MobileRead Discussion: Slaughterhouse Five by Kurk Vonnegut (spoilers) - Page 2

Asawi · 08-21-2011, 09:55 AM

It was a book that took some concentration to read. I'm usually a pretty fast reader, but this realtively short book (less than 150 pages) took me several days opposed to the xiuple of hours many other books that size. I had to read it in small chunks (and have other books running too).
Someone said in the "vote threat" it was almost like poetry, and I agree with that. The repeated "so it goes" fits well with poetry, and I liked it.
While reading I thought about the time travel and why it was there. It seems to me too that it's some sort of coping mechanism, from the days before post-war-this-and-that.
The Trafalmadore episodes (when actually there, not just the time travel), including the gorgeous lady, had me thinking "what was he smoking?!"
I liked the book!

caleb72 · 08-21-2011, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenG

One of my favorite parts of the book is the war in reverse passage.

I loved that passage.

WT Sharpe · 08-21-2011, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenG

One of my favorite parts of the book is the war in reverse passage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by caleb72

I loved that passage.

Double

It would be nice if all wars were played in reverse that way.

WT Sharpe · 08-21-2011, 01:09 PM

Certain themes were repeated in a way that led me to suppose their repetition was the product of Billy's fantasizing. One was Weary's pornographic picture of a woman and a Shetland pony that showed up later in a bookstore that incidentally had books by Kilgore Trout. Another was the barber/barbershop motif. Billy's father was a barber. On the plane that crashed, there was a barbershop quartet. After the Dresden bombing the dazed guards "looked like a silent film of a barbershop quartet". Then there was the close resemblance between Billy Pilgrim's Tralfamadorian experiences and the writings of Kilgore Trout. Such repetitions and coincidences convince me that Billy Pilgrim no more left Dresden than did his real life counterpart.

vxf · 08-23-2011, 12:41 PM

Still reading, I had a crazy month :-(

John F · 08-23-2011, 05:01 PM

Slaughterhouse Five didn't do much for me. I'm not sure why. It reminded me a lot of A Catcher in the Rye.

caleb72 · 08-24-2011, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Certain themes were repeated in a way that led me to suppose their repetition was the product of Billy's fantasizing. One was Weary's pornographic picture of a woman and a Shetland pony that showed up later in a bookstore that incidentally had books by Kilgore Trout. Another was the barber/barbershop motif. Billy's father was a barber. On the plane that crashed, there was a barbershop quartet. After the Dresden bombing the dazed guards "looked like a silent film of a barbershop quartet". Then there was the close resemblance between Billy Pilgrim's Tralfamadorian experiences and the writings of Kilgore Trout. Such repetitions and coincidences convince me that Billy Pilgrim no more left Dresden than did his real life counterpart.

That's a great observation. I too noticed some repetition. There were several references to blue feet for example. Can't remember the exact expression but it was something like marble blue feet?

caleb72 · 08-29-2011, 02:27 AM

This doesn't seem to be drawing much discussion.

Ixt · 08-30-2011, 04:54 PM

What a coincidence!
I've just read the book a week ago without being aware of the pick by the book club.
I like the style as it was very easy to follow the plot. Loved the characters and as others said the "so it goes" philosophy of removing the significance of death and of course adding the comic relief(reacting to deaths in that way was really amusing).

The thing that I was mostly interested in, after reading the book, was if the first chapter was fictional since it wasn't an introduction but a chapter of a book.

There's not much to "analyse". I've liked the book and it encouraged me to get other works from its author

wyndslash · 08-31-2011, 09:04 PM

I read the book several months ago. I liked it well enough; it was refreshing. I wasn't born at that time, so reading it gave me a different perspective, even though I have to admit I wasn't as affected as I would have liked to be. I understand it and do appreciate it, but it really is different when you're a different generation. I almost seem detached, in a way.

BenG · 08-31-2011, 11:37 PM

Yeah, you have to remember that this was written at the height of the Vietnam War.

Ixt, I would suggest reading Cat's Cradle next. It's my favorite and it's probably his most accessible book. If you liked the first chapter then you may want to read his non-fiction books, which are mainly collections of essays and articles: Wampeters, Foma and Granfalloons, Palm Sunday, Armageddon in Retrospect, and A Man without a Country.

DiapDealer · 09-01-2011, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenG

Ixt, I would suggest reading Cat's Cradle next. It's my favorite and it's probably his most accessible book. If you liked the first chapter then you may want to read his non-fiction books, which are mainly collections of essays and articles: Wampeters, Foma and Granfalloons, Palm Sunday, Armageddon in Retrospect, and A Man without a Country.

I agree. I'd also add The Siren's of Titan to that "accessible" list. Pretty much a straight-up scifi story.

I actually prefer his non-fiction stuff over his fiction--but certainly not by a whopping amount or anything.

RichL · 09-05-2011, 09:10 AM

Want to enjoy the book even more? Look at some well detailed aerial photos of Dresden after the bombing then go back and re-read the book. It really does make a world of difference to have that image firmly embedded in your mind... at least it did for me.

I loved the book the first time I read it. And the second time, third time, etc. As for the Tralfamadorian's, they were real. What's real is real whether others are aware of the reality or not is a moot point.

08-21-2011, 09:55 AM	#16
Asawi Gadgetoholic Posts: 1,462 Karma: 2731820 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sweden Device: Kobo Libra2, Tolino Vision 6	It was a book that took some concentration to read. I'm usually a pretty fast reader, but this realtively short book (less than 150 pages) took me several days opposed to the xiuple of hours many other books that size. I had to read it in small chunks (and have other books running too). Someone said in the "vote threat" it was almost like poetry, and I agree with that. The repeated "so it goes" fits well with poetry, and I liked it. While reading I thought about the time travel and why it was there. It seems to me too that it's some sort of coping mechanism, from the days before post-war-this-and-that. The Trafalmadore episodes (when actually there, not just the time travel), including the gorgeous lady, had me thinking "what was he smoking?!" I liked the book! Last edited by Asawi; 08-21-2011 at 09:59 AM.

08-21-2011, 01:09 PM	#19
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,073 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	Certain themes were repeated in a way that led me to suppose their repetition was the product of Billy's fantasizing. One was Weary's pornographic picture of a woman and a Shetland pony that showed up later in a bookstore that incidentally had books by Kilgore Trout. Another was the barber/barbershop motif. Billy's father was a barber. On the plane that crashed, there was a barbershop quartet. After the Dresden bombing the dazed guards "looked like a silent film of a barbershop quartet". Then there was the close resemblance between Billy Pilgrim's Tralfamadorian experiences and the writings of Kilgore Trout. Such repetitions and coincidences convince me that Billy Pilgrim no more left Dresden than did his real life counterpart. Last edited by WT Sharpe; 08-23-2011 at 01:00 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
MobileRead Discussion: The Machine Stops by E. M. Forster (spoilers)	pilotbob	Book Clubs	66	04-02-2014 03:19 PM
MobileRead Discussion Thread: The Hound of the Baskervilles (spoilers)	pilotbob	Book Clubs	45	10-28-2013 01:50 AM
MobileRead Discussion: Hal Spacejock 01 (spoilers)	pilotbob	Book Clubs	51	05-08-2011 12:07 PM
MobileRead Discussion Dracula by Bram Stoker (SPOILERS)	pilotbob	Book Clubs	17	06-20-2009 06:57 AM
Brisingr/Inheritance discussion (spoilers)	nekokami	Reading Recommendations	6	01-15-2009 10:22 AM

08-23-2011, 12:41 PM	#20
vxf Guru Posts: 944 Karma: 1490348 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Norman, OK Device: Sony PRS 350, 900, 950; Kindles (ALL of them!); Kobo Aura One	Still reading, I had a crazy month :-(

08-23-2011, 05:01 PM	#21
John F Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,174 Karma: 63764653 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo Glo HD	Slaughterhouse Five didn't do much for me. I'm not sure why. It reminded me a lot of A Catcher in the Rye.

08-29-2011, 02:27 AM	#23
caleb72 Indie Advocate Posts: 2,863 Karma: 18794463 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: Kindle	This doesn't seem to be drawing much discussion.

08-30-2011, 04:54 PM	#24
Ixt Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2011 Device: K3	What a coincidence! I've just read the book a week ago without being aware of the pick by the book club. I like the style as it was very easy to follow the plot. Loved the characters and as others said the "so it goes" philosophy of removing the significance of death and of course adding the comic relief(reacting to deaths in that way was really amusing). The thing that I was mostly interested in, after reading the book, was if the first chapter was fictional since it wasn't an introduction but a chapter of a book. There's not much to "analyse". I've liked the book and it encouraged me to get other works from its author

08-31-2011, 09:04 PM	#25
wyndslash Wizard Posts: 2,951 Karma: 3000001 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 wifi, Kindle Fire	I read the book several months ago. I liked it well enough; it was refreshing. I wasn't born at that time, so reading it gave me a different perspective, even though I have to admit I wasn't as affected as I would have liked to be. I understand it and do appreciate it, but it really is different when you're a different generation. I almost seem detached, in a way.

08-31-2011, 11:37 PM	#26
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,729 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	Yeah, you have to remember that this was written at the height of the Vietnam War. Ixt, I would suggest reading Cat's Cradle next. It's my favorite and it's probably his most accessible book. If you liked the first chapter then you may want to read his non-fiction books, which are mainly collections of essays and articles: Wampeters, Foma and Granfalloons, Palm Sunday, Armageddon in Retrospect, and A Man without a Country.

09-05-2011, 09:10 AM	#28
RichL Evangelist Posts: 407 Karma: 1096520 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: back to x51v	Want to enjoy the book even more? Look at some well detailed aerial photos of Dresden after the bombing then go back and re-read the book. It really does make a world of difference to have that image firmly embedded in your mind... at least it did for me. I loved the book the first time I read it. And the second time, third time, etc. As for the Tralfamadorian's, they were real. What's real is real whether others are aware of the reality or not is a moot point.