Book Three- Cat's Cradle

Short one today because I have a) somehow thrown out my back, b) am buried up to my ears in work and c) Vonnegut is one of those authors I can't really write coherently about without dissolving into a puddle of glee.

I have this memory of when I was younger hearing my parents gushing over the fact that my older cousin wanted Jefferson Airplane cd's and Kurt Vonnegut novels for Christmas. From the way they were talking, you'd think they were planning a parade to announce to the world just how proud they were of their nephew's astounding good taste. So when it came time for me to start reading Vonnegut, the bar was set pretty high, and he didn't disappoint. What I love about him the most, I think, is how his personality shines through whatever he writes, and he doesn't have to use fancy phrases or metaphors or flowery prose to get his point across. Reading his books are like having conversations with hilarious, often deranged friends, but he still manages to make poignant comments of the absurdity of modern life that hit home when you least expect it. I would have loved to have met him.

So I've read the majority of his novels by now and although my favorites are without a question Deadeye  Dick and Bluebeard, they are not on THE LIST OF DOOM and so I'll put off re-reading them for awhile. Cat's Cradle would be my least favorite, I think, but it is completely and utterly saved by Bokononism, the greatest fake religion of all time. Ever since I first read this book I was completely in love with the concept of a karass and all of the other tenants of Bokononism. I could sit here and summarize how Vonnegut plays around with the very ideas of religion and human destiny, but instead I'm going to leave you with this quote:

"Jesus once said, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's". Which Bokonon paraphrased, "Pay no attention to Caesar. Caesar doesn't have the slightest idea what's really going on."

 In summary: Ice-nine kills, Vonnegut is sorely missed, nice nice very nice.

P.S - Here, have this Fox News commentary on Vonnegut's death for a laugh. Favorite part: "[his work was] too filled with scatological humor, cosmic coincidences, and self-admitted "sci-fi mumbo-jumbo" for him to enjoy stately induction into the great pantheon of American writers."

FOX News Kurt Vonnegut Eulogy

Yeah, that Midwestern guy with the big glasses, he's funny and all, but he's not a real writer -- wait, what? He's got four books on the list of 1001 greatest books of all time? And there's nothing on the list by Glenn Beck or Bill O'Reilly?

Yeah, suck on that, Fox News.