Book Review: Breakfast of Champions (Vonnegut)
Have I read this before: Nope.
Review: Vonnegut is great, guys. I really like the absurdity of his stories and style because it doesn’t detract from what he’s trying to say (which I think is easy to do with an absurdity angle) but instead heightens it. This is also one of his stories that contains his own illustrations/drawings as well. If you want to be able to say “I read the Vonnegut book where he drew a vagina,” this is your choice. And if you want a very engaging and sometimes humorous examination of mental illness, this is your choice as well.
Favorite Part: Some quotes:
“The words in the book, incidentally, were about life on a dying planet named Lingo-Three, whose inhabitants resembled American automobiles. They had wheels. They were powered by internal combustion engines. They ate fossil fuels. They weren’t manufactured, though. They reproduced. They laid eggs containing baby automobiles, and the babies matured in pools of oil drained from adult crankcases.”
“Zog landed at night in Connecticut. He had no sooner touched down than he saw a house on fire. He rushed into the house, farting and tap dancing, warning the people about the terrible danger they were in. The head of the house brained Zog with a golfclub.”
“I had to think fast about who was on the other end of the telephone. I put the first most decorated veteran in Midland City on the other end. He had a penis eight hundred miles long and two hundred and ten miles in diameter, but practically all of it was in the fourth dimension.”
Rating: 7/10
Book Review: Cat’s Cradle (Vonnegut)
Have I read this before: Nope. I thought I had, since I remember reading Slaughterhouse Five when I was in junior high and figured I’d read the other Vonnegut novel on my list as well, but as I got into it, I’m pretty sure it was new to me. I’m sure I would have remembered this story.
Review: What a fantastically strange book. It was not at all what I was expecting, though I’m not sure what I was expecting. I love the level of detachment and nonchalant-ness everyone seems to have about everything, including the big thing with the ice-nine (won’t spoil it for anyone). It makes the whole book seem like it’s describing a dream in which the narrator (and everyone else) has no control over anything. If you like black humor and a heavy topic discussed very lightly and humorously, I think you’ll like this one.
Favorite part: the style of this book is very unique. That’s probably my favorite thing. But there are a few passages I liked as well.
This description of Mona is so quick and simple but does so much:
In The Books of Bokonon she is mentioned by name. One thing Bokonon says of her is this: ‘Mona has the simplicity of the all.’
Her dress was white and Greek.
She wore flat sandals on her small brown feet.
Her pale gold hair was lank and long.
Her hips were a lyre.
Oh God.
Peace and plenty forever.
And I liked this discussion of Frank Hoenikker after the narrator got a call from Frank Hoenikker and is discussing it with Castle.
“What was that all about?” asked Castle.
“I haven’t got the slightest idea. Frank Hoenikker wants to see me right away.”
“Take your time. Relax. He’s a moron.”
“He said it was important.”
“How does he know what’s important? I could carve a better man out of a banana.”
Rating: 6/10
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