Kurt Vonnegut

[The Man]

He may not be writing novels anymore, but I personally find him to be one of America's greatest living novelists. Anyone else here familiar with his work? I've read The Sirens of Titan, Cat's Cradle, Slaughterhouse-Five, and Breakfast of Champions from start to finish, and quite a bit of Jailbird, Galápagos, and Timequake (I'm working on finishing a cover-to-cover of each, but I read only sporadically at best these days). I find him to be one of the most incisive observers of matters relating to American politics, and he presents his views in a poignant and to-the-point manner that I have found in no other author's work. Plus, Kilgore Trout is one of the best characters ever created.

[Saint]

Vonnegut is one of the greatest humorists of the twentieth century, and his satires are some of my favorite novels ever. He is one of my favorite authors. The only ones I like more are Lewis and Chesterton.

Of the ones you've read, the only one I haven't is Slaughterhouse Five. The only one I wasn't too crazy about was Breakfast of Champions just because I found it a little too vulgar for my taste.

My absolute favorite is Cat's Cradle.

"Any one unable to understand how a useful religion can be founded on lies will not understand this book either."

Classic. While I can't take his own hardened view toward religion, particularly my own, I know exactly what he means. He is one of the greats.

[The Man]

Cat's Cradle is one of the most perfectly constructed novels of the last century. Virtually every detail in the novel contributes in some way to its themes. In fact, the only novel I can think of that compares in that respect is The Great Gatsby.

You should read Slaughterhouse-Five one of these days, as it's one of the most insightful commentaries on war I've ever read.