Author Spotlight: Kurt Vonnegut Jr

 

Kurt Vonnegut Jr is one of the great authors of the second half of the 20th century. While he might not be as well known to younger audiences today, they are missing a treasure trove of great writing. He was an anti war activist, who held a liberal worldview and was an important figure in the counterculture in the 60s, 70s and 80s. His writing was unusual in prose and scope. Other authors, including John Irving, have cited Kurt Vonnegut as an influence and mentor. Where to start with the offbeat world of Kurt Vonnegut Jr? Here’s a beginner’s guide to reading Kurt Vonnegut.

Slaughterhouse Five is Kurt Vonnegut’s most iconic novel. Published in 1963, an anti war themed novel, it follows a character named Billy Pilgrim, who keeps flashing back to his survival during the bombing of Dresden, Germany. It’s simply not a straight flashback novel, though. Billy Pilgrim experiences time travel, meeting aliens, and going back and forth between different eras. This all makes the reader question what is real and what is fantasy. What is in Billy Pilgrim’s mind and what isn’t. However, the undercurrent of the novel can’t be denied. This is one of the best anti war novels ever written. 

Breakfast of Champions is Vonnegut’s 1973 novel which follows the events that lead up to the meeting between Dwayne Hoover and Kilgore Trout, Vonnegut’s iconic recurring character. Hoover is a wealthy businessman who is slowly going insane and Kilgore Trout is a struggling science fiction writer. What follows is a story of two characters who are struggling in their own unusual ways, all told in Vonnegut’s unusual style of writing. There’s even a cameo from Vonnegut himself, talking to his characters. It’s worth a read, as it’s quite a trip.

Mother Night is Vonnegut’s 1962 novel about a Nazi living in New York City. It is framed as the memoir of Howard W. Campbell who is waiting for his trial for crimes as a Nazi propagandist. As he waits for his trial, he flashes back on his entire life. However, he is also a double agent for the United States in the impending world war. Once again, war is a big theme in a Vonnegut book, and the book has an anti war tone to it. 

Vonnegut wrote over 14 novels overall, as well as short story collections, non-fiction and plays. However, these three books I just mentioned are his most iconic. Vonnegut is worth a read, and should not be forgotten in time. He is one of the greatest American writers.