Daniel’s review of Breakfast of Champions > Likes and Comments

Wonderful review!

When I was a miserable teenager, THIS was my favorite book...probably because it had NOTHING to do with teenagers and seemed to promise an interesting life after high school.

I rarely reread books, but this is one I have GOT to visit again.

Melki, I think reading this book in high school would be like my reading experience reading Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I remember thinking to myself, "Wow, I didn't know these types of books existed!"


Melki wrote: "Wonderful review!

When I was a miserable teenager, THIS was my favorite book...probably because it had NOTHING to do with teenagers and seemed to promise an interesting life after high school.

I ..."

"After reading Vonnegut’s biography on Wikipedia, I wonder: Did somebody just make that up? Do people really live lives that interesting?... My life is nowhere near that interesting. "

But by reading books like this, and interacting with like-minded souls on GR, maybe vicarious interestingness(!) will rub off on your actual life!

Daniel, the "fourth wall" is a drama term. The stage is seen as having three walls: the back, and the two sides, stage left and right.

The fourth wall is the invisible barrier between the stage and the audience. In drama theory, the actors onstage are in their own reality, comprising four walls and we are outside that reality, looking in as it were through a two way mirror.

If an actor speaks directly to the audience, he is acknowledging the audience's presence, and also the unreality of what is happening onstage. He is commenting on the art as well as participating in it. Brecht was the great innovator in this.

Nice! Thanks Eric.
By the way, I am the creator of the universe. All other human beings you interact with are robots that have been programmed to in order to see how you would react. You are the only sentient person on the planet...

Eric wrote: "Daniel, the "fourth wall" is a drama term. The stage is seen as having three walls: the back, and the two sides, stage left and right.

The fourth wall is the invisible barrier between the stage ..."

Cecily, then why do I suddenly feel compelled to take up stamp collecting!

Cecily wrote: ""After reading Vonnegut’s biography on Wikipedia, I wonder: Did somebody just make that up? Do people really live lives that interesting?... My life is nowhere near that interesting. "

But by read..."

Ha! As I don't want to upset philatelists, I'm not sure how to answer that.
;)

Cecily wrote: "Ha! As I don't want to upset philatelists, I'm not sure how to answer that.
;)"

Answer it magnanimously by saying: somewhere out there there is a universe that even loves the stamp collectors!

Stanley Gibbons and the Post Office in particular!

Apparently Stanley Gibbons is a publicly traded company! Someday, I would like to be a publicly traded company.

Publicly trading your company is frowned on by most societies...

"After reading Vonnegut’s biography on Wikipedia, I wonder: Did somebody just make that up?"

Probably Vonnegut. He wasn't the sort to let facts interfere with a good story.

Indeed! And so on and/or etc.

Derek (Guilty of thoughtcrime) wrote: "Publicly trading your company is frowned on by most societies...

"After reading Vonnegut’s biography on Wikipedia, I wonder: Did somebody just make that up?"

Probably Vonnegut. He wasn't the sort..."

I would argue that Adams had more unity in his vision, except I am not arguing that because I am doing my darnedest to resist the programmed instructions received by the radio in my head (which is powered by the salt that I eat). I failed. This is vintage Vonnegut, though I recommend Galapagos for its more dire form of dystopia. Nice vid.

Rand, I second your fandom of Galapagos.
(I've also just finished - and enjoyed - Bluebeard, partly on your recommendation.)

Rand wrote: "I would argue that Adams had more unity in his vision, except I am not arguing that because I am doing my darnedest to resist the programmed instructions received by the radio in my head (which is ..."

Cool! Adding Galapagos to my to-read pile.

great review. my first encounter with this book was also free, thanks to a friend who recommended it because of the pretty pictures. It's a shame that I can't go back in time and submit my Goodreads review to my English teacher.

great review. my first encounter with this book was also free, thanks to a friend who recommended it because of the pretty pictures. It's a shame that I can't go back in time and submit my Goodreads review to my English teacher.

David wrote: "great review. my first encounter with this book was also free, thanks to a friend who recommended it because of the pretty pictures. It's a shame that I can't go back in time and submit my Goodread..."

Hey David, yes but you might be able to find your English teacher on Goodreads (if he or she is still alive).

Great review, sometimes I think Vonnegut's version(s) of the world make more sense than the actual world, then I stare into the mirror to try and catch the man in the mirror acting independently, then someone gets me back on my meds... then I know Vonnegut is right, but I have regained enough sense to not tell the people in the white coats.

Jason wrote: "Great review, sometimes I think Vonnegut's version(s) of the world make more sense than the actual world, then I stare into the mirror to try and catch the man in the mirror acting independently, t..."

Yeah, Vonnegut lived through some absurd times...and we're going to live through some absurd times. Vonnegut's writing makes me feel upset about it, but at least I know there's someone who kind of understands how I feel about things. Thanks Jason.