Sometimes, you may be tempted to feel that, once you’ve read one Vonnegut novel you have read them all. Do not fall in that trap. Yes, he uses many of the same tools and tricks. Yes, he even uses some of his favorites from other books (Tralfamadore reappears briefly in this novel.) Yes, he continues to brush with science fiction even though he refuses to be called a science fiction writer. But that is just a man who has found the style that is his own - and is continuing to explore the many ways it works.

In other words, each Vonnegut novel feels comfortable, yet still amazes. This one is no exception

The book is a collection of the notes Eugene Hartke has written while waiting for trial in the library of the college where he used to work. They are written on any scrap of paper he can find, so some are paragraphs long – others are single words. This is the conceit Vonnegut uses so he can write in his typically disjointed, synchronistic way. We eventually learn of Hartke’s time working in the college, his eventually firing, his time working in the nearby prison, and how he responds to the prison break that takes over the town and the college. Hartke also explores his own past, including his time in Vietnam. This allows Vonnegut to speak to one of his favorite passions – the problems with war. But never underestimate Vonnegut. He does not write about the horrors of war to speak badly about war; he is speaking about the broader issue of the ways people mistreat people. And that is very evident throughout this book.

There is a cast of memorable people and weird events that, as only Vonnegut can do, gel perfectly. And it is set in the very near future so, while things seem almost normal, there are subtle little shots (e.g. prisons are now segregated, the Japanese are running most of the country, the militia is the only thing keeping any control, Brooklyn may well have tried to secede) that remind you that Vonnegut is manipulating the universe to his own ends.

One last note – book blurbs are always fascinating. This book has many that refer to the book being hilarious and a scream. Reading these quotes, one expects to spend the entire reading experience laughing out loud. I’m sorry, that is not Vonnegut. Rather, Vonnegut is satiric comedy that will keep you smiling while being fed the sermon. This is one more of his lessons that goes down very well. ( )

If you’ve read Vonnegut, you’ll already know his distinct blend of irony and satire. If you’ve never read him, this is a good place to start. The humor in the narrative had me laughing out loud, while at the same time cringing from the truth conveyed.

I’ll leave you with the last line of the book to give you a taste (don’t worry, it’s pretty much impossible to ruin a Vonnegut book by explaining the plot or looking at the last page first):

"Just because some of us can read and write and do a little math, that doesn’t mean we deserve to conquer the Universe."

How true. ( )

True Vonnegut style, with some humorous moments, but truly a bitter book -- I was so depressed on finishing it. Yes, there are a lot of things that don't work in America, but this book was so full of hate for American things that I have to reciprocate with an equal amount of dislike. ( )

It's the story of a man facing death who is slowly retelling his life upon scraps of paper. There is an underlying humor that makes you both pity and sympathize with him. And in the end, he seems almost to measure his life not in days but in people he killed and women he slept with, which in the end...might be how we all measure our lives. The small things don't stick...they don't matter. The people who die, the people you love, they are what make you. ( )

Vonnegut ist Gut. ( )