Friday, April 13, 2007

Kurt Vonnegut Has Died

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. died yesterday after suffering injuries from a fall a few weeks ago. You can read the New York Times obituary in the title link. I confess, I have not read much Vonnegut and the two I have read, God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian and Man Without a Country fall under the later, minor works category. I hope to read at least one of his novels this year. He came to speak at my college my freshman year. At the time, I only had a vague idea of who he was. I knew he was a writer but I didn’t really know much about what he wrote or the importance of his work. A lot of people on my floor were really excited about the guy, though, so I went to hear him speak and see what all the fuss was about. I don’t really remember much about what he spoke about—I know I laughed and he talked quite a bit about war. But I do remember feeling an energy that night that made me realize how much of a college education takes place outside the classroom. This was an intellectual and cultural event that I certainly never had the opportunity to take part in before. I’ve been able to attend many other events like that since but I will always fondly remember that experience.

1 comment:

Shuttsie said...

seconded, though I don't remember war talk. I do remember he said that marriages today have problems because husbands and wives look to each other for too much and you need other people in your life (friends and so on). Interesting in light of the Times comments about his relationships with women.