"A Man Without A Country" is Kurt Vonnegut's hilariously funny and razor-sharp look at life, art, politics, himself and the condition of the soul of America today. Written over the last five years in the form of a loose memoir, with the examples of Mark Twain, Jesus Christ, Abraham Lincoln, and a saintly doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis powerfully in mind, "A Man without a Country" is an intimate and tender communication from one individual to his fellow humans - sometimes kidding, at other times despairing, always searching. It is illustrated throughout with Vonnegut's trademark artwork.
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'Thank God, Kurt Vonnegut has broken his promise that he will never write another book. In this wondrous assemblage of mini-memoirs, we discover his family's legacy and his obstinate, unfashionable humanism' Studs Terkel 'Vonnegut's A MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY is pure late Twain, darkly funny, never less than enraged at corruption and greed, and overflowing with compassion for the powerless. We've never needed him more' Russell Banks 'The verve for life amid stunningly depressing news, and that backhanded, refreshingly brutal, but infinitely whimsical way of viewing the world around him, continues to stand out in every odd word Vonnegut puts to paper.' The Onion 'Like his literary ancestor Mark Twain, his crankiness is good-humoured and sharp-witted, and aimed at well-defended soft spots of hypocrisy and arrogance.' New York Times Book Review
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Timely and passionate book by the bestselling writer: The nearest Vonnegut
may ever come to writing an autobiography --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
may ever come to writing an autobiography --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By Stephen A. Haines
HALL OF FAME
Format:Hardcover
If exile from one's homeland is grievous, then having your country pulled out from under you must be infinitely worse. Kurt Vonnegut expresses his strong feelings of betrayal at what the USA has become in his lifetime. He's angry and resentful, and every page in this little book seethes with his wrath. He has spent many years describing the warts his society exhibited, hoping his country would take heed of his words and excise the faults. It's almost as if nobody read his books, or at least take his criticisms seriously. Now, in advanced years, he is at his most direct in fulminating at the foibles of his countrymen. He hopes it isn't too late for the USA to return to the values it, and he, once cherished.
Vonnegut's mentor, Mark Twain, expressed the same sadness and remorse over the same people. That might suggest things haven't really gotten worse. Vonnegut, however, recognises that his country today exercises vastly more influence in the world, both physically and morally than that of Twain's day. "In case you haven't noticed" he cries, elections are stolen in the USA, its unelected leaders have dehumanized millions, "so I'm a man without a country". He fears things will go beyond this condition to apply the same standards to the entire planet. He foresees an epitaph for "the good Earth - we could have saved it, but we were to damn cheap and lazy."
The phrase "bitter old man" is certain to occur to readers of this collection. That judgement, of course, flies in the face of the voice of a man who's watched the course of the USA in a long lifetime. His most famous work, "Slaughterhouse Five", subtitled "The Children's Crusade" was a humanist's cry for increased awareness among his readers. That awareness, if it ever truly existed widely, has been snuffed out among Vonnegut's countrymen of today. This book recognises that new condition with a strident cry of protest. Why has this happened?, he demands. That he's published this collection is an acknowledgement that all may not be lost. Without boasting, instead he reminds of us his teachings with pickings from his earlier writings. If there is to be hope for Vonnegut's society and even the entire world, it would be wise to read and heed what he has to say. And to understand why he says it. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Vonnegut's mentor, Mark Twain, expressed the same sadness and remorse over the same people. That might suggest things haven't really gotten worse. Vonnegut, however, recognises that his country today exercises vastly more influence in the world, both physically and morally than that of Twain's day. "In case you haven't noticed" he cries, elections are stolen in the USA, its unelected leaders have dehumanized millions, "so I'm a man without a country". He fears things will go beyond this condition to apply the same standards to the entire planet. He foresees an epitaph for "the good Earth - we could have saved it, but we were to damn cheap and lazy."
The phrase "bitter old man" is certain to occur to readers of this collection. That judgement, of course, flies in the face of the voice of a man who's watched the course of the USA in a long lifetime. His most famous work, "Slaughterhouse Five", subtitled "The Children's Crusade" was a humanist's cry for increased awareness among his readers. That awareness, if it ever truly existed widely, has been snuffed out among Vonnegut's countrymen of today. This book recognises that new condition with a strident cry of protest. Why has this happened?, he demands. That he's published this collection is an acknowledgement that all may not be lost. Without boasting, instead he reminds of us his teachings with pickings from his earlier writings. If there is to be hope for Vonnegut's society and even the entire world, it would be wise to read and heed what he has to say. And to understand why he says it. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Cardew Robinson
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
This is a delightful book. If you get into it, it will only take you a couple of hours to read, but I think Vonnegut's thoughts and ideas will stay with you for a long time afterwards.
I have only recently started reading Vonnegut- having been aware of the name for a long time- and picked this up at my local library. I was attracted by the subtitle (a memoir of life in George Bush's America) and was delighted to read plenty of digs at that odd character who did impressions of the President of the USA.
There's much more to this book, however, including as it does Vonnegut's wry, cynical, exasperated and very funny observations on everything else worthy of ridicule, from the more vapid aspects of American culture, to semi-colons, on to Western man's love affair with fossil fuels and even the pros and (mostly) cons of early Saab cars.
Written in a delightfully laconic and earthy style, this is the equivalent of passing a lovely afternoon with someone older, wiser and far funnier than youself. It reminded me of Spike Milligan at his best. Like Spike, Vonnegut is a master of adopting an unexpected perspective on things, in order to expose some of the absurdities of life and thereby prove that "nothing could be as mad as what passes for ordinary living".
I have only recently started reading Vonnegut- having been aware of the name for a long time- and picked this up at my local library. I was attracted by the subtitle (a memoir of life in George Bush's America) and was delighted to read plenty of digs at that odd character who did impressions of the President of the USA.
There's much more to this book, however, including as it does Vonnegut's wry, cynical, exasperated and very funny observations on everything else worthy of ridicule, from the more vapid aspects of American culture, to semi-colons, on to Western man's love affair with fossil fuels and even the pros and (mostly) cons of early Saab cars.
Written in a delightfully laconic and earthy style, this is the equivalent of passing a lovely afternoon with someone older, wiser and far funnier than youself. It reminded me of Spike Milligan at his best. Like Spike, Vonnegut is a master of adopting an unexpected perspective on things, in order to expose some of the absurdities of life and thereby prove that "nothing could be as mad as what passes for ordinary living".
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Great to see that Vonnegut is still as wise and as cutting as ever in this latest (hopefully not last...at 83 we still don't to lose him!) outing. Although some of the ground (and a few of the anecdotes) may be familiar to diehard fans, his razor wit and observation couple with this outrage at the evils of the world and you can't help but be uplifted. What a spirit, what a guy!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Memo
I loved this short read of his thoughts and ideas. I am reading it again and again. A must for all Kurt Vonnegut fans.
Published 4 months ago by Kaz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome.
I read this in a few hours in one sitting. The man was a genius when it came to exposing the society he lived in and sticking up for the ordinary folk. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Jack H
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good
Good collection of essays from a renowned writer that did provide good autobiographical insight not only into the man but into how he pursues his craft. Good service from Amazon. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Dwrbach
3.0 out of 5 stars
Worst Kindle sample ever?
The free sample for Kindle contains exactly nine pages -
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By the same author...
...contd. Read more
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By the same author...
...contd. Read more
Published on 20 May 2011 by Dave B
3.0 out of 5 stars
I belong to an unholy disorder, we call ourselves "Our Lady of...
Old men often get progressively more conservative the older they get, but Kurt Vonnegut was never that kind of old man. Read more
Published on 31 Aug 2010 by Eileen Shaw
5.0 out of 5 stars
Too old to care how controversial he is.
I love this book, and I have immense respect for Mr.V. I've read most of his books. He has turned me on to lots of ideas, Humanism being the main one. Read more
Published on 26 April 2006 by J. HARVEY
3.0 out of 5 stars
Money for old rope...
Vonnegut fans will find nothing new in this. Having said that, it's a funny, bright and quick read. If you're fan you will have bought it already, if not buy one of his novels... Read more
Published on 31 Mar 2006
5.0 out of 5 stars
Vonnegut is a legend
if you haven't read vonnegut's novels then read them. all of them. now. (my personal fave is Breakfast of Champions). Read more
Published on 1 Feb 2006 by TamePixies
4.0 out of 5 stars
An interesting read...
I bought this from amazon's American site last year. It really is good, although as commented elsewhere, parts of it have appeared elsewhere, notably the In these Times... Read more
Published on 29 Jan 2006 by "johndyson24"
4.0 out of 5 stars
Looks Promising
After reading the extract in the Guardian, this looks like it might a good swansong for Mr Vonnegut. Read more
Published on 25 Jan 2006 by "meestercat"
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