NEWS: Kurt Vonnegut is in Heaven Now

I actually used to tag "So It Goes" on highway overpasses, waaay back in the day.

There's some pretentious rural high school graffiti for you. Still...

Jon Stewart actually looked a little upset tonight. For once it's kind of comforting to see the little mentions and references everywhere, although it does help that it's not round-the-clock coverage and scandal.

Just saying thank you and goodnight, but in reverse.

I just wanted to say that was the perfect way to say goodbye. Thanks.

Just wish I had had the opportunity to meet him once.

After reading Breakfast of Champions some thirty years ago, I wandered around Central Utah in a bemused and befuddled daze for about a month, then it suddenly came clear to me:

"I seem to have a major part in a really dumb story. I'd much rather have a smaller bit part, in a better story, written by a more talented and imaginative author."

what a great writer and great guy! Bon Voyage, Mr. Vonnegut.

Okay, I feel really stupid saying this, but I've never read anything by him, altough it sounds like I would love it.

So, where do I start?

As far as I'm concerned, Bluebeard is the single greatest novel ever.

I'd actually suggest starting with Cat's Cradle.

He put a bitter coating on sweet pills.

I read The Sirens of Titan when I was about 12 years old. I had no idea who Kurt Vonnegut was, but the book was in the science fiction section and had scantily clad women on the cover, so I jumped right in. Needless to say, it wasn't what I expected, but it certainly blew out the borders of my perception, really opened up my mind to contemplation. I devoured that book in about a day, then read it again, then went to the library and got the other few books they had by him. The librarian was an admirer of his work, so she took the liberty of ordering all his other works without me asking.

Kurt Vonnegut was an enormous influence on who I turned out to be. He's one of the authors whose books I go back and re-read every few years. I think I'm about due...

I was talking with a friend yesterday. He said, "With Hunter Thompson and Kurt Vonnegut gone, who will tell us the truth?" I thought for a while, and the only answer I could come up with was, "Tom Waits."

Goodbye, Kurt Vonnegut. Thanks for everything you've done for me and all the other monkeys on the planet.

We will all miss him here in Indianapolis. Not too many great men come from this town. Maybe he had some ideas as to why.

The man had a hell of a run.

Indeed. It is always sad when a genius mind passes from this mortal coil. However, he has left an incredible body of work that will be enjoyed forever.


ps: thank you, Kurt... for opening my mind in that sophomore English class and for making me see the world in a different light.

and so it goes.

A couple of years ago, I saw an interview with him on a tv show on the bbc, and he said something about how the purpose of art is to say to the person reading/listening/looking at it that "you are not alone", and that sort of floored me. I certainly got that feeling from reading 'man without a country'. Such a smart, compassionate, honest, wonderfully cynical man. If I can be 10% of the man he was I'll be doing well.

I have nothing to add but my sorrow at our collective loss.

If there is a Heaven, I'm guessing God's getting an earful right about now.

So it goes.

Yeah, this pretty much ruined my week...my year even. "Irreversible brain injuries" does not sound like a pleasant way to go. May his memory live on.

So it goes.

Amen. I wish I could have met him, just to have the opportunity to discuss or debate a couple of things. His works really got my mind to explore & I like when a talented artist can do that.