Slaughterhouse-Five: A Novel; 50th anniversary edition
Aug 2009 · Sold by Dial Press
4.5star
1.34K reviews
Ebook
240
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About this ebook
A special fiftieth anniversary edition of Kurt Vonnegut’s masterpiece, “a desperate, painfully honest attempt to confront the monstrous crimes of the twentieth century” (Time), featuring a new introduction by Kevin Powers, author of the National Book Award finalist The Yellow Birds
Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time
Slaughterhouse-Five, an American classic, is one of the world’s great antiwar books. Centering on the infamous World War II firebombing of Dresden, the novel is the result of what Kurt Vonnegut described as a twenty-three-year struggle to write a book about what he had witnessed as an American prisoner of war. It combines historical fiction, science fiction, autobiography, and satire in an account of the life of Billy Pilgrim, a barber’s son turned draftee turned optometrist turned alien abductee. As Vonnegut had, Billy experiences the destruction of Dresden as a POW. Unlike Vonnegut, he experiences time travel, or coming “unstuck in time.”
An instant bestseller, Slaughterhouse-Five made Kurt Vonnegut a cult hero in American literature, a reputation that only strengthened over time, despite his being banned and censored by some libraries and schools for content and language. But it was precisely those elements of Vonnegut’s writing—the political edginess, the genre-bending inventiveness, the frank violence, the transgressive wit—that have inspired generations of readers not just to look differently at the world around them but to find the confidence to say something about it. Authors as wide-ranging as Norman Mailer, John Irving, Michael Crichton, Tim O’Brien, Margaret Atwood, Elizabeth Strout, David Sedaris, Jennifer Egan, and J. K. Rowling have all found inspiration in Vonnegut’s words. Jonathan Safran Foer has described Vonnegut as “the kind of writer who made people—young people especially—want to write.” George Saunders has declared Vonnegut to be “the great, urgent, passionate American writer of our century, who offers us . . . a model of the kind of compassionate thinking that might yet save us from ourselves.”
More than fifty years after its initial publication at the height of the Vietnam War, Vonnegut’s portrayal of political disillusionment, PTSD, and postwar anxiety feels as relevant, darkly humorous, and profoundly affecting as ever, an enduring beacon through our own era’s uncertainties.
Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time
Slaughterhouse-Five, an American classic, is one of the world’s great antiwar books. Centering on the infamous World War II firebombing of Dresden, the novel is the result of what Kurt Vonnegut described as a twenty-three-year struggle to write a book about what he had witnessed as an American prisoner of war. It combines historical fiction, science fiction, autobiography, and satire in an account of the life of Billy Pilgrim, a barber’s son turned draftee turned optometrist turned alien abductee. As Vonnegut had, Billy experiences the destruction of Dresden as a POW. Unlike Vonnegut, he experiences time travel, or coming “unstuck in time.”
An instant bestseller, Slaughterhouse-Five made Kurt Vonnegut a cult hero in American literature, a reputation that only strengthened over time, despite his being banned and censored by some libraries and schools for content and language. But it was precisely those elements of Vonnegut’s writing—the political edginess, the genre-bending inventiveness, the frank violence, the transgressive wit—that have inspired generations of readers not just to look differently at the world around them but to find the confidence to say something about it. Authors as wide-ranging as Norman Mailer, John Irving, Michael Crichton, Tim O’Brien, Margaret Atwood, Elizabeth Strout, David Sedaris, Jennifer Egan, and J. K. Rowling have all found inspiration in Vonnegut’s words. Jonathan Safran Foer has described Vonnegut as “the kind of writer who made people—young people especially—want to write.” George Saunders has declared Vonnegut to be “the great, urgent, passionate American writer of our century, who offers us . . . a model of the kind of compassionate thinking that might yet save us from ourselves.”
More than fifty years after its initial publication at the height of the Vietnam War, Vonnegut’s portrayal of political disillusionment, PTSD, and postwar anxiety feels as relevant, darkly humorous, and profoundly affecting as ever, an enduring beacon through our own era’s uncertainties.
Ratings and reviews
4.5
1.34K reviews
A Google user
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September 15, 2010
This is often been hailed as Vonnegut at his best and while I enjoyed it thoroughly I would tend to disagree. It's Vonnegut at his good...On a level of pure emotionalimpact I will grant that this probably has the most cultural significance.
The story centers around Billy Pilgrim, better lucky than good type, who makes his way slowly through the latter half of his life, dealing with everything from the firebombing of dresden, optometry, and aliens. What I liked about this was the sad compassion you develop for the main character and all he goes through. What I dislike, and I'm starting to find myself saying more and more about Vonnegut is that again there seems to be a level of contrivity. I don't mind the time traveling, i think that's brilliant. I mind the Tralfamador trips which seem to add little in terms of substance, and a lot in terms of goofiness.
This isn't a major point, but does bump Slaughterhouse below other Vonneguts like Mother Night and Player Piano, and right along side Mr. Rosewater and Cat's Cradle.
Dan Downs
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May 28, 2015
The first 30 - 40 pages were kind of slow-going for me. Vonnegut has a very punchy style of writing, with lots of short sentences and little broken tidbits that it makes his writing seem almost scatterbrained at times. It was a bit jarring for me - especially as most writers tend to opt for longer, more flowery sentences. However, as you progress in the book, the narrative takes over and you stop thinking so much about the writing style. This is when you really become interested in the story. If you're on the fence about picking up this book, do it. It is told in such a no-nonsense, earnest way that it is almost endearing.
27 people found this review helpful
A Google user
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April 23, 2018
I hear a lot of people say that the books fantastic and amazing. It's okay
but honestly the movie of the book is much better. It's very similar to
Anne Frank, not that great as people say, but the movie is okay
3 people found this review helpful
About the author
Kurt Vonnegut’s humor, satiric voice, and incomparable imagination first captured America’s attention in The Sirens of Titan in 1959 and established him as “a true artist” (The New York Times) with Cat’s Cradle in 1963. He was, as Graham Greene declared, “one of the best living American writers.” Mr. Vonnegut passed away in April 2007.
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