Vonnegut by the Dozen

Last updated
Vonnegut by the Dozen
EditorRichard Lingeman
Author Kurt Vonnegut
LanguageEnglish
GenreEssays
Publisher The Nation Co., LP
Publication date
August 5, 2013
Publication placeUnited States
Media typeeBook
Pages220

Vonnegut by the Dozen: Twelve Pieces by Kurt Vonnegut is a collection of twelve essays written by the American author Kurt Vonnegut. The essays were originally published in The Nation magazine between 1978 and 1998 and compiled into an eBook published by The Nation in 2013. The collection was edited by Richard Lingeman.

Contents

Background

Kurt Vonnegut (1922–2007) was a renowned American writer known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels that often explored themes of war, technology, and the human condition. His most famous works include Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), Cat's Cradle (1963), and Breakfast of Champions (1973). Vonnegut's writing was heavily influenced by his experiences as a soldier in World War II, particularly his survival of the Dresden bombings, which became a central theme in much of his work. [1]

Content

Vonnegut by the Dozen collects twelve essays that reflect Vonnegut's distinctive voice, characterized by its blend of satirical humor and serious social commentary. The essays cover a range of topics, including war, politics, and the absurdities of modern life. Each piece in the collection was originally published in The Nation , where Vonnegut was a regular contributor. [2]

Themes

The essays in Vonnegut by the Dozen are unified by Vonnegut's deep skepticism of authority and his critique of American militarism. Drawing from his experiences in World War II, Vonnegut's writings in this collection often condemn the U.S.'s post-war military interventions, which he saw as unjust and hypocritical. [3] His signature style—a "faux-simpleminded" approach—allows him to address these heavy topics with a blend of humor and profundity, making his critiques both accessible and impactful. [2]

Reception

Vonnegut by the Dozen has been praised for capturing the essence of Vonnegut's later work. The collection is considered a valuable addition to the Vonnegut canon, offering readers insight into the author's evolving thoughts during the last decades of his life. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurt Vonnegut</span> American author (1922–2007)

Kurt Vonnegut was an American author known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels. He published 14 novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and five nonfiction works over fifty-plus years; further collections have been published since his death.

<i>Slaughterhouse-Five</i> 1969 novel by Kurt Vonnegut

Slaughterhouse-Five, or, The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death is a 1969 semi-autobiographic science fiction-infused anti-war novel by Kurt Vonnegut. It follows the life experiences of Billy Pilgrim, from his early years, to his time as an American soldier and chaplain's assistant during World War II, to the post-war years. Throughout the novel, Billy frequently travels back and forth through time. The protagonist deals with a temporal crisis as a result of his post-war psychological trauma. The text centers on Billy's capture by the German Army and his survival of the Allied firebombing of Dresden as a prisoner of war, an experience that Vonnegut endured as an American serviceman. The work has been called an example of "unmatched moral clarity" and "one of the most enduring anti-war novels of all time".

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Krassner</span> American writer and satirist (1932–2019)

Paul Krassner was an American writer and satirist. He was the founder, editor, and a frequent contributor to the freethought magazine The Realist, first published in 1958. Krassner became a key figure in the counterculture of the 1960s as a member of Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters and a founding member of the Yippies, a term he is credited with coining.

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<i>Player Piano</i> (novel) First novel published by Kurt Vonnegut in 1952

Player Piano is the debut novel by American writer Kurt Vonnegut Jr., published in 1952. The novel depicts a dystopia of automation partly inspired by the author's time working at General Electric, describing the negative impact technology can have on quality of life. The story takes place in a near-future society that is almost totally mechanized, eliminating the need for human laborers. The widespread mechanization creates conflict between the wealthy upper class, the engineers and managers, who keep society running, and the lower class, whose skills and purpose in society have been replaced by machines. The book uses irony and sentimentality, which were to become hallmarks developed further in Vonnegut's later works.

<i>The Cyberiad</i> Sci-fi short story series by Stanisław Lem

The Cyberiad, sometimes subtitled Fables for the Cybernetic Age, is a series of satirical science fiction short stories by Polish writer Stanisław Lem published during 1964–1979. The first collected set of stories was originally published in 1965, with an English translation by Michael Kandel first appearing in 1974.

A comic novel is a novel-length work of humorous fiction. Many well-known authors have written comic novels, including P. G. Wodehouse, Henry Fielding, Mark Twain, and John Kennedy Toole. Comic novels are often defined by the author's literary choice to make the thrust of the work—in its narration or plot—funny or satirical in orientation, regardless of the putative seriousness of the topics addressed.

<i>Jailbird</i> (novel) 1979 novel by Kurt Vonnegut

Jailbird is a novel by American author Kurt Vonnegut, published in 1979 by Delacorte Press. The novel is often described as Vonnegut's "Watergate novel," as it explores themes related to the Watergate scandal, the American labor movement, and the political landscape of the United States during the mid-20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Vonnegut</span> American physician and writer

Mark Vonnegut is an American pediatrician and author. He is the son of writer Kurt Vonnegut. He is the brother of Edith Vonnegut and Nanette Vonnegut. He described himself in the preface to his 1975 book as "a hippie, son of a counterculture hero, BA in religion, genetic disposition to schizophrenia."

<i>Wampeters, Foma and Granfalloons</i> 1974 collection of essays by Kurt Vonnegut

Wampeters, Foma & Granfalloons (Opinions) is a collection of essays, reviews, short travel accounts, and human interest stories written by Kurt Vonnegut from c. 1966–1974.

<i>A Man Without a Country</i> 2005 essay collection by Kurt Vonnegut

A Man Without a Country is an essay collection published in 2005 by the author Kurt Vonnegut. The essays deal with topics ranging from the importance of humor, to problems with modern technology, to Vonnegut's opinions on the differences between men and women. Many of the essays explicate Vonnegut's views about politics and the issues in modern American society, often from a humanistic perspective.

<i>Palm Sunday</i> (book) 1981 collection of previously unpublished works by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Palm Sunday is a 1981 collection of short stories, speeches, essays, letters, and other previously unpublished works by Kurt Vonnegut. The collection provides insight into Vonnegut's thoughts on various subjects, including writing, war, and his own literary career. The book is known for its eclectic mix of genres and personal reflections.

"Welcome to the Monkey House" is a Kurt Vonnegut short story that is part of the collection of the same name. It is alluded to in God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater as one of Kilgore Trout's stories.

"2 B R 0 2 B" is a science fiction short story by Kurt Vonnegut, originally published in the digest magazine If: Worlds of Science Fiction in January 1962, and later collected in Vonnegut's Bagombo Snuff Box (1999). The title is pronounced "2 B R naught 2 B" and references the famous phrase "to be, or not to be" from William Shakespeare's Hamlet. The story explores themes of overpopulation, government control, and the value of human life, showcasing Vonnegut’s characteristic blend of dark humor and social commentary.

Dan Wakefield was an American novelist, journalist, and screenwriter.


Fortitude is a one-act play written by Kurt Vonnegut in 1968, and broadly based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The brief [19 page] play addresses the issues of robotics and the ethical dilemmas of cyborg's rights. It was featured in the anthologies, Human-Machines: An Anthology of Stories About Cyborgs and The Ultimate Frankenstein. The story was also featured in the 1991 made-for-cable-TV anthology Kurt Vonnegut's Monkey House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library</span> Biographical museum in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

The Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library is dedicated to championing the literary, artistic, and cultural contributions of the late writer, artist, and Indianapolis native Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. It opened in January 2011 and was located in The Emelie, a structure on the National Register of Historic Places at 340 North Senate Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana, until January 2019. Funding for a new building at 543 Indiana Avenue was secured, and the library reopened to the public on November 9, 2019.

<i>Kurt Vonnegut: Letters</i> Book

Kurt Vonnegut: Letters is a collection of letters written by American author Kurt Vonnegut, edited by his friend and fellow writer Dan Wakefield. Published by Delacorte Press on October 30, 2012, the book compiles a wide range of Vonnegut's correspondence spanning his entire life, offering insight into his personal thoughts, relationships, and the development of his literary career.

References

  1. "Biography". Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  2. 1 2 "Vonnegut by the Dozen: Twelve Pieces by Kurt Vonnegut". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  3. 1 2 "The Worst Addiction of Them All". 2013-08-19. Retrieved 2024-08-11.