A Man without a Country (Kurt Vonnegut)

My brother introduced me to Kurt Vonnegut, and I found the writing a bit of a stretch. I also recognized that it wasn't the right time in my life to read his work. I started out with Hocus Pocus, and believe I've read a couple of others too (perhaps the Breakfast of Champions). And upon the news of his death, I researched him once again and borrowed his most recent book from the library. Thank goodness he wrote something else, after so many years.

As far as the book went, I enjoyed it. It was my evening treat, the last thing I did before I went to sleep. I remember reading the other books and finding that the deconstructionism too much for me, but this time the ride was so smooth. (it was easy to connect the dots for little old me!) I found that his message, although well known and depressing in it's content, had an upbeat note to it. Perhaps because he knew (simply by the amount of years he'd lived) that he was nearing the finish line, and the torment would end. That's just speculation on my part.

Something I wanted to say, is that I always expected that I'd meet Kurt, that we'd be on first name basis and though he wouldn't exactly be nice, he'd like me enough to grimace once. And when he did pass (without consulting me! really! huh), I had some instant disappointment. (I often think this of authors I regard and are still alive; I'll meet 'em some day.) But I felt as if he left me something in his stead with this last book. (Yeah, I know, I am not the centre of the world, just hear me out!) This book was him. Not him in his rip-roaring youth, this was all of his gathered insight over the years. And it's not a bag of wind blowing hot air. He got to the points quickly, it's a short read, I spread it over a couple of weeks but could've ate it up in a n afternoon. This book just proved (again) that he was insightful and didn't want others to trip on glaring mistakes. Now whenever I read him I know I'll be taking steps back into time when he wrote, the next of his will probably be Slaughterhouse Five.