't he required reading anymore? No offense, just idle curiosity. His works were required when I was in school. Slaughterhouse Five, Cat's Cradle, Breakfast of Champions...these were on every required reading list I HAD in High School...what happened?

FWIW--anyone who isn't familair with Vonnegut's work but would LIKE to be, should check out Bagumbo Snuff Box. It is an hilarious compilation of short stories, essays, letters and lectures that definitively sums up his philosophies on everything from modern civilization to evolutionism. GREAT compilation, IMO...

Or "TimeQuake"..."Ting-a-ling, you son of a b&%*$..."
Click to expand...

I have to say, I have no idea who he is. The name doesn't even ring a bell to me. None of his works were required reading for me in any level of schooling.
:shrugs:
 
Joejr14 said:
I have to say, I have no idea who he is. The name doesn't even ring a bell to me. None of his works were required reading for me in any level of schooling.
:shrugs:
Click to expand...
Wow...I don't know if I should feel shocked or saddened. And I'm only 10 years older than you, too...What about "To Kill A Mockingbird", "They Grind Exceeding Small"(poem), and "The Catcher in the Rye"? These are still required, right?!? "Of Mice and men", "The Black Pearl", "The Call of the Wild"??

I never though I would hang my head at the state of modern education, but... :shrugs:


Dave123--

Most of Vonnegut's stuff was written in the early/mid 60s through the late 70's and early 80's. To me...it's not that old, but it IS considered "traditional" and "contemporary". I highly recommend reading a couple of his books, whether required to, or not. Same for John Irving. Checkout "Slaughter House Five", "Cat's Cradle", "TimeQuake", "Breakfast of Champions", "Bagombo Snuffbox", or "Welcome to the Monkey House" by Vonnegut. For Irving--"A Prayer for Owen Meany", "Son of the Circus", "The Water-Method Man", "Cider House Rules", "The 180-pound Marriage", "The World According to Garp", or "Hotel New Hampshire". Irving also has a compilation of short stories and essays called "Trying to Save Piggy Sneed" which is also quite good, but not "typically" Irving.

FWIW--I would consider each book I mentioned above to be among my favorites of ALL time...
 
Dave123 said:
Ok, thanks for the info. Ill look for his books at the library. :)
Click to expand...
You'll find many more than I mentioned. Those are just the one's I had in memory...I didn't even go look on my bookshelf, yet...;).
 
tyflier said:
Wow...I don't know if I should feel shocked or saddened. And I'm only 10 years older than you, too...What about "To Kill A Mockingbird", "They Grind Exceeding Small"(poem), and "The Catcher in the Rye"? These are still required, right?!? "Of Mice and men", "The Black Pearl", "The Call of the Wild"??

I never though I would hang my head at the state of modern education, but... :shrugs:
Click to expand...


None of the above were required reading for me. About the only thing that I remember being required reading was 1984, and that was in 10th grade. I will say that "Of Mice and Men" is an absolutely fabulous book. Probably one of the best 'classic' novels that I've ever read.
 
Joejr14 said:
None of the above were required reading for me. About the only thing that I remember being required reading was 1984, and that was in 10th grade. I will say that "Of Mice and Men" is an absolutely fabulous book. Probably one of the best 'classic' novels that I've ever read.
Click to expand...
Wow...that amazes me. At least they required "1984". "Farenheit 451"? Not ringing any bells? Obviously, I don't blame you. But I really think it is a sad state of affairs when schools are too worried about being "poliically correct" to require though-provoking reading. I must admit that alot of Vonnegut's work would be considered "controversial" by today's politically correct, "thou shalt not offend nor question" mentality...it's sad, IMO...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top