Slapstick presents an apocalyptic vision as seen through the eyes of the current King of Manhattan (and last President of the United States), a wickedly irreverent look at the all-too-possible results of today’s follies. But even the end of life-as-we-know-it is transformed by Kurt Vonnegut’s pen into hilarious farce—a final slapstick that may be the Almighty’s joke on us all.
Slapstick (Kurt Vonnegut series)
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Book Description
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Amazon.com Review
Dr. Wilbur Daffodil-11 Swain, centenarian, the last President of the United States, King of Manhattan, and one-half (along with his sister, Eliza) of the most powerful intelligence since Einstein, is penning his autobiography. He occupies the first floor of a ruined Empire State Building and lives like a royal scavenger with his illiterate granddaughter and her beau. Buffeted by fluctuating gravity, the U.S. has been scourged by not one, but two lethal diseases: the Green Death and the Albanian Flu. Consequently, the country has fallen into civil war. (Super-intelligent, miniaturized Chinese watch the West self-destruct from the sidelines.) Swain stayed at the White House until there were no citizens left to govern, then moved to deserted New York City, where he writes a thoughtful missive before death.
In Slapstick, Vonnegut muses on war, man's hubris, and the awful, crippling loneliness humans are freighted with--but, miraculously, the book still manages to delight and amuse. Absurd, knowing, never depressing, Slapstick kindles hope--for the possibility of wisdom, perhaps; for human resiliency, surely.
It's best to end with a quote from the prologue wherein the author discourses on The Meaning of It All, or at least This Book: "Love is where you find it. I think it is foolish to go off looking for it, and I think it can often be poisonous.
I wish that people who are conventionally supposed to love each other would say to each other, when they fight, 'Please--a little less love, and a little more common decency.'"
Amen.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
“Some of the best and most moving Vonnegut.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“Both funny and sad . . . just about perfect.”—Los Angeles Times
“Imaginative and hilarious . . . a brilliant vision of our wrecked, wacked-out future.”—Hartford Courant
“Both funny and sad . . . just about perfect.”—Los Angeles Times
“Imaginative and hilarious . . . a brilliant vision of our wrecked, wacked-out future.”—Hartford Courant
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More About the Author
Kurt Vonnegut was born in Indianapolis in 1922. He studied at the universities of Chicago and Tennessee and later began to write short stories for magazines. His first novel, Player Piano, was published in 1951 and since then he has written many novels, among them: The Sirens of Titan (1959), Mother Night (1961), Cat's Cradle (1963), God Bless You Mr Rosewater (1964), Welcome to the Monkey House; a collection of short stories (1968), Breakfast of Champions (1973), Slapstick, or Lonesome No More (1976), Jailbird (1979), Deadeye Dick (1982), Galapagos (1985), Bluebeard (1988) and Hocus Pocus (1990). During the Second World War he was held prisoner in Germany and was present at the bombing of Dresden, an experience which provided the setting for his most famous work to date, Slaughterhouse Five (1969). He has also published a volume of autobiography entitled Palm Sunday (1981) and a collection of essays and speeches, Fates Worse Than Death (1991).
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
43 of 43 people found the following review helpful
By M. Strong
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
When reading Vonnegut, I find myself rethinking subjects I pass over in day-to-day life without a second thought. It makes me feel enlightened, like I have some unique perspective on the world. In reality, the only credit I deserve is for my choice of reading material. Vonnegut so effectively carries his reader to a different point from which to view the world that you barely notice that you didn't get there yourself. What could be a greater testament to an author than that?
All of Vonnegut's novels accomplish the same feat, but this one does it more, or better. As this book wound down, I became sad - not because I didn't want the story to end, but because I didn't want the feeling of seeing the world from a unique place to end. Fortunately, once you put the book down, a lot of that new perspective stays with you.
This is a great book for anyone who wants to see the world in ways they haven't before. Very highly recommended.
All of Vonnegut's novels accomplish the same feat, but this one does it more, or better. As this book wound down, I became sad - not because I didn't want the story to end, but because I didn't want the feeling of seeing the world from a unique place to end. Fortunately, once you put the book down, a lot of that new perspective stays with you.
This is a great book for anyone who wants to see the world in ways they haven't before. Very highly recommended.
48 of 52 people found the following review helpful
By J. Sesta
Format:Paperback
I am almost AFRAID to write this review, as "Slapstick" is my all-time favorite book, and I feel that an amateur review somehow cheapens it.
This story covers a lot of territory in a short period of time, but, as is the case with 99% of Vonnegut's work (I exclude "Timequake"), it is all tied together into one perfectly flowing storyline.
The main theme in "Slapstick" is lonliness, and the inexplicable human condition that forces each individual to search for acceptance into something bigger than just individual identity.
If you've never read a Vonnegut book, this should be your first choice, as it is one of the best examples of Kurt Vonnegut's uncanny ability to make the reader laugh out loud at tragic/sad situations.
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By Jane James
Format:Paperback
Vonnegut himself said he couldn't decide if this book was his worst - or his best.
I love this one and it's my favorite Vonnegut book.
In it he actually discusses his own life a good bit, and his relationship with his sister, with whom he was very close. I felt like I had a much better idea of who Vonnegut is after reading this one.
The two main characters are very engaging, and the story is classic Vonnegut -- you gotta love people despite all their faults. The story is post-Apocalyptic, as so many of his stories are, but it has a more positive feel to it than many of them, despite the poor circumstances the people are in.
The message that life goes on is a hopeful one. I found the relationship between the main characters to be very thought-provoking. I think the critics vilified this one when it was first published, and I can't say that if you like Vonnegut you'll love this one -- because even some of his fans didn't like this one so much.
But if you like the idea of 2 soulmates being better together than they are separately, and if you've a fondness for the idiosyncracies of geniuses, you might like this one as much as I did.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
I broke my Vonnegut cherry on this one
This is the first Kurt Vonnegut book I read and it made me fall in love with Kurt Vonnegut. It's funny and makes some great cultural points. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Allen Taylor
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great, classic Vonnegut
This is a bizarre, sort of senseless but at the same time hilarious and moving story that just Vonnegut could write. Loved it and highly recommend it if you like his style.
Published 29 days ago by User
1.0 out of 5 stars
Sloppy writing
When I think of Slaughterhouse 5 and other great K.V. books I find it hard to believe that the same author could market a book as empty plot-wise as this one. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Rebellemming
4.0 out of 5 stars
Assigned reading
I am a veteran teacher and became interested in Kurt Vonnegut's writings from our Nevada English text for freshmen students. Read more
Published 1 month ago by annyoakly
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific
There is no such thing as bad Kurt Vonnegut
However, Slaughterhouse Five remains his masterpiece.
Cat's Cradle is a close second
However, Slaughterhouse Five remains his masterpiece.
Cat's Cradle is a close second
Published 1 month ago by upstate bill
3.0 out of 5 stars
Far out
I felt like I was in a Hieronymus Bosch painting, where all manner of things are contemplated and few are immediately apparent. Read more
Published 1 month ago by E. Petrilli-Massey
3.0 out of 5 stars
Just not for me!
I had a really hard time enjoying this book. It just felt like he spent a very long time delivering his message. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Shay
5.0 out of 5 stars
RosettaBooks edition? Unh-uh
I like a deal. This is literally one of my favorite books (and I don't have it in Kindle format yet). Today it happens to be one of the 1.99 Kindle Daily Deal. Read more
Published 2 months ago by House of Charn
4.0 out of 5 stars
Weird and thought provoking.
This was an odd book, and not typical of ones I usually read. I found it very thought provoking -- especially regarding political and social topics.
Published 2 months ago by lbk
3.0 out of 5 stars
Strange but OK
Very strange indeed! I guess I would call this a fantasy and a satire. Interesting, but so far out there somewhere. I kind of liked it, but it left me confused. Weird!
Published 3 months ago by Conservative Reader
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