Kurt Vonnegut died

[Overman]

Kilgore Trout once wrote a science fiction novel about an alien world that was obsessed with accomplishments. The aliens held progress and production in the highest regard. The alien media would report all kinds of stories on new works of art and inventions, and everyone would read about this progress and feel accomplished and happy. After many years the aliens had invented just about everything they needed, and the artists were getting repetitive, so the media began heralding even the smallest accomplishments. Once a female alien was on the front page for many days simply for being blond, fat, and naked. The aliens became used to this type of garbage media that they began to accept these things as genuine stories, and accomplishments. Soon the aliens only wanted to read about the blond, fat, and naked, so when one of the major revolutionary artists died, it was little surprise that it did not get the attention it deserved, for he was quiet, skinny, and clothed.

So it goes.

(only so much better…
The sleepy drunkard out in central park
And the lion tamer in the jungle dark
And the Chinese dentist
And the British queen
All fit together in the same machine

Nice, nice very nice
All these people in the same device!

Good-bye Mr. Vonnegut; You are missed. )

 

[D'rok]

Kilgore Trout once wrote a science fiction novel about an alien world that was obsessed with accomplishments. The aliens held progress and production in the highest regard. The alien media would report all kinds of stories on new works of art and inventions, and everyone would read about this progress and feel accomplished and happy. After many years the aliens had invented just about everything they needed, and the artists were getting repetitive, so the media began heralding even the smallest accomplishments. Once a female alien was on the front page for many days simply for being blond, fat, and naked. The aliens became used to this type of garbage media that they began to accept these things as genuine stories, and accomplishments. Soon the aliens only wanted to read about the blond, fat, and naked, so when one of the major revolutionary artists died, it was little surprise that it did not get the attention it deserved, for he was quiet, skinny, and clothed.

Bravo. Well said.

 

[Aurelian]

Joining the chorus, here, and with so many thoughts, so well expressed, all I can say is he will be dearly missed.

A.

 

[hgc]

My first encounter with Vonnegut was in my last year of high school, when our literature teacher told us that each student must choose a different novel, and do a class report about it. I found this novel that had a picture of two scantily-clad women on the cover, in a sci-fi kind of scenario, and figured it would be easy, light reading.

It was "Sirens of Titan", one of Vonnegut's earlier novels. And I absolutely fell in love with it. It was superficially science fiction, but was really a social commentary, written in a style both humorous and cynical. From that day onwards, I was a die-hard Vonnegut fan.

Too funny. I was drawn to reading Vonnegut by the cover of Sirens too! Here's an old Vonnegut thread. http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34873. I had put a picture of the Sirens cover up there once, but the gif if broken now. Dang.

 

[headscratcher4]

I first read Slaughter House 5 as a teenager. It was a revelation. It was the foundation for my love of reading and for Sci Fi. I couldn't get enough of Vonnegut. After SH5, went through Sirens of Titan, Cat's Cradle, Welcome to the Monkey House, God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, Player Piano and Breakfast of Champions before reading another author. He was an obsession.

I grew away from Vonnegut...not politically or intellectually, but my tastes expanded. But Kurt Vonnegut did nothing less than teach me to read. I am sad at his passing. I will always celebrate his art and his life.

So it goes.

 

[hgc]

I first read Slaughter House 5 as a teenager. It was a revelation. It was the foundation for my love of reading and for Sci Fi. I couldn't get enough of Vonnegut. After SH5, went through Sirens of Titan, Cat's Cradle, Welcome to the Monkey House, God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, Player Piano and Breakfast of Champions before reading another author. He was an obsession.

I grew away from Vonnegut...not politically or intellectually, but my tastes expanded. But Kurt Vonnegut did nothing less than teach me to read. I am sad at his passing. I will always celebrate his art and his life.

So it goes.

Almost exactly my story too. I read all his books as a teenager published up til that time (Palm Sunday), and then moved on looking for other things. Tom Robbins - nah. Douglas Adams - not quite. My tastes expanded in every direction, and I always had a love for Vonnegut - who turned me on to thought-provoking literature that is also damn entertaining.

 

[Phil]

What a sad thing to wake up to: the first celebrity passing in a long time that has actually affected me. I first read Slaughterhouse 5 about eight years ago. It didn't change my life, it changed my entire perspective on life.

My thoughts exactly . . . . except I read Slaughterhouse 5 more than eight years ago.

Damn . . . .

 

[Loss Leader]

God bless you, Mr. Rosewater.

 

[Juustin]

It is rather sad that Imus is getting to much attention and this isn't even getting mentioned. It's the main story locally because Vonnegut had some ties to my area, but I haven't seen any mention on national news.

I just finished Hocus Pocus yesterday, about 12 hours before I found out he had died.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Vonnegut's death is a much bigger loss than what happened to Don Imus. But as of this writing, the Imus story dominates the web sites of news sources.

Yes, but both pale next to the Anna Nicole Smith story.

 

[delphi_ote]

SOMEBODY​

{Sometime to Sometime}

He tried.​

 

[delphi_ote]

EVERYTHING
WAS
BEAUTIFUL
AND
NOTHING
HURT​

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Contrary to what my moniker might indicate, I don't have any back story or revelation to his work. I imagine I miss most of his subtler meanings, in fact. I only picked up one of his novels about a year or two ago, then read every book of his I could get my hands on; I simply enjoyed them so much.

I imagine, though, he'd get a kick out of the idea that the value of his drawings of...starfish...will surely be rising.

 

[delphi_ote]

.*.

 

[Piscivore]

Kilgore Trout once wrote a science fiction novel about an alien world that was obsessed with accomplishments. The aliens held progress and production in the highest regard. The alien media would report all kinds of stories on new works of art and inventions, and everyone would read about this progress and feel accomplished and happy. After many years the aliens had invented just about everything they needed, and the artists were getting repetitive, so the media began heralding even the smallest accomplishments. Once a female alien was on the front page for many days simply for being blond, fat, and naked. The aliens became used to this type of garbage media that they began to accept these things as genuine stories, and accomplishments. Soon the aliens only wanted to read about the blond, fat, and naked, so when one of the major revolutionary artists died, it was little surprise that it did not get the attention it deserved, for he was quiet, skinny, and clothed.

So it goes.

You need to send this to the newspapers.

No chance in hell they will publish it, but man. Right on target.

 

[Boo]

I remember reading 'Harrison Bergeron' when I was young. I cry every time I read it. It has become even more poignant for me when I look at my son who has been handicapped by nature and raised my awareness of the differences between normal and average. There is now an even greater need to be vigilant against those who would handicap others.



Thank you Mr. Vonnegut.




Boo

 

[CptColumbo]

I'll miss him.

I always loved his appearance in Back To School, where he was hired to write a paper on Kurt Vonnegut and got an F (or some bad grade).

 

[delphi_ote]

For everyone hating on Time Quake, that nice little trip down memory lane was the first time I realized, "Oh. Humanist. So that's what I am."

 

[hgc]

A pic of the man, himself (attached).

 

[hgc]

Here's the Sirens cover that got both me and Wolfman started...