Kurt Vonnegut is dead.
He and his writing shocked most of America, but he was a master of contemporary American literature. His dark humor, biting satire, and incomparable imagination first captured America’s attention in The Sirens of Titan in 1959. He didn’t get a lot of attention until the publication of Cat’s Cradle in 1963. 
His most widely read and distributed book is the 1969 classic, Slaughterhouse Five, the life of Billy Pilgrim, unstuck in time after his abduction by aliens by Tralfamadore. But the book, which is an easy read, was discovered to be a giant of anti-war sentiments. Its plot describes Vonnegut’s time as a German prisoner of war, when he witnessed the bombing of Dresden.
Vonnegut wrote a number of novels, short stories and picture books from 1952 to 2005. He was considered a science fiction writer, but he was more of a modern Mark Twain.
In 1970, Neil Young released “After The Goldrush,” and the words always reminded me of Slaughterhouse Five. Perhaps unrelated, the themes of understanding and longing seem similar.
After The Goldrush –lyrics by Neil Young
“Well, I dreamed I saw the knights
In armor coming,
Saying something about a queen.
There were peasants singing and
Drummers drumming
And the archer split the tree.
There was a fanfare blowing
To the sun
That was floating on the breeze.
Look at Mother Nature on the run
In the nineteen seventies.
I was lying in a burned out basement
With the full moon in my eyes.
I was hoping for replacement
When the sun burst thru the sky.
There was a band playing in my head
And I felt like getting high.
I was thinking about what a
Friend had said
I was hoping it was a lie.
Well, I dreamed I saw the silver
Space ships flying
In the yellow haze of the sun,
There were children crying
And colors flying
All around the chosen ones.
All in a dream, all in a dream
The loading had begun.
They were flying Mother Nature’s
Silver seed to a new home in the sun.”
Vonnegut’s phrase, “So it goes. . .” was a catchphrase picked up by millions and is rumored to be his epitaph. The image above was taken from his website.
–Quinn McDonald is a writer and reader of Vonnegut’s works. See her work at QuinnCreative.com
I always enjoy reading Vonnegut. I had not realised he had died. I think I will revisit his books again now.
I am not familiar with Vonnegut and I will certainly seek out Slaughter House Five which I have heard of. You have done Vonnegut proud Quinn.
Daniel–I have all his books and thought this is a good time to re-read some of my favorites.
Mari–Good for your mom! Sounds like you had a great upbringing.
I “discovered” Kurt Vonnegut when I was about 12 years old and into science fiction and I bought everything he’d written and still have those books now, 34 years later. I soon realized he was writing about more than science fiction but that was the section in the bookstore where you could find him. Once I was reading one of his books in study hall and the teacher came over and asked me what was that drawing on the page? I said it’s an asshole. The teacher sent a note home to my mother telling her I was reading inappropriate books and my mother, also a teacher, sent her back a note saying “she’s reading books that are five levels above her grade, this is something to encourage, not stop”. There are still places where Vonnegut’s books are banned, probably as much for the asshole-drawings as for Vonnegut’s committed stance as a humanist. So it goes…
So it goes… Kurt Vonnegut discovered by many and greatly touched their heart, soul ,intellect, and conscience! Slaughter House -Five should be read by every American high school student, analyzed and discussed. National Public Radio has some fabulos audio of Kurt. Check it out. I can not write anymore . We lost a Great one today. Thanks for everything Kurt ! Godspeed as far as it goes…