Slaughterhouse-Five: A Novel

An anti-war book that is as funny and absurd as it is real and sad. If you like reading books that make you think, you will like this book. An interesting history book, mostly focusing on European warrior queens/women leaders, beginning with Boadicea, a Celt, and ending with Margaret Thatcher. I found the repeated misogyny directed toward these queens a bit depressing in light of the way the...more

An anti-war book that is as funny and absurd as it is real and sad. If you like reading books that make you think, you will like this book. An interesting history book, mostly focusing on European warrior queens/women leaders, beginning with Boadicea, a Celt, and ending with Margaret Thatcher. I found the repeated misogyny directed toward these queens a bit depressing in light of the way the same misogynistic terms/ideas are used to disrespect women leaders today. I thought the book itself would have been more interesting and more readable if Fraser wasn't so persistent in linking the queens through actions and thoughts. It made the book too repetitive at time.   hide

I first read it in AP Language and Composition class when I was sophomore in high school. It blew me away. A few years later I read it again not remembering why I really enjoyed it and now, I'm reading it again as I prepare to teach it to my students (I now teach high school English). It's an amazing and insightful literary work that sheds light on the effects of war and our follies as well as...more

I first read it in AP Language and Composition class when I was sophomore in high school. It blew me away. A few years later I read it again not remembering why I really enjoyed it and now, I'm reading it again as I prepare to teach it to my students (I now teach high school English). It's an amazing and insightful literary work that sheds light on the effects of war and our follies as well as what we perceive as imperfect beings.   hide

Amazing. There's not much to really be said about this book, it is Vonnegut's amazing style, full of social commentary and all kinds of wit. That amazing way he can pan off a few chapters speaking of something completely unrelated and come right back to the "Story" at hand. It basically deals with a man haunted by a fire bombing from WWII, at a town called Dredsen. Based on true events,...more

Amazing. There's not much to really be said about this book, it is Vonnegut's amazing style, full of social commentary and all kinds of wit. That amazing way he can pan off a few chapters speaking of something completely unrelated and come right back to the "Story" at hand. It basically deals with a man haunted by a fire bombing from WWII, at a town called Dredsen. Based on true events, because that fire bombing actually happened, it is told in such a unique form. The book basically deals with fatalism, the main character who was in the fire bombing has somehow been given the ability to go forward and backward in time. It gives you a deeper perspective on Vonnegut, and this book just states loud and clear "Everything is unchanging, the past, the present, and future" No matter what we do, we can't change the outcome of our live, of our future, of our World. It will all end how it should. ..so it goes.   hide

If Hemingway introduced the concept of semantic precision into the novel, Vonnegut perfected it. In fact, if Hemingway had had a sense of humor this is the type of book he would have written. Vonnegut's theory of time works as a literary device to allow for non-linear plot development in this novel so that present time, memory, and fantasy all co-exist in multiple dimensions like a...more

If Hemingway introduced the concept of semantic precision into the novel, Vonnegut perfected it. In fact, if Hemingway had had a sense of humor this is the type of book he would have written. Vonnegut's theory of time works as a literary device to allow for non-linear plot development in this novel so that present time, memory, and fantasy all co-exist in multiple dimensions like a plate of spaghetti, all intertwined but in seperate strands. Thus, the absurd life of Billy Pilgrim is told with the defining moment of life being his presence in the air raid on Dresden in World War II. Pilgrim is a non-entity surrounded by other non-entities and death is always present alongside Vonnegut's deadpan humor. So it goes. Despite the simplicity of language, this book is full of psychological depth, precise plot twists, and well-defined insight into human nature. However, it was almost a little too easy for me to read at times.   hide

“The flaw in the Christ stories, said the visitor from outer space, was that Christ, who didn’t look like much, was actually the Son of the Most Powerful Being in the Universe. Readers understood that, so, when they came to the crucifixion, they naturally thought, and Rosewater read out loud again: Oh, boy – they sure picked the wrong guy to lynch that time! And that thought had a brother:...more

“The flaw in the Christ stories, said the visitor from outer space, was that Christ, who didn’t look like much, was actually the Son of the Most Powerful Being in the Universe. Readers understood that, so, when they came to the crucifixion, they naturally thought, and Rosewater read out loud again: Oh, boy – they sure picked the wrong guy to lynch that time! And that thought had a brother: “There are right people to lynch.” Who? People not well connected. So it goes. The visitor from outer space made a gift to Earth of a new Gospel. In it, Jesus really was a nobody, and a pain in the neck to a lot of people with better connections than he had. He still got to say all the lovely and puzzling things he said in the other Gospel. So people amused themselves one day by nailing him to a cross and planting the cross in the ground. There couldn’t possibly be any repercussions, the lynchers thought. The reader would have to think that, too, since the new Gospel hammered home again and again what a nobody Jesus was. And then just before the nobody died, the heavens opened up, and there was thunder and lightening. The voice of God came crashing down. He told the people that he was adopting the bum as his son, giving him the full powers and privileges of The Son of the Creator of the Universe through out all eternity. God said this: From this moment on, He will punish horribly anybody who torments a bum who has no connections!” Slaughterhouse-five is an antiwar book and it illustrates an awful and disgusting picture of WWII. It is about the most destructive attack during war, which was the air attack of USA air force to Dresden. I myself was shocked when I found out that the number of casualties in that attack was at least twice as big as Hiroshima’s. War is a ridiculous and awful thing!!!!!   hide

Part science fiction and part memoir, Slaughterhouse-Five is based on Vonnegut's experiences as a POW during WWII. He was held captive in Germany, where he witnessed the bombing of Dresden that killed thousands of civilians and much precious artwork. Billy Pilgrim is a man who has become unstuck in time and we follow him on his travels through time and space (including his...more

Part science fiction and part memoir, Slaughterhouse-Five is based on Vonnegut's experiences as a POW during WWII. He was held captive in Germany, where he witnessed the bombing of Dresden that killed thousands of civilians and much precious artwork. Billy Pilgrim is a man who has become unstuck in time and we follow him on his travels through time and space (including his experience in Dresden). This anti-war novel uses humor to make us examine the utter absurdity of war. An easy and entertaining read that will make you think. One of my all-time favorites.   hide

Slaughter-House-Five is a short novel that emphasizes the absurdity of war as well as its devastating effects on both participants and, increasingly with modern bombing, on supposed noncombatants. Vonnegut’s protagonist, Billy Pilgrim, has become unstuck in time, after “surviving” the firebombing of Dresden as a prisoner-of-war locked in a meat locker known as Slaughter-House Five. Both...more

Slaughter-House-Five is a short novel that emphasizes the absurdity of war as well as its devastating effects on both participants and, increasingly with modern bombing, on supposed noncombatants. Vonnegut’s protagonist, Billy Pilgrim, has become unstuck in time, after “surviving” the firebombing of Dresden as a prisoner-of-war locked in a meat locker known as Slaughter-House Five. Both he and the reader have difficulty separating “reality” from Kilgore Trout’s science fiction fantasies. Written in Vonnegut’s typical surrealistic style, Vonnegut’s actual experience as a POW who survived Dresden is the basis for the tale.   hide

You know its good when its featured in the movie "Footloose". You know its awesome when John Lithgow as a preacher tries to ban it during the movie "Footloose." This is THE Dresden novel. Kurt talks about Dresden in the introduction of almost every book. Therefore, Billy Pilgrim's story is a must read for all Kurt fans. I did not find it to be my favorite,...more

You know its good when its featured in the movie "Footloose". You know its awesome when John Lithgow as a preacher tries to ban it during the movie "Footloose." This is THE Dresden novel. Kurt talks about Dresden in the introduction of almost every book. Therefore, Billy Pilgrim's story is a must read for all Kurt fans. I did not find it to be my favorite, possibly because I had already been exposed to other work which was inspired by Slaughterhouse. But I did find it refreshing and I admire its place in the Vonnegut canon. I just find it odd that everyone usually praises Slaughterhouse and Breakfast when there are so many other wonderful, possibly better novels.   hide

Vonnegut writes stories some would mistake for science fiction. Though they are filled with aliens, and moving forwards and backwards through time. Mostly, however, Mr. Vonnegut tries to show us the absurdity of war serving in World War II. Much of it seems like frustration at the fact that thinking men can't solve thier problems without the use of violence. I only wish he were alive today. It...more

Vonnegut writes stories some would mistake for science fiction. Though they are filled with aliens, and moving forwards and backwards through time. Mostly, however, Mr. Vonnegut tries to show us the absurdity of war serving in World War II. Much of it seems like frustration at the fact that thinking men can't solve thier problems without the use of violence. I only wish he were alive today. It was no secret he was not a friend of the Bush administration, I wonder what he would have thought of Barack Obama   hide