Kurt Vonnegut: America's Greatest Satirist Rest In Peace

Today one of the greatest satirists in American literature died in Manhattan, New York. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. age 84, died when he fell in his home a few weeks ago, suffering damage to the brain. Vonnegut was an inspiration to many writers, such as the late Douglas Adams. Both writers are renowned for their satire, and science fiction settings. This writer has mostly influenced my short stories, as well as H.P. Lovecraft, another great American writer.

A writer ahead of his time, and our greatest satirist to ever wield the pen.

Kurt Vonnegut was born to Kurt Vonnegut, Sr., and Edith Lieber. His wife Jill Krementz, his song Mark, and his daughter Edith survive him. (Courtesy of www.nndb.com) Vonnegut’s famous works include: “Slaughter-house Five”, an anti-war novel about the bombing of Dresden, which Vonnegut himself had lived through. The main character Billy Pilgrim’s journey through time and space makes this novel one of the most uniquely written science-fiction novels, showing such deep humanism in a surrealistic world. His other works include: “God Bless you, Mr. Kevorkian” “Cat’s Cradle”, “Bluebeard”, and his most appraised work “The Sirens of Titan”; leading into one of the most amazing philosophical works, and perhaps the greatest American satire ever written.
Kurt Vonnegut has starred in several television shows that were named after his books. Breakfast of Champions is of one Vonnegut’s books made to a movie in which he starred as an actor. He was also in Back to School starring Rodney Dangerfield, and even was a guest on several primetime shows and news syndicates, such as The Daily Show.
Kurt Vonnegut is also a life-long atheist, and well-known for is obscure, Libertarian-Liberal views that made people go “what the hell is this guy talking about?” He had written newspaper columns, and has is well known for criticism of politicians throughout his lifetime. His very fierce anti-war views have made him especially fond for attacking the current president Bush, and the War on Terror. He criticized both Bush and Kerry, saying they were both the same entity.
Kurt Vonnegut’s work was important to the modernist movement, and is important to the future generations to carry on and learn from the words he has written. If you ever get a chance to read Kurt Vonnegut, you should take the opportunity, because his work is one that can make you laugh one moment, and piss you off the next minute, while twenty minutes more into the novel, realize that this world has more to offer than the reality we see with our own eyes. His novels invoke things that are only explainable to Kurt Vonnegut alone, yet he makes us seem to understand his estranged mind. In respect to the dead, if you get a chance, please read Kurt Vonnegut. One of his last novels, entitled “A Man Without a Country” is like most of his works. Which is an autobiography entranced inside a story, and is going to be on of his greatest works. So he finished out with a bang, and has earned all my respect. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. R.I.P. and see you in the next life.

image from http://www.stonyplainlibrary.org/Vonnegut.jpg