Slaughterhouse- Five by Kurt Vonnegut - 1969 -A Novel - with a Forward by Kevin Powers 2019 in Observation of The 50th Anniversary of Publication

Slaughterhouse- Five by Kurt Vonnegut - 1969 -A Novel - with a Forward  by Kevin  Powers 2019 in Observation of The 50th Anniversary of Publication 

“Slaughterhouse-Five is wisdom literature. It is a book of awe and humbling clarity. Its lessons are so simple that by adulthood most of us have forgotten or taken them for granted only to be stunned upon being reacquainted with their fundamental gravity.”  Kevin Powers. - Author of Yellow Birds

I am very glad to have now read Slaughterhouse Five.  I think had I read it fifty years ago Billy Pilgrim, Kilgore Trout, the Tralfamadorian who captured Billy and bombing of Dresden would still be firmly planted in my memory.

Slaughterhouse-Five, or, The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death is a semi-autobiographic science fiction-i anti-war novel inspired by Vonnegut’s witnessing the bombing of Dresden when he was a prisoner  of War held by the Germans in a former slaughterhouse.  Billy Pilgrim, the central character was captured by the Tralfamadorians, from a planet 400 billion miles from Earth. Or maybe he hallucinated this after a serious head injury.  He believes he was kept in a zoo on this planet. “The Tralfamadorians later abduct a pornographic film star named Montana Wildhack, who had disappeared on Earth and was believed to have drowned in San Pedro Bay. They intend to have her mate with Billy. She and Billy fall in love and have a child together. Billy is instantaneously sent back to Earth in a time warp to re-live past or future moments of his life. The Tralfamadorians believe everything that has ever happened or happen exists simultaneously.  Billy travels back and forth to different parts of his life.” From The very well done Wikepedia article.

The description of bombing of Dresden is very powerful.  Dresden was not a military target. The allied bombing killed about 120,000.  There were  controversies at the time over the decision to bomb but they were out weighed by a desire to inflict damage on a vicious enemy.  The American POWs were made to dig for bodies.

This is a very American novel.  Maybe it is almost a work for younger readers in high School or College. I am glad i at Last read this novel, fun, thought provoking with cool character names.

“KURT VONNEGUT was a master of contemporary American literature. His black humor, satiric voice, and incomparable imagination first captured America’s attention in The Sirens of Titan in 1959 and established him as “a true artist” (New York Times) with Cat’s Cradle in 1963. He was, as Graham Greene declared, “one of the best living American writers.” Mr. Vonnegut passed away in April 2007.” From The book

I read soon I hope his novel Bluebeard.

Mel Ulm

Slaughterhouse- Five by Kurt Vonnegut - 1969 -A Novel - with a Forward  by Kevin  Powers 2019 in Observation of The 50th Anniversary of Publication 

“Slaughterhouse-Five is wisdom literature. It is a book of awe and humbling clarity. Its lessons are so simple that by adulthood most of us have forgotten or taken them for granted only to be stunned upon being reacquainted with their fundamental gravity.”  Kevin Powers. - Author of Yellow Birds

I am very glad to have now read Slaughterhouse Five.  I think had I read it fifty years ago Billy Pilgrim, Kilgore Trout, the Tralfamadorian who captured Billy and bombing of Dresden would still be firmly planted in my memory.

Slaughterhouse-Five, or, The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death is a semi-autobiographic science fiction-i anti-war novel inspired by Vonnegut’s witnessing the bombing of Dresden when he was a prisoner  of War held by the Germans in a former slaughterhouse.  Billy Pilgrim, the central character was captured by the Tralfamadorians, from a planet 400 billion miles from Earth. Or maybe he hallucinated this after a serious head injury.  He believes he was kept in a zoo on this planet. “The Tralfamadorians later abduct a pornographic film star named Montana Wildhack, who had disappeared on Earth and was believed to have drowned in San Pedro Bay. They intend to have her mate with Billy. She and Billy fall in love and have a child together. Billy is instantaneously sent back to Earth in a time warp to re-live past or future moments of his life. The Tralfamadorians believe everything that has ever happened or happen exists simultaneously.  Billy travels back and forth to different parts of his life.” From The very well done Wikepedia article.

The description of bombing of Dresden is very powerful.  Dresden was not a military target. The allied bombing killed about 120,000.  There were  controversies at the time over the decision to bomb but they were out weighed by a desire to inflict damage on a vicious enemy.  The American POWs were made to dig for bodies.

This is a very American novel.  Maybe it is almost a work for younger readers in high School or College. I am glad i at Last read this novel, fun, thought provoking with cool character names.

“KURT VONNEGUT was a master of contemporary American literature. His black humor, satiric voice, and incomparable imagination first captured America’s attention in The Sirens of Titan in 1959 and established him as “a true artist” (New York Times) with Cat’s Cradle in 1963. He was, as Graham Greene declared, “one of the best living American writers.” Mr. Vonnegut passed away in April 2007.” From The book

I  I hope his novel Bluebeard pretty soon.

Mel Ulm