I said I'd reacquaint myself with some Kurt Vonnegut, and boy, am I glad I did. The storyline of 'Breakfast of Champions' is loosely that of two characters travelling to an arts festival and what happens when they arrive and meet each other. But there's a great deal to this book. Here are some of the reasons why I think you ought to read it:


1. It's a novel of contradictions, a novel which manages to be flippant and profound, serious and comic, disturbing and fun simultaneously. Bloody good satire, in effect.

2. Although the book was published in 1973, a lot of the observations Vonnegut makes about American society are still horribly relevant.

3. It's written in a hugely imaginative, enegetic and unpredictable style. As far as I know, no other author writes like Vonnegut.

4. The structure seems anarchic and chaotic, but is in fact controlled and clever. Elements that have the feel of spontaneous digressions coalesce towards the finale to bring into focus Vonnegut's messages about art and human nature. The sudden surreal moments are a delight, and the handling of POV is something else. His use of the litany 'and so on' appears simple but demonstrates a terrible parity between the trivial and the shocking or tragic, as much as to say, This is what life is, and No matter how awful this event is, there are others just as bad happening now, and now, and now.

5. It's a fun introduction to metafiction, if you haven't read any before.

6. It's hugely accessible and a fast read.

7. It contains cartoons and rude words.

I'm convinced - sounds great

Thanks, Lammi!

sarah