Slaughterhouse-Five: A Novel

By Kurt Vonnegut

Five out of Five Stars

The classic novel, Slaughterhouse-Five: A Novel by the late literary icon Kurt Vonnegut was not on my reading list, but found its way to the top of it based on recommendations from fans of the novel. While I was aware of it, and Vonnegut’s career, I had yet to read any of his works. Seeing how I had also fared well lately in recommendations in what I should read, I thought I should give it a go.

Writing a review of such an iconic and classic book is daunting. The temptation is to search the Internet for reviews and analysis of the novel and parrot that back in the review, so as to make myself look like a literary intellectual. That would also be more than a bit of a cheat. The beauty of writing, as in many other forms of art, is that it is all interpretive; there are shared experiences, but we all get something unique or different to ourselves through art – how our minds interpret what we read and what we see; so, it’s only fair that I relate to Slaughterhouse-Five, having been read by me in 2015, as I experienced it.

The book itself, told in an almost stream-of-consciousness format, by Billy Pilgrim, focuses, or I should say, is anchored by his remembrances of being a prisoner of war during WWII, and held in the German city of Dresden during its bombing by the Allies on February 13 to 15^th in 1945; while history has now determined that the bombings claimed 22,000 to 25,000 lives, for the longest time, and in 1969 when Slaughterhouse-Five was originally published, it was believed the death toll was in the 100,000 to 200,000 range.

Billy, an inept soldier at best, is obviously deeply troubled by the bombing and his survival during it, and in telling what happened, also relates other experiences in his life, doing so by explaining that after he was kidnapped by Outer Space beings known as Tralfamadorians, he was able to time travel back and forth through time, visiting different points of his life – at least when he isn’t stuck in a Tralfamoadorian zoo, where he is observed and eventually mated with a “B” movie actress who may have also dabbled in pornography.

In telling this tale, Vonnegut doesn’t structure his novel in a traditional manner, but bounces around in space and time relating Billy’s remembrances – an approach that works beautifully. In reading Slaughterhouse-Five, it dawned on me that living through a time of war must be a strange and surreal experience, as people act and behave differently – outside the norms of proper, expected society. Billy relating his wartime experiences is almost as farfetched and unbelievable as his time traveling experiences, and time with the Tralfamadorians – both might as well be the same. I was aware that Slaughterhouse-Five had been described as an “anti-war” novel, and got that, as the behavior of human beings during war, as described by Billy, is as silly and crazy as his remembrances of space creatures; both are out of place and time. Add to this, his mundane life as an optometrist, in a functional, safe marriage, and the absurdity of war is driven even further home.

I suspect Billy Pilgrim is telling this tale late in his life, and to make sense of what he went through during WWII and the bombing, he is manufacturing events he experienced into a wild and crazy tale, that in many ways, through the philosophy of the Tralfamadorians takes away the concept of free will, and as such absolves him of his participation in something as horrific and terrible as WWII. His way of coming to terms with what he experienced in Europe during that time.

Published in 1969, Slaughterhouse-Five: A Novel, written by Kurt Vonnegut is still a powerful read; a WWII novel unlike any other, that still has something to say, and can still prompt thought. The absurdity of war has not left us; while we no longer fight World Wars, the insanity of conflict, death and destruction still haunt us, and it’s in reading something as creative and inspired as Slaughterhouse-Five that it causes us to pause for a second and wonder just what the hell we think we’re doing, or accomplishing, in our desire as a species to embrace violence?

Thought provoking and brilliant, Slaughterhouse-Five is a classic novel worth reading.

Ready Player One

By Ernest Cline

Four out of Five Stars

Normally I wouldn’t seek out a book like Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One, but then again I didn’t need to, as Ready Player One sought me out. It was probably several months back that a friend of mine recommended the novel during a phone conversation. I believe he said Whoopi Goldberg had recommended the book to Robin Williams sometime before he passed away, and that had intrigued him (I can’t confirm this). He isn’t an avid reader, so maybe I should have taken note, as he was ready to read this book. After the conversation, I quickly forgot the name of the book and the author.

Several months later, another friend, who has no association with my other friend, said he had received a copy of the book, hadn’t read it, related the idea of the book to me and asked if I wanted to read it. I said possibly and quickly forgot about it. Months passed and this friend lent the book to another, and after he had finished reading it, gave it to me to read. I was hesitant, but read the first 30 pages and was intrigued. That was when my first friend, whom I had the phone conversation with called me again (we don’t talk that much) and once again said I should read it. In all my days of reading, no book has so randomly been recommended to me. Ready Player One wanted me to read it...so I read the damned book.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is a perfect example of taking a chance on a book that I normally wouldn’t have. The book, based on the blurb on the back, is centered around video game culture, not an area of interest to me. I don’t play video games; not that I don’t like them, I just have other ways I wish to spend my time. This is probably why I would have passed on it – luckily I didn’t.

The book takes place in 2044 where the world is not in the best shape (is it ever in the future?). Wade Watts, a teenager about to graduate high school is poor and spends most of his time ignoring the real world and living in a virtual reality world known as OASIS. The game was designed by an eccentric billionaire, James Halliday, who, upon passing away, has left his multi-million dollar fortune and the virtual world of OASIS to whichever gamer can solve a game he has created that will lead to an ‘egg’. Years have passed, with professional gamers, known as ‘gunters’ and an evil corporation all looking to inherit Halliday’s fortune, and when Wade stumbles across the first ‘key’ and challenge and completes them, the game heats up.

Ready Player One is a fun read. Despite my lack of interest in video games, Cline has created a world I enjoyed exploring. Having been a teenager in the 1980’s, I was also delighted by the fact the book is full of Eighties pop culture references, seeing how Halliday was a big fan of that era and made his search centered around knowledge of it.

While Ready Player One is a fun read, it also struck me as fascinating that despite there being some danger to the players in the real world, for the most part, I’m rooting for characters in the novel who are sitting in rooms, strapped into virtual devices, playing a game within the book. In many cases the only danger they face is having their characters in OASIS killed, which means having to start over from scratch. It is a testament to Cline’s writing ability and character development, that despite this, I found myself lost in their world and reading on. The book could have used a bit more suspense – some things seemed to be overcome too easily – but for the most part that didn’t detract too much from the books enjoyment.

Ready Player One wanted to be read, and it was, and for a book that fell into my lap, I have to say, it was a great read, and a journey I’m glad I took. Based on how much I enjoyed it, I’ll definitely be seeking out Cline’s other novel, Armada and reading it as well.

The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery

By Eric Foner

Five out of Five Stars

It is safe to say that out of all the American Presidents to date, Abraham Lincoln, the countries sixteenth and first Republican president, is the most revered. Along with keeping the United States of America one by not allowing various Southern states to succeed from the Union, he is also The Great Emancipator, the President who freed the slaves, freeing America of its greatest sin, something the Founding Fathers failed to tackle when they formed the new nation.

My relationship with Abraham Lincoln started early in life, when in grade two I stumbled across a children’s book recounting his life. Since that time, I’ve read quite a lot on the man and imagine I will continue to do so in the future. As America’s most revered President, I found, from time to time, there is a backlash; people determined to explain why Lincoln is not as great as is thought. On the question of slavery, there are many instances people can bring up to prove he was not as pure in his emancipation of the slaves as has been suggested. Amongst those was his belief in colonization, namely in freeing the slaves, sending them somewhere other than America to live. Of course they fail to mention that his plan for colonization, which he considered into his Presidency, was not mandatory, but an option for freed slaves.

The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery, a winner of the Pulitzer Prize by historian Eric Foner, is a fascinating look at Lincoln and slavery warts and all. Rather than support the iconic status and legend of Lincoln, Foner’s examination of the man brings him down to earth, humanizing him.

Slavery is the key topic of this examination of Lincoln; no other issues are explored, and as such, Foner is able to provide us a look at the evolution of Lincoln’s thoughts on the issue. From the start, Lincoln knew slavery was wrong, that no man should be allowed to enslave another, especially based on skin color. He knew it was wrong, but as a man of the 19^th Century, it would not be expected that he fully believed the Black man was the equal to the White man. It wasn’t until his Presidency that Lincoln came in contact with learned Black men and developed an appreciation for their character and intellect, and the possibility of their equality of citizenship.

                                                                                                   

Demonstrating Lincoln’s evolution of thought is where The Fiery Trial truly excels; and it is that ability to grow, learn and adapt that made him so great. America’s sin of slavery tore the country apart, resulting in a Civil War, one of the bloodiest wars ever fought by Americans. Insight into Lincoln’s thought process, and his own intellect is a revelation. When the South succeeded from the Union, many Northern abolitionists believed the President should immediately free the slaves, and when he didn’t, criticized him harshly. What they didn’t understand was Lincoln’s belief that Northerners, even abolitionist Northerners, would not be willing to fight a war with the South simply to free the Black man; they would not willingly spill blood for that cause, so he had to coach the conflict not in terms of ending slavery, which he truly believed it would, but as important to keep the nation whole. He knew he’d have to wait for the right time to issue an Emancipation Proclamation and did so accordingly. Jumping the gun might have resulted in a far different America than we know today.

The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery is a very accessible book; Foner writes simply, but effectively, and mines his topic thoroughly. In the world of Lincoln books, he has created one that should not be missed. It is brilliant in focusing on a man struggling with one of the greatest questions of his day, and accomplishing a difficult task during a very difficult time. In reading about Lincoln’s struggles with slavery, warts and all, I have to admit my opinion of the man has not faltered, but instead increased. This is definitely a book worth reading and a MUST read for admirers of Abraham Lincoln.

Re-Thinking the Sex Pistols’ Johnny Rotten, aka John Lydon

Today’s generation is media savvy. With broadcast and cable TV offering them a wealth of channel options, to the Internet where information, both true and false, is so easily decimated, finding information about anyone or anything is really at their fingertips. Based on this, today’s generation could never understand the arrival of the punk band, the Sex Pistols on North American shores during the late Seventies.

I remember back to that time; I would have been around twelve, and the headline in one of the daily newspapers mentioning the Sex Pistols and their arrival in America, or maybe in Canada, I don’t quite remember. Looking at that headline, it almost seemed like we were being invaded by an unruly horde. The band had as its title that three letter word, ‘sex’ which those of us old enough knew was significant, but also young enough to not quite understand. News of the band hitting North American shores was both titillating, for some unknown reason, and terrifying, for some unknown reason. Back in the day, all we had was that newspaper coverage, there were no computers to go look up the band and find out more about them. This lack of information gave the band its edge and its mystique and made their journey from Britain to America (or Canada) not only newsworthy, but strangely thrilling.

I remembered this feeling, and my generation’s naivety, due to a lack of news resources, recently, as I embraced the Internet and watched some interviews with John Lydon, formerly Johnny Rotten, lead singer and songwriter for the Sex Pistols, and afterwards the band Public Image Limited. John Lydon has released another autobiography, Anger Is an Energy: My Life Uncensored and has done some interviews to promote it. I’d read his other autobiography, Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs which I really enjoyed, and found quite surprising during my read, having discovered that there was more to Lydon that I’d ever imagined.

In interviews, both new and old, John Lydon, formerly Johnny Rotten, leader of a band that was designed to scare us due to their youthful anger and message, is a very intelligent and practical man. He is outspoken, and explained that his book is title Anger Is an Energy as when he was about seven he contracted meningitis, and was in a coma for a year, and lost his complete memory, having eventually recovered it through the disposition of anger – which seemed to help it come back faster than say a melancholy mood.

I watched quite a few clips and interviews, and found Lydon secretly (he doesn’t want to broadcast it) helps children’s charities, he is not caught up in the mythology surrounding his former band the Sex Pistols, nor the legends that have derived from it, especially the iconic status his good friend Sid Vicious attained after dying so young. A 1986 movie by writer-director Alex Cox, Sid and Nancy documents the love affair between Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen, whom Vicious was accused of killing, and whose murder trial he was awaiting when he overdosed. In an older interview with Conan O’Brien, Lydon commented he didn’t like the romanticism of the movie, as the truth was, they were both heroin junkies and there is nothing romantic to be made about that.

In watching Lydon talk and express himself, I have to admit I found him to be a music celebrity who seems to have his feet on the ground, and who hasn’t bought into all the crap surrounding that career. It was a complete departure from the mysterious Johnny Rotten, who all those years ago, in the late Seventies, seemed dangerous, a little frightening, but still intriguing and compelling. The world has changed, more information lies at our fingertips, and that breaks down the mystique that once could have been there, but that’s okay, because today, I have a new appreciation and more respect for John Lydon, and thank the good Lord he is still as angry as ever. Now all I have to do is head out to the local bookstore and purchase Anger Is an Energy: My Life Uncensored...and maybe mourn a little those days when life held a little more mystery and information wasn’t so readily available.