Thanks Chet and another mysterious SMS-er for a newsflash that American master of Science Fiction, Kurt Vonnegut died yesterday of brain injuries following a fall at his house in Manhattan. He left a substantial body of work written over more than half a century which includes his novels Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat's Cradle.Here are links to obituaries in the Guardian and the Herald Tribune, while Nicholas Lezard pays tribute on the Guardian blog.
I think that you guys will probably know Vonnegut's work better than I do (I'm ashamed to say I haven't read him at all yet, but have long intended to.) It would be interesting to hear what you think of his writing.
(Pic from the Guardian.)
8 comments:
that "mysterious SMSer" was me. new number.
ahah.
so you go first mr. visitor
Slaughterhouse 5 was on my reading list at UEA's School of English & American Literature. But I was introduced to his work a few years before that through the movie version of Slapstick, which I made an effort to go and see (after work on a Saturday) because of the actress Madeline Kahn. And I have an "e" copy of Bagombo Snuff Box in my PDA. Oh yah, he was married to Jill Krementz, and was featured in her beautiful book The Writer's Desk (you have a copy, Sharon).
I've only read one of his books - Galapagos - and it was wonderful. A very easy, fast read, but ideas that make you think. I started a few others, but never had the time to finish them.
My simple tribute to Vonnegut is here:
Farewell, Mr Vonnegut
Young Ted (Mahsun) has mentioned it on his blog, too:
Goodbye, Kurt Vonnegut
thanks chet - esp for the links. funny when i saw his wife's name i thought - that sounds familiar
thanks kari as well
Did an obit, too. Not quite in the same class as Ted's or Chet's...
I only have read three of his books to date, Slapstick, Cat's Cradle and Breakfast of Champions. Hopefully, one of these days, I'll get around to reading the rest.
It's always sad when talented people pass on...
walksi - your obit is excellent and you make me want to read him
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