The Dean Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I'm a little too broken up to write something witty or even interesting, right now. KV was the man who got me to love reading, Before I read The Sirens of Titan, reading always seemed like a chore to me. Perhaps it was due to what I was reading...perhaps I just wasn't ready. But, one time in 8th grade, I think, I asked a teacher if I could pick my own book instead of reading the assigned boring read. She agreed. Well, perhaps I was ready or perhaps it was the magic of KV's writing (or a combination of the two...I suspect it was simply Kurt's doing), but right then I started LOVING to read, Not any garbage, mind you. but, if the material was right, I could be lost in books and read for hours at a time. Well, it's been 35 or so years since my first Vonnegut. But, KV still remains my all-time favorite author. Maybe if I can think a little better later, and this tribute thread continues, I'll try to add something worth adding. Please excuse bad grammar and typos, and just plain bad writing. I didn't want to leave the house before at least saying a few words. RIP, Kurt...I'm sure you are already. Now, I have to go have a drink with Kilgore Trout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 well said dean RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slothrop Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Yes, although Pynchon's prose style is very different from Vonnegut's, imho. I think when all is said and done Vonnegut will go down with Faulkner as the two most influential and original American novelists of the 20th century. I agree that the prose styles are very different - Pynchon is alone in that regard - I think Vonnegut was one of the first "hypertext authors." Vonnegut may be that bridge between modernist and post-modern writers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 In case nobody's ever checked it out KV's son (Mark I think) wrote a very good book about his experience with schizophrenia. It's been over 15 years since I've read it but at teh time I remember thinking it was very insightful and shed a lot of light on a mysterious illness. A very intriguing read if memory serves and I'd advise any Vonnegut fans to pick it up. Fare thee well Kurt, you wonderfully incorrigible * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 The former UN Secretary General? Geraldo Rivera married Kurts daughter Edith Vonnegut (poor soul) and after they divorced Vonngegut was quoted as saying if he ever saw Rivera he'd punch him in the nose. If I ever run into Rivera, God forbid, I'll punch him in the nose and say that's from Kurt. At work only a couple of people were upset at all. I have an autographed first edition of Galapagos that I had signed at the Village Green Bookstore many years ago. It's one of my favorite possessions. Vonnegut's satire and free thinking is needed now more than ever. Another interesting fact is that the character of Billy Pilgrim in "Slaughter House Five" was based on a guy Vonnegut knew in WWII and he's buried in Mt. Hope Cemetary here in Rochester where I live. When he was here years ago he visited his grave site. Most people have probably never heard of Edward 'Joe' Crone, Jr. Kurt Vonnegut recently announced that the inspiration for the character Billy Pilgrim in the book Slaughterhouse-Five was this man from Rochester. He is buried here in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Vonnegut came into contact with Joe Crone while in Dresden as prisoners of the Germans. According to Vonnegut, the war was so overwhelming to Crone that he failed to work to survive. The Germans were not providing enough food to the prisoners, and Joe gave away to others what little he had. He did 11 April, 1945. His parents searched for him, and after the war, by contacting those who were with him in Dresden, they located Joe's remains and brough them back to Rochester. http://www.zipcon.net/~trey/crone.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 BTW, what are your favorite Vonnegut novels. Pick two. I'd say "Breakfast of Champions" because it's the first Vonnegut novel I ever read and then "Mother Night" is phenomanal! There is a movie made from the novel which isn't too bad as far as movies from novels go. Nick Nolte is in it and he's pretty good. Also there is a movie version of "Breakfast of Champions" which is only good because Albert Finney plays Kilgore Trout. Bruce Willis plays Dwayne Hoobler(?) the car dealership owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CosmicBills Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 BTW, what are your favorite Vonnegut novels. I'm partial to Slaughterhouse-Five for sentimental reasons. However, my favorite KV moment, other than the story earlier in the thread, had to be his appearance in Back to School. He did it purely to meet Rodney, and in the scene he slams the door in Kurt's face -- something he noted with irony later on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I'm partial to Slaughterhouse-Five for sentimental reasons. However, my favorite KV moment, other than the story earlier in the thread, had to be his appearance in Back to School. He did it purely to meet Rodney, and in the scene he slams the door in Kurt's face -- something he noted with irony later on. for me it was Jailbird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oneonta Buffalo Fan Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Now this guy I know. How sad. He was a fine author. RIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I'm partial to Slaughterhouse-Five for sentimental reasons. However, my favorite KV moment, other than the story earlier in the thread, had to be his appearance in Back to School. He did it purely to meet Rodney, and in the scene he slams the door in Kurt's face -- something he noted with irony later on. I forgot about that scene in "Back to School" that was f-ing hilarious! Vonnegut also makes a cameo in "Mother Night" during a slow motion look at people on the street he is one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Yes, although Pynchon's prose style is very different from Vonnegut's, imho. I think when all is said and done Vonnegut will go down with Faulkner as the two most influential and original American novelists of the 20th century. Moreso than Hemmingway, Steinbeck, Sinclair, Thurber, and Updike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpile Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 First and favorite was Cat's Cradle because it got me thinking about things from a different angle. I also liked Slaughterhouse Five (the Children's Crusade) and the book by a character he created - Kilgor Trout - Venus on the Half Shell. I picture him now finally getting the chance to ask God the age-old question - "Why?". Tralfamodrians Unite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 At work only a couple of people were upset at all. Even worse, the two guys I work with on my team had never even HEARD of Vonnegut... Or Slaughterhouse-Five! What the hell?!?! My favorites were Slaughterhouse-Five and Hocus Pocus. I thought HP was cool for the weird way it was written and presented - on "scraps of numbered paper." Pretty awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I forgot about that scene in "Back to School" that was f-ing hilarious! IIRC, he only got a 'B' on his paper! KV and Orwell were about the only two authors I found really interesting during high school. R.I.P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I just got back from watching the Sabres kick some Islander ass. The St Augistine bar was PACKED with Sabre fans, most on vacation. One guy there was a little puzzling. He would sidle up and ask me the score (the game was on two huge screens). I'd tell him, start watching the game, turn around, and he'd be gone. Later in the game, the same thing would happen...he'd be next to me, ask me the score, we'd talk about the game. I'd look around for him (the bar was packed) and never could find him. Yet, 10 or 15 minutes later, he'd be there asking what was going on in the game. Billy Pilgrim is a Sabres fan, methinks. (methinks?) BTW, Kilgore, says "Yo" to all of you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 RIP... Let the hypocrites heap you with praise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Moreso than Hemmingway, Steinbeck, Sinclair, Thurber, and Updike? What's your agenda? He was different than those above... Here is my agenda: Yes... He had the guts to say what he thought... Didn't kill himself or turn his back on his liberal ideals and still continued to speak out... My kinda guy... Did you throw Upton Sinclair in there to throw us off Cincy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 First and favorite was Cat's Cradle because it got me thinking about things from a different angle. I also liked Slaughterhouse Five (the Children's Crusade) and the book by a character he created - Kilgor Trout - Venus on the Half Shell. I picture him now finally getting the chance to ask God the age-old question - "Why?". Tralfamodrians Unite! Venus on the halfshell wasn't written by Vonnegut. His idea was to let any hack science fiction writer use the name so that there would be all these pulp sci fi books out there with the name Kilgore Trout on them. He told me this when I was getting my books autographed. He just said he decided it wasn't a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 What's your agenda? Snobbery...same as everybody else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketch Soland Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I agree that the prose styles are very different - Pynchon is alone in that regard - I think Vonnegut was one of the first "hypertext authors." Vonnegut may be that bridge between modernist and post-modern writers. Yes, I would agree with you. I think that's a great way to describe Vonnegut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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