Wednesday, July 16, 2008
If this blog was a boat I'd be breaking a bottle of Cream Soda on it. (I'm pro-sober marine life.) Since it is not, I commence the beginning of glorious reviewing!
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Ever read a book and instinctively know that you're missing a lot of what's going on? That's what I thought. I had the feeling all the way through this book, but to be fair a lot of it's because the protagonist,Billy Pilgrim, "has come unstuck in time".
In Billy Pilgrim's life he had been a well-to-do optometrist, father of two, and POW during World War II. Then, abducted by aliens from Tramalfadore and kept in a zoo.
He keeps the abduction to himself until he gets conked on the head during a plane crash. After that he sets out into the world to share the philosophy of the four-dimensioned Tramalfadorians.
"The most important thing I learned on Tralfamadore was that when a operson dies he only appears to die. He is still very much alive in the past, so it is very silly for people to cry at his funeral. All moments past, present, and future, always have existed, always will exist."
The way the book was written (sporadic and sans structure) it's hard to impart a time-line plot, but the themes are there. Free Will. Anti-War. Vonnegut imparts good lessons with satire and wit that will stick with you.
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Ever read a book and instinctively know that you're missing a lot of what's going on? That's what I thought. I had the feeling all the way through this book, but to be fair a lot of it's because the protagonist,Billy Pilgrim, "has come unstuck in time".
In Billy Pilgrim's life he had been a well-to-do optometrist, father of two, and POW during World War II. Then, abducted by aliens from Tramalfadore and kept in a zoo.
He keeps the abduction to himself until he gets conked on the head during a plane crash. After that he sets out into the world to share the philosophy of the four-dimensioned Tramalfadorians.
"The most important thing I learned on Tralfamadore was that when a operson dies he only appears to die. He is still very much alive in the past, so it is very silly for people to cry at his funeral. All moments past, present, and future, always have existed, always will exist."
The way the book was written (sporadic and sans structure) it's hard to impart a time-line plot, but the themes are there. Free Will. Anti-War. Vonnegut imparts good lessons with satire and wit that will stick with you.
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2 comments:
A stunning! review I must say.
I remember reading Slaughterhouse 5 and "just not getting it," too.
After the second read-through it got better. Depending on where you are in your life, and whether or not you /have/ to read this book or its just for fun, makes a huge difference in one's understanding of these totally bonkers concepts.
Awesome idea for a blog, btw!!!
Thanks! But yes, it's kind of hard to get in the beginning, but smooths out by around the middle.
Or, erm, the middle of the book anyhow. ;)
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