essays

The three words relate to lies, general screwups, and artificial families such as fraternities or the army, and are based on Father Kurt's creation Bokonanism from "Cat's Cradle". These essays are a look into the mind of a true original and should not be ignored. Highly recommended from one who has read every Vonnegut novel and essay he could get his hands on!

I've just finished reading the entire Vonnegut collection - this was the last one, and it was a fitting finish. I feel this collection gives the best insight into KV as a person out of all his autobiographical collages (though this one isn't entirely autobiographical). While his other collections show his history, this one gives you some insight into how he thinks and feels. I especially liked the final piece - an interview from Playboy, he's very bitter and opinionated, yet openly vulnerable in it.

Although you'd never guess it from the title, Wampeters, Foma & Granfalloons is a collection of essays, speeches, and reviews from Kurt Vonnegut - along with one piece of fiction and one interview. Certainly, it isn't on par with his wonderful fiction (or even his marvelous non-fiction book, Fates Worse Than Death), but neither does it pretend to be. This is a book for those who have already read most of what else Kurt Vonnegut has written. The reviews are nothing to write home about, though some of the essays are quite good - but his public speeches, as always, make for excellent reading. There is a handful of them in here. The highlight of the book, though, for any Vonnegut fan is his long interview with Playboy magazine that closes the book. It's an essential read for any KV fan. I reccommend this book to those who love Kurt Vonnegut and his fiction, and know it. If you're not familar with this quite amusing author, you should pick up some of his marvelous fiction first...