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Post by Dominique on Feb 1, 2007 23:21:12 GMT -5
Has anyone else read this? I'm about 50 pages in and I can't decide how much I like it so far, I think I'm slightly disappointed because it's such a favourite of a lot of people that I had really high expectations. I'm very tired at the moment though so maybe I'm having trouble getting into it because I'm so drained. It's interesting though the way it's a book about a book and it's experiments with the traditional narrative time frame.
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bookworm148
Collection of short stories published by an independent editor
"Here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of a sky of a tree called life."
Posts: 671
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Post by bookworm148 on Feb 2, 2007 0:37:24 GMT -5
What is it about? I've never read it, but I've been meaning to. I've heard so much talk about it.
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zeldafitzgerald
Collection of short stories bought by Random House
ancora imparo
Posts: 1,948
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Post by zeldafitzgerald on Feb 2, 2007 1:42:36 GMT -5
I love Slaughterhouse Five (probably not surprising given my Vonnegut obsession).
I'm sure it's a book that you have to be in the "right" mood to enjoy. I love Vonnegut's writing and his humor. This book is really the best example of him as a pacifist, which I really relate to because I am a huge pacifist as well. (As much of a pacifist as one can be without actually having served in a war myself or having someone I love die as a result of one.)
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Post by Dominique on Feb 2, 2007 2:06:46 GMT -5
yeah I'm thinking maybe I should put it down until I'm in the mood for it, I'd hate to ruin a good book by not being in the right mood! But I have this weird thing where I hate putting down books unfinished and starting something else unless they're poetry or short stories.
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louise
First short story featured in regional newspaper
Posts: 169
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Post by louise on Feb 2, 2007 6:32:38 GMT -5
I'm also reading it right now, and I'm enjoying it so far, in an odd way. I don't read a lot of books with humour in them, and sometimes this one really makes me grin a little. I was wondering how they translate the words 'zo gaat dat' in english. The sentence that is used over and over again. Something like 'that's how it goes?'
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Post by Dominique on Feb 2, 2007 7:01:05 GMT -5
"and so it goes" is what that phrase says in the english version
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Lu
Administrator
Posts: 5,469
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Post by Lu on Feb 2, 2007 8:27:04 GMT -5
It's translated "Così va la vita" in italian. I loved Slaughterhouse 5 and Vonnegut's humor, I was in the perfect mood when I read it. I agree, zelda. It's a great example of his pacifism. I loved the passage in which Billy is watching to a war movie on the opposite (I don't know if it's the right word ... it should mean "from the end to the beginning")...I really like that moment!
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Isa
Administrator
Posts: 6,995
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Post by Isa on Feb 2, 2007 9:58:45 GMT -5
I also really enjoyed that book and liked Vonnegut's humor. I guess if it hasn't made you laugh so far, it's a good sign you're not in the mood for it and should read it some other time. But I really enjoyed looking at how Billy came up with Tralfamadore to help him cope with what he had gone through, can you imagine being one of the only survivors of the Dresden bombings?! I'm sure you can't help but think why me? Why did I make it through when so many others died?
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Bina
First novel published
Posts: 2,472
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Post by Bina on Feb 2, 2007 11:13:37 GMT -5
I really liked this book even though it took me some pages to get into Vonneguts writing and humour. I bought slapstick last week, has anyone read it?
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Aug 9, 2007 11:23:36 GMT -5
I have to read this for a class this coming semester. What's it about?
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Isa
Administrator
Posts: 6,995
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Post by Isa on Aug 13, 2007 13:54:19 GMT -5
SH5? It's basically about a young man (Billy Pilgrim) who goes to war (WWII) and survives the worst bombing in history (Dresden) by hiding in a slaughterhouse. The sci-fi elements of the novel are all tied in to Billy's attempts to cope with what happened to him that day, and the fact that he managed to survive while thousands of people died... I think it's a really brilliant work of fiction, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Aug 15, 2007 12:46:24 GMT -5
Delayed reaction: thanks, Jefie!
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singinbanana
First poem written for Mother’s Day
I?m going to a serious school now, I need serious paper.
Posts: 27
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Post by singinbanana on Aug 22, 2007 0:20:00 GMT -5
I read this book for uni last term and found it ... interesting. Like some of you have mentioned, I probably wasn't in the right mood for it, and read it over a long and disjointed period (making the disjointed nature of the narrative even more confusing ). But I just couldn't get into it. However, I can see how it is a good and influential book, and thought the anti-war sentiments throughout were very poingant. We saw parts of the film in class, and I think that helped contextualise the book a bit more for me.
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