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I can't believe that this reference to Vonnegut comes up on HN, when I happen to come to a point in Keys to Great Writing by Stephen Wilburs where he mentions h
by kaushalmodi 10y ago
I can't believe that this reference to Vonnegut comes up on HN, when I happen to come to a point in Keys to Great Writing by Stephen Wilburs where he mentions his name.
I had never heard of Vonnegut before this. Suggestion for a good book by him to start with?
Proof: https://imgur.com/U0Z2aKp https://imgur.com/U0Z2aKp
- bshimmin 10y agoHis most famous novel (I think) is Slaughterhouse-Five. I enjoyed it a lot. So it goes.
- alexkavon 10y agoCat's Cradle is also excellent. Honestly just dive in.
- Tade0 10y agoCat's Craddle is a light and entertaining introduction to Vonnegut's general insanity.
- simonsquiff 10y agoOh you are in for a treat! Cat's Cradle is a great one to start with, easy to get into and an excellent balance of clever and funny. Mother Night is superb, gripping and profound.
- kaushalmodi 10y agoUPDATE: Thank you all for the suggestions. I will pick up Cat's Cradle next :) By the way, the Keys to Great Writing is an awesome book. It has made me critique everything I write, in a good way. I even thought twice before submitting this comment. UPDATE 2: Fix: Use the verb critique rather than critic (one who does that).
- bshimmin 10y agoIn the spirit of helpfulness, I think you mean "critique". :-)
- kaushalmodi 10y agoYes! Thanks :)
- simonsarris 10y agoI highly recommend starting with Cat's Cradle over Slaughterhouse Five, especially if you like thinking about religion (and the silliness of religion, dictators, and technology)
- semafour 10y agoMy favorite of his is Mother Night. The moral being: "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be."
- abvdasker 10y agoBreakfast of Champions if you want to read something outrageously funny and a little bit sad.