A tribute to Vonnegut

We all know that the literary world lost an amazing mind and writer in the passing of renowned author Kurt Vonnegut.

There aren't words to describe his prose or approach to stories that carry such heavy memories like Slaughterhouse Five. Though hundreds have tried to capture his wit and wisdom with catchy turns of a phrase with a little science fiction thrill tossed in, I won't even try.

Here, in this post, I will simply say that I admired his skill greatly. I am glad I was encouraged to read Slaughterhouse Five recently for book club and I am thankful I picked up A man without a country a few months ago and read it joyfully in one sitting a few months prior to Vonnegut's passing. He mentions his death several times in the book and as one critic said, it was a work that led a reader to pour over every word.

One such passage made me stop and think of what Vonnegut may have been trying to tell us many times over but didn't hear. What we may practice in every day life and not realize the folly of. What we should open our eyes to:

"I wanted all things to seem to make some sense, so we could all be happy, yes, instead of tense. And I made up lies, so they all fit nice, and I made this sad world a paradise."

Thank you, Kurt Vonnegut.