Apparently, once upon a time, Kurt Vonnegut promised he'd never write another book. Luckily for us, the promise was broken and the public received 150 pages of Vonnegut goodness. Jam-packed with his own artwork in addition to his literary wisdom, A Man Without A Country is an amusing read.
"This book is about congenitally defective human beings of a sort that is making this whole country and many other parts of the planet go completely haywire nowadays." Beautiful, isn't it? Vonnegut summarizes his entire book on page 100. Sweet. And it only gets better. It echoes a long, ranting blog entry from your best friend. A thousand different topics are touched upon, in no particular order; everything from childhood memories to a discussion on how fossil fuels are the world's most addictive drug.
It might seem confusing, but when Vonnegut's lyrical gait takes you exactly where he wants to you go, you follow - No questions asked. He changes topics quickly and frequently: Nothing's safe. Vonnegut discusses his dislike for modern technology, President Bush and his feeling about what makes good creative writing (excluding the use of a semicolon). He details his daily routines, talks about people he admires. Vonnegut's book is his commentary about how the world he was born into isn't the world we're living in now; what has changed (a lot) and what hasn't (not much); whether it is getting better (fat chance) or worse (more on target).
The book is amusing, but it is also extremely versatile. One can read it straight through or savor the various idiosyncrasies and attitudes of the author over extended periods time. It can be read chronologically or out of order, depending on your mood. Each chapter can stand on its own as a testament to his ability to draw the reader in for one, tiny, specific moment and make it resonate.
After reading this book you will feel not only that you understand the author, but you have had insight into his heart, his mind, his very being. You made a friend who can sit down and tell it to you straight. Whether you agree or disagree with what he says is moot- what matters is that you don't read this book. You experience it. You sit down and you have one of the greatest literary minds of our time tell you something he deems important. And because he's telling it to you, you're important. Share how it made you feel, how it changed your mind, how its dark cynical tone was pregnant with humor. You will have a new outlook, a new perspective so that you and the person you shared A Man Without a Country with can sit down and go on the wild ride again.
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