What we’re about
"We are healthy to the extent to which our ideas are humane"
Are you a longtime fan or newly interested in the works of Kurt Vonnegut? Are you looking for a dose of humanity and sanity in a crazy world? Maybe you're just interested in reading some good fiction? If any of the above are true, you'd be a great fit for the Kurt Vonnegut Book Club.
Every month, we'll be discussing one of his works, starting with his first novel, Player Piano, and eventually working towards classics like Slaughterhouse Five, Cat's Cradle, and my personal favorite, Breakfast of Champions.
Upcoming events
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Mother Night
Edgewater Beer Garden, 2508 Gray St, Edgewater, CO, USDetails
Our third entry is one of Kurt's darkest: Mother Night
Quote
“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”
Description
Mother Night is the first novel that dips its toe into Vonnegut's experiences in World War 2 that will be a hallmark of many of his later works:
"Set during and after World War II, the story follows Howard W. Campbell Jr., an American playwright living in Nazi Germany who becomes a double agent, broadcasting propaganda while secretly serving Allied intelligence.
Campbell's wartime role leaves him morally compromised and isolated, unable to distinguish between his authentic self and the Nazi persona he performed so convincingly that even he questions what he really believes."
Extra Credit
For those interested in reading a companion piece (similar topic, different author), please read Jorge Luis Borges' short story 'Deutsches Requiem'.19 attendees
Cat's Cradle
Edgewater Beer Garden, 2508 Gray St, Edgewater, CO, USDetails
Our fourth book is Cat's Cradle
Quote:
“Live by the harmless untruths that make you brave and kind and healthy and happy.”
Description
Folks, it's about to get weird. This book has everything: musings on atomic weapons, parody religions, fictional Caribbean islands, and even magical crystals that can end the world. I can't really do this book much better justice than to say that it's one of Vonnegut's best and worthy of the wait.6 attendees
God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater
Edgewater Beer Garden, 2508 Gray St, Edgewater, CO, USDetails
Next up: God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater
Quote:
“Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you’ve got about a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of, babies — ‘God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.”
Description
The main question the novel asks is this: "How do we love people with no use?"
While Vonnegut takes less of a sci-fi turn in this novel, he remains firmly grounded in the humanist ideas that define his career. GBYMR also includes the first appearances of the firebombing of Dresden and Kilgore trout, and references and wry nods to many of his other works. Fans of intertextuality, rejoice!2 attendees
Past events
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