Photo by Jill Krementz
The NYT is writing too much about him, something must be terribly wrong. He died recently at the age of 84. I'm an Am Ha'Aretz when it comes to pop culture, or counter-culture in this case. Would he have "made it" like he did had he written on other subjects? I read the NYT obituary and came out understanding nothing. I hate when that happens, it makes me feel so inadequate, so uneducated.
9 comments:
read many of his books as a teenager including his son's eden express(used book store supply). remember them to be profound and stimulating, but wonder what i would think today. was he a yid?
Pick up one of his books. Either you like him or you don't. Isn't that all that counts? I started one of his books long ago. Couldn't finish it. The end of the Vonnegut connection in my life. btw, to the best of my knowledge he was not a Yid.
Reb Tzig, what did you expect them to write: "He wrote 14 novels, they sold well, he died"?
Every generation has a multitude of authors, each one more than the last. There are many authors out there right now that the next generations of obits will proclaim at the level of Kurt that most of us know nothing of.
He was a brilliant writer from what I know. I only studied one of his books extensively: "Breakfast of Champions". It was a great book that was very true to life and life's struggles. It's probabally not the most wholesome reading but I think it's good to be exposed to all sorts of literature. I am an English teacher afterall.
May he rest in peace.
stream-of-consciousness, bloated, narcissistic pabulum?
Speak English please!
So he was a Nazi Soldier?!
Vonnegut wasn't Jewish, but I do know one of his relatives (female) that married a yid.
Read most of his stuff he published prior to 1990. He did deal with social issues in a humorous way. Slaughterhouse 5 and Breakfast of Champions were required reading when I was in my public school.
Why is the NYT making a big deal? Probably because while he only published 14 novels, there were all quality writing.
Quality over quantity is rare these days.
Bpunbound
Ya like showing off, right? You probably don't even know what those words mean and had never heard of the author till today.
The wonders of Google....
With all due respect the question posed is silly,By your own admission you know little about the counter culture and I presume contemporary American fiction.
So the question you ask is like a American Jew asking whats so great about Rav Aron Soloveitchik or a YU guy asking what so special about Reb Nissan Nemionov ?
Those people with background in a subject can appreicate the gadlus.
Of course there are exceptions. The late Eynikel told me that the Zeide the Rayaatz admired MASTERS of any subject and honored them. that was one reason he loved and honred the RAv Reb Yoshe Ber S. whom he regareded as the master of Talmusd.A Nasi can incorporate all chochmos , but we r vedams can only appreciate that of which we know.
reb Schneur
You obviously misread my comments. I asked what the gadlus was because i didn't know, not because I was questioning it. Meaning: please tell me the gadlus because I never even heard of him.
I wish people here would give me the BOTD.
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