From the Bookshelf of EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club…

Slaughterhouse-Five

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Start date: July 1, 2023

Finish date: July 31, 2023

Discussion: CLASSICS READS

Why we're reading this: July 2023 - Catch-Up Selection
Group pick for Mar. ‘19 - Classics
[close] July 2023 - Catch-Up Selection
Group pick for Mar. ‘19 - Classics

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What Members Thought

Apr 18, 2017 Ian Anderson rated it liked it · review of another edition

I'm going to include in this review a story about my experience with the book. As a warning to whoever reads it, the "review" will mostly consist of this so-called story sprinkled with some of my thoughts on the book. There's simply no way I'm going to come up with anything that hasn't been said about Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five. So I'm taking a different route and making this more personal.

Many college freshmen likely wonder why they are forced to take English courses when they have no I'm going to include in this review a story about my experience with the book. As a warning to whoever reads it, the "review" will mostly consist of this so-called story sprinkled with some of my thoughts on the book. There's simply no way I'm going to come up with anything that hasn't been said about Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five. So I'm taking a different route and making this more personal.

Many college freshmen likely wonder why they are forced to take English courses when they have no intention of pursuing anything relating to it. I always understood why, but it wasn't until moments ago that I saw the actual impact writing intensive courses have had on me without me knowing. All this happened, more or less. When I was a senior in high school, over seven distant years ago, I had to choose a book from a list and write a term paper on it. I really wish I could get a hold of that list, by the way. There were hundreds of great titles on there I'm sure. I think at this point you can guess which book I decided to go with. Yep, Slaughterhouse-F***ing Five by Kurt Vonnegut. I can almost say with certainty I chose the book based entirely on the title. I read it, wrote a term paper on it, and even handed it a five-star rating on Goodreads. Not that my rating had any merit. I think I rated nearly every book five-stars back then if I were able to complete it.

Fast forward to the present. I have graduated from college.. twice. None of these degrees involve literature or creative writing or anything of the sort. They do, however, stress the importance of being able to write down your thoughts in a competent manner. Not to say that I'm a competent writer now, but you should see my writing back then. I have finished Slaughterhouse-Five for the second time, technically, but it's unfair to call it a re-read, so let's call it my first time. This might as well be considered my first time reading it. The originality of the book alone peaked my interest right away. I'm familiar with Vonnegut's style having read Cat's Cradle and Sirens of Titan, but this one seemed especially ambitious and schizophrenic. It takes a humorous approach to the dreadful things humans do to each other. Despite the satirical commentary, there are many lines that made me wince because they are so vivid and graphic. And yet, the next line will make you want to smile until you can't really decide what you're supposed to be doing. Some of the statistics Vonnegut used regarding the destruction of Dresden are inflated in the book, which helped illustrate his point, and I'm glad it did. The comparisons with infamous bombings like Hiroshima added to the eeriness and tragedy of it all. So it goes. After completion of the book, for the first time, I was dying to read my high school term paper that has been saved on my laptop ever since its creation. Thank God for my tank of a Macbook. Thank God. My expectation for the term paper was that it would completely miss the mark on everything. I was a mediocre student in high school, always doing what I had to do to get by. I usually remember none of what I read in high school when I pick the book's back up. To my surprise, I actually nailed most of the major points in the novel. I'm proud of my eighteen-year-old self for doing my research. That wasn't the problem. The problem is that it's written like I didn't know what I was talking about. I kept regurgitating the same points and couldn't seem to put together a sentence that actually sounded like something I would say. I'm lucky to have this additional education that forced me to write, even when I hated it. And thank you, Kurt Vonnegut, for indirectly helping me gain this appreciation. Also, thank you for this wicked ride of a novel. I can see why people are obsessed with your work. Lastly, I apologize for everyone who read this looking for some insight on the book. You may have to read it.

“Like so many Americans, she was trying to construct a life that made sense from things she found in gift shops.” ...more

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Jan 18, 2016 Michelle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-books-audio

This novel follows Billy Pilgrim, who has become unstuck in time, through various moments in his life including the witnessing of the fire bombing of Dresden. This was not only a highly entertaining story but an excellent anti-war book. I listened to the audiobook read by Ethan Hawke who did an exceptional job as narrator.

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