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Basic Training
Written to be sold under the pseudonym of “Mark Harvey”, this 20,000 word novella was never published in Vonnegut’s lifetime. It appears (from the address which appears on the manuscript, a suburb of Schenectady, New York and from the style and slant) to have been written in the late 1940s. Vonnegut was working in public relations for General Electric and used pseudonyms t...more
Kindle Edition, 81 pages
Published
March 22nd 2012
by RosettaBooks
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Mar 28, 2012
Eric
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Serious fans of Kurt Vonnegut
Shelves:
kurt-vonnegut
I have very mixed feelings about this. Not about this novella, which I thought was interesting, thought-provoking, and deep -- especially considering it was only 22,000 words long -- but the fact that there is so much unpublished content from Vonnegut still waiting to be released.
When Vonnegut died back in 2007, I thought I only had a relatively small amount of his fiction left to read (having already read seven of his fourteen novels, and some of his short stories). When Armageddon in Retrospec...more
When Vonnegut died back in 2007, I thought I only had a relatively small amount of his fiction left to read (having already read seven of his fourteen novels, and some of his short stories). When Armageddon in Retrospec...more
Basic Training is not at all what I expected it to me, coming from Vonnegut, the author of so many humorous yet sobering explorations into the human psyche. This novella is far more sober than anything else I've read from him. That's not a bad thing, necessarily. This is a far more linear, Steinbech-ian style brief glimpse into an episode of the protagonist's, Haley's, teenage life. Haley is sent to live with his uncle, The General, a peculiar character.
This novella could easily have been lengt...more
This novella could easily have been lengt...more
This is an early novella by Kurt Vonnegut that was rejected by the Saturday Evening Post in the 1940s while its author was still working for General Electric. Although it brings in a number of themes from his work, Basic Training strikes me almost as juvenilia. There is a single sentence at the beginning of Chapter II which reminds me of the later Vonnegut:
At 2 a.m., Central Standard Time, as reckoned by the parlor mantle clock in the home of Brigadier General William Cooley, retired, a light be...more
2 likes · like · see review
This is a "long-lost" novella by Kurt Vonnegut. He wrote it in the late 1940's, and it was rejected by several magazines. He put it aside and never did anything else with it. It was published in March, almost five years after his death. It's the story of a teenaged boy, orphaned by a car accident, who comes to live with his uncle and cousins on a farm. Interestingly enough, nearly twenty years after he wrote Basic Training, Vonnegut's sister and her husband died within days of each other, and Vo...more
Basic Training was supposedly written "in the late 1940s", which means it predates the short stories in Bagombo Snuff Box by a few years, Sirens of Titan by 10, and Slaughterhouse-Five by 20. And yeah, it shows. If you know what to look for, there are some things here that clue you in that Vonnegut wrote this story of a sensitive young man sent to live on a farm with his cousins and their father The General; the powerless boy hero tossed about by life, the casual cruelty of war (The General, all...more
This was a posthumous novella release, from what I understand, only in ebook form. I picked it up for a dollar, or it may have even been free. It is an interesting book because it doesn't really follow the style, tropes, violence, humor, or even joy that most Vonnegut brings. It seems to take place in the past - but maybe it takes place in Vonnegut's contemporary America from when he was young. I can't really tell. I may even be coloring these opinions based solely on the book's cover photo. Reg...more
This is Vonnegut before he was "Kurt Vonnegut Jr. the writer of biting satire and wildly imaginative science-fiction-so-good-they-don't-call-it-science-fiction." The prose lacks Vonnegut's patent terseness and acerbic wit, but it's still darned fine writing. I didn't find the biting satire that the blurb writer claims, but I did find a great little coming of age story and a softer side of Vonnegut than what one encounters in his later works.
It's a fine novella, well worth the modest Kindle cost,...more
It's a fine novella, well worth the modest Kindle cost,...more
For Vonnegut fans, it's interesting to read his early work. He hasn't quite found the short, punchy style that made him famous, and the characters aren't quite as zany as those in his later work. Hey, the man is still developing his sarcasm.
Structurally, it feels a bit like a play -- with two major set pieces, loud actors and a clear middle to the book. And as a novella (Kindle single) it's also pretty short. But it's fun while it lasts.
If you haven't read Vonnegut, you'd be better to start wit...more
Structurally, it feels a bit like a play -- with two major set pieces, loud actors and a clear middle to the book. And as a novella (Kindle single) it's also pretty short. But it's fun while it lasts.
If you haven't read Vonnegut, you'd be better to start wit...more
A quick breeze of a read, this 22,000 word novella was probably written in the late 1940's, but was unpublished until very recently.
As he so often does, Vonnegut treats themes of how we treat people we love, and whether or not things we do for people really help them or not.
Set on a farm where young Hayley is sent for a few months before leaving for a conservatory education, the book has deep characterizations and and an eventful plot.
Most of all, Vonnegut's humor shines throughout. The central...more
As he so often does, Vonnegut treats themes of how we treat people we love, and whether or not things we do for people really help them or not.
Set on a farm where young Hayley is sent for a few months before leaving for a conservatory education, the book has deep characterizations and and an eventful plot.
Most of all, Vonnegut's humor shines throughout. The central...more
A previously unpublished novella by Vonnegut. Basic Training is not nearly as absurdist or fanciful as his later novels. The plot/setting/characters are all structurally congruous and reasonable. Basic Training is basically a quaint bildungsroman that deals with issues of love, authoritarianism, family and heroism. It reminded me a lot of J.D. Salinger's and Carson McCuller's novellas, and wouldn't feel too overshadowed by those authors or out of place in the pages of Harpers, the New Yorker, or...more
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Reading this very early Vonnegut piece gives one hope: The writer who turned out this mediocre-at-best novella full of stock characters, cliched situations, and ridiculous motivations eventually became a national literary treasure. So even if your writing is borderline abyssmal right now, if you keep working at it, you could become great, too*!
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* Prospects of becoming great will be greatly enhanced by witnessing a gruesome example of man's inhumanity to man firsthand. Also helpful: m...more
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* Prospects of becoming great will be greatly enhanced by witnessing a gruesome example of man's inhumanity to man firsthand. Also helpful: m...more
If I read the book without knowing the author's name, I would've never pinned it on Vonnegut. There's the seed of his style in here, but this is obviously very early work, where he was still shaping into the unique author he turned out to be.
The short story is enjoyable, albeit predictable. The characters are typical, almost stereotypical. The plot is easy to anticipate; almost any significant object presented in the story is used in the way you'd expect it to be used. Despite that, the flowing...more
The short story is enjoyable, albeit predictable. The characters are typical, almost stereotypical. The plot is easy to anticipate; almost any significant object presented in the story is used in the way you'd expect it to be used. Despite that, the flowing...more
This is an unpublished early, pre Slaughterhouse Five novella written when Kurt Vonnegut was in his late twenties. it was easy to see how Vonnegut would later become a powerful author. His wit and sarcasm shine through. The book was a quick, easy read giving insight into life in the late 40s America. The characters were endearing and the plot was simple, but entertaining. I would definitely recommend this for those who want to get a glimpse of Vonnegut through this short novella.
This book actually made me shiver as well as tear up a little. I get why Vonnegut has a following as this appears to be one of his lower rated titles( and I thought it a 4 star). I related to this book in a way that maybe some will or won't. Growing up with out a father figure other than that of Boyscout leaders and various other male role models this book really spoke to Hailey's coming of age as a young man. Its simplicity at the end really made sense to me.
As a general rule i find 'unpublished' works drab. did it ever occur to you there's a reason it wasn't published. Also, I find his really early stuff lacking somehow. what i love about vonnegut is how you feel like you're talking to him rather than reading a story. i think that comes thru more in his later works. and the whole redemption thing in this book just makes me roll my eyes.
The newest "uncovered" novella from the late, great Kurt Vonnegut is an enjoyable read. (Apparently there were hundreds of unpublished works found at his home) If you go into Basic Training looking for your typical Vonnegut black humor, you'll be disappointed. It's from early in his writing career and not of the style of his more famous works. But it's entertaining nonetheless.
This is a good story and an interesting glimpse of Kurt Vonnegut writing in his late 20's. He wrote it a couple of decades before Slaughterhouse-Five and Welcome to the Monkey House were published.
Novellas are a great fit for Kindle Singles and offer a just-right story length option (not too short, not too long).
Novellas are a great fit for Kindle Singles and offer a just-right story length option (not too short, not too long).
Vonnegut doesn't need to spend pages and pages developing and shaping his characters in this story,they are what they are.For me they are easy to understand and relate to,the General especially strikes a chord with me,he is a good man who loves his family and wants to keep them safe.I'll keep this one on the to read again shelf.
Vonnegut's unpublished novella is certainly worth the read, but it is early Vonnegut, missing some of the nuance and humor of his later work. The story, like many of his unpublished short stories that are now being compiled and published posthumously, has a good hearted wholesomeness that almost feels naive.
"Basic Training," was written just after Vonnegut returned from WWII, in the late '40s. It is a well-written, not overly inventive little story that may charm those who are Vonnegut fans. I found it interesting as evidence that even Vonnegut started somewhere, evolved and eventually mastered his craft...
This is an early short story by Kurt Vonnegut that is only now being published (as a Kindle single). Although he has not yet found his style, Vonnegut's story of an orphaned teenager who is stuck on a farm but yearns to go to music school is well-writen and quite enjoyable.
Pretty solid story. Not Vonnegut's best work, but does anyone expect it to be? At points it really seems like his writing style and at other points (the ending) it just does not feel like Vonnegut. I would recommend anyone who enjoys Vonnegut to read the novella.
Like everyone has said, this novella is definitely early Vonnegut - emphasis on the early. As such I am happy to put up with the predictability and occasional awkwardness to see glimpses of the writer he would become. And so it goes....
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Really quick read, well established characters-love reading Vonnegut...just lacking in some depth and not enough plot twists...Then again it was a novella. I did enjoy reading it but almost seemed too happy for Vonnegut.
How about an unpublished KV novella? Why, yes, thank you. Like finding money in an old pair of jeans. This is early KV, before he found his voice and stylistic groove. But he could always write and this is a real nice, sweet story.
This book is no so classically vonnegut - it doesn't have the same level of insanity that most of his novels contain. But it is a great tale that is a bit predictable at times but nonetheless well written and entertaining.
Very different from the Vonnegut I've read. It's not bad at all. I really enjoyed it, but I went into it with an open mind and non-expectant of any particular style. Great short story. Almost reminded me of "Of Mice & Men" at points. Not much, but some.
This is a bit lightweight for Vonnegut, but I couldn't help but really like the characters. (For some reason, I kept imagining the General as played by the actor who plays Hershell on The Walking Dead.)
It's an early Vonnegut story and it's not even comparable to any of his later works. There are flashes of brilliance, but at the end of the day it's a completely pedestrian short story.
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Kurt Vonnegut, Junior was an American novelist, satirist, and most recently, graphic artist. He was recognized as New York State Author for 2001-2003.
He was born in Indianapolis, later the setting for many of his novels. He attended Cornell University from 1941 to 1943, where he wrote a column for the student newspaper, the Cornell Daily Sun. Vonnegut trained as a chemist and worked as a journali...more
More about Kurt Vonnegut...
He was born in Indianapolis, later the setting for many of his novels. He attended Cornell University from 1941 to 1943, where he wrote a column for the student newspaper, the Cornell Daily Sun. Vonnegut trained as a chemist and worked as a journali...more
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“and what sunshine are you going to bring into our lives today? Shall we poison the well or burn the house down?”
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Apr 19, 2012 09:13am