My 80 year old grandfather likes to read. He would definitely be into a story about war, and I don’t think he would mind a critique of war. That’s why I was thinking Mother Night would be a good gift for him. I also own Look at the Birdie which is a selection of his short stories which I enjoyed. I also own Slaughterhouse 5 but haven’t read it yet. Willing to gift it to him if it would be enjoyed. He has a very good sense of humour so that’s why I’m considering Kurt Vonnegut at all but I just want to make sure that there wouldn’t be anything too absurd for him. I’m just going to gift him one of the books I already own so these are the only options.
by mimimeow77
4 Comments
eh, to me, Mother Night just doesn’t cut it. I think Vonnegut’s best were Sirens of Titan and God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. Both unforgettable.
Now, Mother Night is unforgettable… but (at least for me) not for Vonnegut’s writing, but for his Schiller quote (or was it Goethe?) in the foreword of the book… I’ve forgotten the actual quote but it was unforgettable lol
Hard to say without knowing what his reading tastes are. Mother Night is biting about ideology and is fairly straightforward. Slaughterhouse 5 is brilliant but it also has quite an innovative and experimental writing style – jumping between time periods – if he isn’t used to that, it may be confusing.
Slaughterhouse 5 would be a good choice.
I don’t know Mother Night or Birdie but Slaughterhouse Five is an awesome book. I bet most Vannegut readers would have it in their top three of his works. I read it with the nimble mind of a teenager and I have never forgotten it, fifty years later. It and Catch 22 are the reasons I didn’t follow my father into a military career. But it could be considered a tad absurd being that it includes time travel and alien abduction. All that could be considered as psychotic incidents though because they only affect the protagonist. I know Christmas is coming quick, but if you’re not too busy and a fast reader, you can read it yourself in three or four hours I bet. Good luck!