Kurt Vonnegut: Where to begin?

March 18, 2005 9:00 AM

Kurt Vonnegut: Where to begin?

As soon as many of my cohorts realized that I had never read anything by Kurt Vonnegut, they immediately chastised me, and refused further conversation until I had done so. So the question: What book should I start with? I'm usually a fan of reading a particular authors books in order of publish date, but I'm in no way tied to that method if a different order makes sense. Is there a good Vonnegut book that, in your opinion, should be read before any of his others?

posted by nitsuj to writing & language (44 comments total)

Galapagos!
posted by kenchie at 9:02 AM on March 18, 2005 [1 favorite has favorites]

I don't think it really makes a difference. They're somewhat interconnected, but not in a way that makes one rely on another. My favorites have been Cat's Cradle, Slaughterhouse 5, and The Sirens of Titan.
posted by agropyron at 9:02 AM on March 18, 2005

Well, I'm hoping you're exaggerating for humorous effect about the cohorts' reactions. If not, you should consider telling them to go to hell.

Anyway, start with Cat's Cradle and then move to Slaughterhouse-Five.
posted by Skot at 9:06 AM on March 18, 2005

They are all so different, but brilliant. I liked Timequake, Dead-Eye Dick, Breakfast of Champions, and, well, everything else I have read by him. They don't have to be read in any particular order to enjoy them though, so have at it.
posted by terrapin at 9:07 AM on March 18, 2005

My favorite is Breakfast of Champions.
posted by box at 9:07 AM on March 18, 2005

My favorites are definitely Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse-Five (probably in that order). Slaughterhouse-Five is probably the most popular/widely read. But I don't think there is any particular one you should read first or last.
posted by rafter at 9:09 AM on March 18, 2005

Galapagos!
posted by kenchie at 9:02 AM PST on March 18 [!]

Seconded!
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 9:10 AM on March 18, 2005

Don't start with Galapagos, and on preview, for the love of God, don't start with Timequake. It's his last novel, and it's almost like he wanted to covey how tired of writing he was by making the book incredibly boring.

I'd read Slaughterhouse 5, which is arguably his best work, followed by Mother Night. By reading these two works, you'll get a good feel for the two sides of Vonnegut, the somewhat goofy and the somewhat serious. I also recommend Sirens of Titan, Hocus Pocus, and Welcome to the Monkey House (short stories).
posted by emptybowl at 9:11 AM on March 18, 2005

Cat's Cradle and Sirens of Titan.
posted by greasy_skillet at 9:11 AM on March 18, 2005

Begin with Breakfast of Champions, move on to Cat's Cradle, then take Slaughterhouse 5. Do the rest however you see fit.
posted by scarabic at 9:11 AM on March 18, 2005

The early ones are the best, in my opinion, with an honourable exception for 1990's "Hocus Pocus", which I found to be an unexpected return to form. The essentials are "The Sirens of Titan", "Slaughterhouse Five", "Mother Night" and "Cat's Cradle". The not-essential-but-pretty-good are "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater" and "Breakfast of Champions"

I found his eighties works ("Deadeye Dick", "Jailbird", "Galapagos" and "Bluebeard") to be disappointing. 1997's "Timequake" was abysmal rubbish. It's because of that I haven't read his latest. But I probably will, because he really used to be very, very good.

I'd suggest you start with "Sirens" and "Cradle" to get a feel for the way he played with SF conventions, then follow up with "Slaughterhouse" and "Mother" to get to the thoughtful and unapologetic humanitarianism of the man.
posted by Decani at 9:13 AM on March 18, 2005

Cat's Cradle first, i think. Player Piano is my favorite. I think Deadeye Dick is underrated by people--it's very worthwhile.
posted by amberglow at 9:15 AM on March 18, 2005

Decani, his "latest", Bagombo Snuff Box, is in fact a collection of short stores he wrote when he just started writing about 50 or so years ago. His last original work was Timequake. If you're into his human drama stories more than his sci-fi stuff, then BSB will be right up your alley.
posted by emptybowl at 9:16 AM on March 18, 2005

I'd say the titles scarabic mentioned are the big three. I'd change the order a little bit: Cat's Cradle, Breakfast of Champions, Slaughterhouse 5.

Happy Reading!
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 9:17 AM on March 18, 2005

emptybowl: I was thinking of this, which I confess I know nothing about.
posted by Decani at 9:18 AM on March 18, 2005

Galapagos is my favourite, but I'd say start with Breakfast of Champions. It's a really quick and easy read because of the short sections and the illustrations.
posted by teg at 9:20 AM on March 18, 2005

Kevorkian's sort of a light diversion. I read the entire thing in a bookstore. It's good and fun, but not really on the same plane as a lot of his older, better work.
posted by COBRA! at 9:23 AM on March 18, 2005

Ah, if I remember correctly, Decani, that book is a collection of non-fiction pieces he wrote for NYC public radio. Haven't read it, but I'm really not a fan of his non-fiction.
posted by emptybowl at 9:24 AM on March 18, 2005

This thread is really making me want to re-read some of his works. Damn you, World of Warcraft, fo eating up all my free time!!
posted by emptybowl at 9:27 AM on March 18, 2005

this amazon guide has tons of good links and info on him
posted by amberglow at 9:28 AM on March 18, 2005

"Breakfast of Champions" is perhaps the most self-indulgent book I've ever read. Vonnegut admits as much, saying that he wrote it as a present to himself. Gag me with a SPOOON! Don't get me wrong, I like Vonnegut, but I wouldn't blame anyone who read that and felt like never reading another, so please don't start there!

"The Sirens of Titan" and "Cat's Cradle" are both excellent and silly. "Mother Night" is excellent and very serious. On this foundation you can continue exploring, maybe even reading "Breakfast of Champions" eventually. (Which all in all I don't regret reading, unlike "Galapagos" which didn't impress me at the time and has completely vanished from memory.)
posted by Aknaton at 9:45 AM on March 18, 2005

Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse-Five, either one first. After that, you're on your own.

Good thing you picked Kurt Vonnegut instead of Philip K. Dick. The recommendations would have been all over the place.
posted by mischief at 9:50 AM on March 18, 2005

I didn't "get" Vonnegut until I read his short stories. Therefore, I would start with "monkey house" - short, funny, and entertaining. I would then move on to "cat's cradle", then "sirens of titan". After that (after the first one, actually) I got what he was all about, and it made the longer reads better for me.
posted by horsemuth at 9:56 AM on March 18, 2005

I believe his first book is Player Piano, which is much more dystopian future sci-fi, much less Vonnegut, I certainly would not start there.

Otherwise, read whatever is handy, they're all basically the same book (which I don't mean in a bad way, if that's at all possible).
posted by cosmonaught at 10:01 AM on March 18, 2005

I read Welcome to the Monkey-House first, and loved it, and then read Cat's Cradle and thought I'd discovered a genius. For the next year or so I read everything else I could find, but nothing ever felt quite as amazing as Cat's Cradle for me, though I'm sure that's partly because it was the first book I'd read by him.

This was all in 6th grade, though, so I don't know how it would feel now. But Cat's Cradle still sticks with me as a pivotal moment in my reading life... the style is so specific and smart, down to earth & surreal at the same time; the ideas are so interesting (ice-9 is still a fascinating concept, actually...), and it is beautiful and sort of tragic but in a buddhist/existentialist kind of way. Yeah. I would pick that one up.
posted by mdn at 10:02 AM on March 18, 2005

Otherwise, read whatever is handy, they're all basically the same book

yes. I mean, this is true of probably even the majority of writers, but it is definitely true of vonnegut. His style and attitude toward life are distinct enough that that's what comes through most powerfully in every book, so they feel very similar. Just like how a lot of bands seem to have one song that they just do a bunch of different ways...
posted by mdn at 10:05 AM on March 18, 2005

he didn't seem the same after breakfast of champions ... any book before that by him is worth reading
posted by pyramid termite at 10:07 AM on March 18, 2005

I don't know if I'd quite agree with the "basically the same book" statement; Mother Night and Slaughterhouse-Five are pretty different (one's a straightforward narrative in a completely believable world; the other is a nonlinear science fiction piece where Vonnegut is present both in the story and as the identified narrator). I think you could say he worked off of two or three basic templates over and over, though.
posted by COBRA! at 10:11 AM on March 18, 2005

Breakfast of Champions.

But by far, my favorite Vonnegut book is God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian.
posted by gramcracker at 10:21 AM on March 18, 2005

I don't know if I'd quite agree with the "basically the same book" statement;

I know, I know, you're absolutely right. And still, every time I've pick up a Vonnegut book, with the exception of Player Piano and, yes, Mother Night, I feel like I've read it before, which I think is part of the reason I like them so much.

I think its the way Vonnegut ends up being a character in his books, even when he's not. Kind of a Woody Allen type thing, I guess.
posted by cosmonaught at 10:29 AM on March 18, 2005

This thread is really making me want to re-read some of his works.

So it goes.
posted by mbd1mbd1 at 10:46 AM on March 18, 2005

I vote for Slapstick, an underrate classic.
posted by sid at 11:01 AM on March 18, 2005

One of my most prized posessions is an autographed copy of Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle. A friend of mine got it autographed for me when Vonnegut was the writer in residence at the college where my friend worked. Vonnegut said that Cat's Cradle was his favorite of all the books he wrote. That being said, i think God Bless, You Mr. Rosewater is my favorite, though i can't remember why.
posted by jodic at 11:37 AM on March 18, 2005

But by far, my favorite Vonnegut book is God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian.

oh come on! That was a cute little joke of a book, nothing more.

I think its the way Vonnegut ends up being a character in his books, even when he's not. Kind of a Woody Allen type thing, I guess.

yep, that's how it seems to me, too. It's not that they're actually the same, but what makes him a great writer is very particularly his personality, his style & attitude. Someone trying to be like him would be terrible; it only works because its a genuine expression of an individual.

Vonnegut said that Cat's Cradle was his favorite of all the books he wrote.

For some reason that makes me happy to hear.
posted by mdn at 11:43 AM on March 18, 2005

Well, I basically agree with everyone so far, so here's a little more information.

Mother Night is the closest thing to a conventional novel that Vonnegut wrote. If you have a low tolerance for science fiction or self-referential noodling -- or if you just like well-written characters and a solid plot -- you should probably start with it.

On the other hand, Vonnegut is very good at science fiction and self-referential noodling. If you're into that stuff (I am), start with Slaughterhouse Five.

Breakfast of Champions is one of his less serious books. Some people think it's hilariously funny. Others don't. Me, I'm not such a fan, but you should pick it up if you want something light and goofy.

My advice is not to give up on Vonnegut until you've read all three of those. Some people like his serious side, some people like the far-out speculation, and some people like the weird deadpan humor. If you don't like one end of his style, try one of the others.
posted by nebulawindphone at 11:50 AM on March 18, 2005 [1 favorite has favorites]

Vonnegut said that Cat's Cradle was his favorite of all the books he wrote.

I'd agree -- it touched my sole, too. Okay, you had to have read the book to get that one...

There's probably a healthy glut of opinion by now, but if you want to have read Vonnegut, you need to hit Slaughterhouse 5 at all costs. If you want the most enjoyable introduction to Vonnegut, start with Breakfast of Champions. If you want to understand my joke, you start with Cat's Cradle.

And if you start with something else, well, chances are reasonably good that you'll come away with a reasonably accurate impression of his entire oeuvre anyway. As cosmonaught said, there's a certain familiar but not-quite-sameness that pervades through most of his works. Well, Mother Night is a little conventional.

On preview: I didn't know that Cat's Cradle had a fan club that includes the big V himself! Ice-9 slushies for everyone!
posted by DaShiv at 11:53 AM on March 18, 2005

I think its the way Vonnegut ends up being a character in his books, even when he's not.

Well, you know Kilgore Trout is his literary representation of himself, right?

Breakfast of Champions is one of his less serious books. Some people think it's hilariously funny. Others don't. Me, I'm not such a fan, but you should pick it up if you want something light and goofy.

I'm not a fan either, so if you want light and goofy, I strongly recommend Sirens of Titan. Especially if you like goofy sci-fi like Douglas Adams.
posted by emptybowl at 11:53 AM on March 18, 2005

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'm going to go ahead and pick up Cat's Cradle.
posted by nitsuj at 12:31 PM on March 18, 2005

I'm with horsemuth -- it's the short stories that I like best. Less filler, better content. Get "Welcome to the Monkey House" and read the story "Harrison Bergeron" immediately.
posted by pmurray63 at 1:31 PM on March 18, 2005

I always thought Kilgore Trout was equal parts Vonnegut and Philip K Dick.
posted by ZippityBuddha at 2:11 PM on March 18, 2005

Well, you know Kilgore Trout is his literary representation of himself, right?

Sure, but so's the narrator, not to mention his own personal appearances in the story.
posted by cosmonaught at 2:37 PM on March 18, 2005

I'm actually a huge fan of Bluebeard, but the early ones being mentioned here are worth reading.

Your friends are silly though. They might as well be mad at you for not having read Booth Tarkington or Thomas Wolfe.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 2:41 PM on March 18, 2005

I'm going to weigh in with a vote for Mother Night.

I've found it to be the most moving of all his novels. I end up babbling about it to anyone who will listen. My Grandmother once asked for a Vonnegut recommendation. I summarized 4/5's of the novel for her, before breaking down and reading her the final few chapters aloud. The story finished, I closed the book and found that she was weeping. She grew up in England during WWII. And her long departed father(whom I never met) often read to her; much as I had then. It is also the novel that brought me closer to the woman who would become my wife.

It is not as "inventive" or "fanciful" as his other works, but it is more emotionally grounded than anything else he's ever written.
(Though I am understandably biased.)
posted by lilnemo at 3:11 PM on March 18, 2005 [2 favorites has favorites]

lilnemo: absolutely. "Mother Night" is my favourite Vonnegut, and it deserves more recognition. I don't think I've ever read a more direct and powerful musing on the problems and limits of personal moral responsibility.
posted by Decani at 4:57 PM on March 18, 2005