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A review by lolitalofi
Palm Sunday: An Autobiographical Collage by Kurt Vonnegut
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.5
Disclaimer: This is more of a retention of the highlights I’ve found interesting than a review of the actual book.
I have to agree with Vonnegut’s rating of this book as a solid C, despite not finishing any other book of his; I at least promise to finish the A & B rated ones. It’s an easy read, mostly about his personal thoughts on certain topics (family, religion, writing, etc.) with some inserted stories.
- Slaughterhouse 5 was partly inspired by the doctor/author/Nazi sympathizer Celine, who has written the novel ‘Journey to the End of the Night.’ Celine was said to be so preoccupied with the death of people despite the mundaneness of it. So it goes.
- His eldest child Mark is a doctor who has written a book on his personal experience with schizophrenia/mental health issues. Mark recovered, which offers a positive light at the metaphorical end of the tunnel. I did read from a small internet research that from a young age Mark thought his father would kill himself at some point in his life. He never blamed his family for his mental health issues though. It seems like they carried some form of intergenerational trauma, both with Kurt Vonnegut’s mother committing suicide and him being a WW2 veteran. Casual suicidal thoughts ran through his mind, albeit it was mentioned in the book with a joke, making the difficult topic more bearable; maybe that’s what Vonnegut’s personality and books are all about, but definitely don’t quote me on that; it is perhaps a misrepresentation and an oversimplification of the matter.
- Writing is a form of art wherein you can escape from the lack of control outside your own life. This may come at a price if you escape too much into it.
- Write about the topic that is close to your heart.
- Morality and actions derived from a direct reaction to disgust is one of the worst bases for a better individual and society. Disgust from non-whites, Jews, and even the LGBTQIA+ people, historically didn’t result well. (Look up WW2, Auschwitz concentration camps, systemic and micro aggressions against the black community & people of color, gay conversion therapy and the AIDS epidemics). So yeah, what I’m trying to say is go check out Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift as recommended by Vonnegut. It’s good insane stuff, or at least Vonnegut said so.
- Stop burning books. Just don’t.
That’s all I could think for now. The book is worth a casual read, but it isn’t Vonnegut’s best work so check out his other stuff. (:
I have to agree with Vonnegut’s rating of this book as a solid C, despite not finishing any other book of his; I at least promise to finish the A & B rated ones. It’s an easy read, mostly about his personal thoughts on certain topics (family, religion, writing, etc.) with some inserted stories.
- Slaughterhouse 5 was partly inspired by the doctor/author/Nazi sympathizer Celine, who has written the novel ‘Journey to the End of the Night.’ Celine was said to be so preoccupied with the death of people despite the mundaneness of it. So it goes.
- His eldest child Mark is a doctor who has written a book on his personal experience with schizophrenia/mental health issues. Mark recovered, which offers a positive light at the metaphorical end of the tunnel. I did read from a small internet research that from a young age Mark thought his father would kill himself at some point in his life. He never blamed his family for his mental health issues though. It seems like they carried some form of intergenerational trauma, both with Kurt Vonnegut’s mother committing suicide and him being a WW2 veteran. Casual suicidal thoughts ran through his mind, albeit it was mentioned in the book with a joke, making the difficult topic more bearable; maybe that’s what Vonnegut’s personality and books are all about, but definitely don’t quote me on that; it is perhaps a misrepresentation and an oversimplification of the matter.
- Writing is a form of art wherein you can escape from the lack of control outside your own life. This may come at a price if you escape too much into it.
- Write about the topic that is close to your heart.
- Morality and actions derived from a direct reaction to disgust is one of the worst bases for a better individual and society. Disgust from non-whites, Jews, and even the LGBTQIA+ people, historically didn’t result well. (Look up WW2, Auschwitz concentration camps, systemic and micro aggressions against the black community & people of color, gay conversion therapy and the AIDS epidemics). So yeah, what I’m trying to say is go check out Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift as recommended by Vonnegut. It’s good insane stuff, or at least Vonnegut said so.
- Stop burning books. Just don’t.
That’s all I could think for now. The book is worth a casual read, but it isn’t Vonnegut’s best work so check out his other stuff. (: