Sketch Soland Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Moreso than Hemmingway, Steinbeck, Sinclair, Thurber, and Updike? In terms of originality and influence, yes. Faulkner and Vonnegut both had incomparable, very unique styles of writing that the authors above didn't, imho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Moreso than Hemmingway, Steinbeck, Sinclair, Thurber, and Updike? Yes. Though, as others have noted, Faulkner certainly belongs in the conversation. I'm glad you posted this, though, as it reminded me that KV wasn't the very first author who I enjoyed reading. I guess Vonnegut was the guy who turned me on to really reading. But the first author (other than Dr. Seuss, who should not be discounted) I really enjoyed was Thurber. Like Kurt, he had a mischievousness and child-like quality. But reading Thurber didn't open me to other authors and styles of writing. I credit Vonnegut to my finding, John Fante, Charles Bukowski, Hunter Thompson and modern day writers such as Christopher Moore and Jonathan Lethem. Perhaps reading Sinclair did that for you, Cincy...but, I doubt it. But let's not use this RIP thread to argue about the comparative talents and/or influence of the masters of 20th Century American fiction. Instead let's rejoice in their brilliance. In retrospect, I think one of the reasons KV "opened the door" for me (to reading and appreciating great writing) was, before I read Kurt, I think I read to "find out what was going to happen". I really believe that's how many (or most people) read. Since KV usually tells you the end of the"story" in the first few pages, you certainly don't read the book to find out "who dun it". You read Vonnegut for the "telling of the story" perhaps even more than the story itself. I was (and still am) very appreciative that KV could take you for a very scenic ride and let you experience that ride without describing every single individual leaf and tree frog along the way. THANK YOU KURT KV was a technical master of writing and style but, it was never about style or his technical ability. His abilities freed him to write in a very unusual style, inject serious discussions with side-splitting humor and make science fiction seem real and common-sensical while showing the absurdity of real historical events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpile Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Venus on the halfshell wasn't written by Vonnegut. His idea was to let any hack science fiction writer use the name so that there would be all these pulp sci fi books out there with the name Kilgore Trout on them. He told me this when I was getting my books autographed. He just said he decided it wasn't a good idea. I knew that, but the style definitely mimicked Vonnegut. Imagine seeing a paperback by Kilgore Trout on a supermarket rack in the 70's, and NOT buying it! Do most people actually read books anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketch Soland Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I was (and still am) very appreciative that KV could take you for a very scenic ride and let you experience that ride without describing every single individual leaf and tree frog along the way. THANK YOU KURT KV was a technical master of writing and style but, it was never about style or his technical ability. His abilities freed him to write in a very unusual style, inject serious discussions with side-splitting humor and make science fiction seem real and common-sensical while showing the absurdity of real historical events. Yes, Vonnegut was a master of distillation, imo. His prose was so streamlined that what lay underneath it was free to burst forth with a more vibrant intensity. I have not read any other writer who was or is as gifted as Vonnegut in displaying this fundamental possibility of the printed word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Even worse, the two guys I work with on my team had never even HEARD of Vonnegut... Or Slaughterhouse-Five! What the hell?!?! I've never read Vonnegut (I keep intending to pick up Slaughterhouse-Five), but how the hell do you not even hear of the guy? People are morons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Yes, Vonnegut was a master of distillation, imo. His prose was so streamlined that what lay underneath it was free to burst forth with a more vibrant intensity. I have not read any other writer who was or is as gifted as Vonnegut in displaying this fundamental possibility of the printed word. Expand your horizons! Here's a list to get you started. http://www.bartleby.com/hc/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketch Soland Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Expand your horizons! Here's a list to get you started. http://www.bartleby.com/hc/ I am flattered that you would find me capable of digesting such magnificent tomes of literature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I am flattered that you would find me capable of digesting such magnificent tomes of literature. I've the set - they were purchased by my Great Uncle, who was a history professor until the Great Depression struck. He ended up owing a delicatessen on Gates Circle. Their binding is exquisite. I've read most, but not all of the volumes through the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketch Soland Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I've the set - they were purchased by my Great Uncle, who was a history professor until the Great Depression struck. He ended up owing a delicatessen on Gates Circle. Their binding is exquisite. I've read most, but not all of the volumes through the years. Hand binded, I assume? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Hand binded, I assume? No, not that. The Harvard Classics were mass-produced. The bindings are tooled leather, there are parchment leaves inside the covers, the edges are gilded (sp?), and the pages themselves and the quality of the print is excellent. I know they came in various grades, and this set is one of the premium editions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketch Soland Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 No, not that. The Harvard Classics were mass-produced. The bindings are tooled leather, there are parchment leaves inside the covers, the edges are gilded (sp?), and the pages themselves and the quality of the print is excellent. I know they came in various grades, and this set is one of the premium editions. Sounds like a great set to own. And what I meant to say was "Hand Bound", of course I'm pretty tense about the past in general, you understand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Moreso than Hemmingway, Steinbeck, Sinclair, Thurber, and Updike? What about Fitzgerald, Keruac, Wolfe, Salinger, Irving? America has had many great authors Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Snobbery...same as everybody else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 What about Fitzgerald, Keruac, Wolfe, Irving? America has had many great authors He said: ...two most influential and original American novelists of the 20th century. Virginia Woolf was English... What other "Wolfe" do you mean? Kerouac SET out to write the "Great American Novel"... Not so sure if he succeeded? Washington Irving was in the 19th century. And F. Scott... Very border-line... NOT in the top two IMO... One of the greatest 20th century though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Virginia Woolf was English... What other "Wolfe" do you mean? I imagine he was referring to Tom Wolfe; The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, A Man in Full, The Right Stuff, Bonfire of the Vanities, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slothrop Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 I imagine he was referring to Tom Wolfe;The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, A Man in Full, The Right Stuff, Bonfire of the Vanities, etc Or Thomas Wolf ("You Can't Go Home Again") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 I imagine he was referring to Tom Wolfe;The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, A Man in Full, The Right Stuff, Bonfire of the Vanities, etc correct sir Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Wow!... This is getting confusing with the Wolfe's... I know it is from Wiki... But, this about Thomas (Clayton) Wolfe... ie: You Can't Go Home Again: After Wolfe's death, William Faulkner, considered by many to be the best writer of the Lost Generation-era, said that Wolfe was his generation's best writer; Faulkner listed himself as second. Wolfe's influence extends to the writings of famous Beat writer Jack Kerouac, and he remains one of the most important writers in modern American literature. Any literary historians out there? Where they related? ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 I imagine he was referring to Tom Wolfe;The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, A Man in Full, The Right Stuff, Bonfire of the Vanities, etc And here's the thing. I read and like Tom Wolfe, but, IMO he's no Vonnegut (not even close). An example is from Bonfire of the Vanities. This was a 700+ page book. Wolfe saw fit to write 700 of these pages (a ball park estimate) and then decided, "I sick of writing this book" and then ended it in slap-dash fashion. I read page after page of descriptions of Sherman McCoy shoes (yes, I know it was a rhetorical device) only to have you punk out and end the book as a newspaper story? FU#K YOU, Tom! Vonnegut could have written a better story about this in 20 or 30 pages. For those of little patience (like me) read Welcome to the Monkey House. It is collection of Vonnegut short stories. The man can write SHORT. A big bonus in The Dean's book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 And here's the thing. I read and like Tom Wolfe, but, IMO he's no Vonnegut (not even close). An example is from Bonfire of the Vanities. This was a 700+ page book. Wolfe saw fit to write 700 of these pages (a ball park estimate) and then decided, "I sick of writing this book" and then ended it in slap-dash fashion. I read page after page of descriptions of Sherman McCoy shoes (yes, I know it was a rhetorical device) only to have you punk out and end the book as a newspaper story? FU#K YOU, Tom! Vonnegut could have written a better story about this in 20 or 30 pages. For those of little patience (like me) read Welcome to the Monkey House. It is collection of Vonnegut short stories. The man can write SHORT. A big bonus in The Dean's book. Actually, I thought Wolfe 'ran outa gas' about 3/4, maybe 2/3, into BOTV - don't know quite why he kept going with the last 200 pages. I enjoyed the movie more than the book, but I digress - there's been far too much digression in this thread already (sorry, didn't mean to throw J.D. Salinger into the mix...) Watched Charle Rose yesterday - he re-ran an 8-year-old interview with KV. What a treat - Vonnegut was such a delightful character, such a prankish, witty man. I imagine I'll be re-reading lots of Vonnegut this summer, laying on the beach, tanning my fat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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