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Kurt Vonnegut

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater Mass Market Paperback – January 1, 1971

by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (Author)

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Language

English
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Dell
Publication date

January 1, 1971
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Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000K1YZ6Y
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dell; 9th THUS edition (January 1, 1971)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4 ounces

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4.3 2,662 ratings

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Kurt Vonnegut

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Kurt Vonnegut was a writer, lecturer and painter. He was born in Indianapolis in 1922 and studied biochemistry at Cornell University. During WWII, as a prisoner of war in Germany, he witnessed the destruction of Dresden by Allied bombers, an experience which inspired Slaughterhouse Five. First published in 1950, he went on to write fourteen novels, four plays, and three short story collections, in addition to countless works of short fiction and nonfiction. He died in 2007.

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4.3 out of 5

2,662 global ratings

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Megan M.

Book has water damage

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 24, 2023

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The last 1/3 of the book is water logged. Smells terrible.

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David Durtschi

Classic Vonnegut, but not perfect

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 2, 2013

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'God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater' is a novel about conflicting social viewpoints, specifically, socialism vs. capitalism (although, to be fair, I would have to say ultra-capitalism, considering the vast wealth of all the people involved). I am a huge Vonnegut fan, and although this book was good, and had many quotable lines, it was missing a key element that most Vonnegut stories have in abundance: a plot. There is no actual plot here, nor is there really a resolution. The psuedo-plot follows the attempt by Eliot Rosewater to use his inherited vast fortune to help the less fortunate, while his father attempts to bring him back into the fold (start using his money for what it was intended, making more money), before an opportunistic lawyer from the firm that handles the Rosewater fortune declares Eliot insane, thus putting the money in the hands of another branch of the Rosewater family. In reality, the book is mostly a social commentary centering mostly on debates/arguments between Eliot (the "socialist") and his father (the "capitalist"). What I found really amazing in the book, is how it illustrates the genuine fear that the rich have of any type of socialism, not because it threatens their vast wealth (that is pretty secure), but because it runs contrary to the way they believe things are supposed to be, the most extreme type of social darwinism. The rich in this novel don't consider the system to be unfair and they don't consider themselves "lucky", in fact, they look at the fact that they are rich as proof that they actually ARE better than everyone, and that their fortune is actually given to them in a divine manner, as if God himself chose them to be rich and above everyone else. Most of the characters in this book, especially the Rosewaters, are all on the extreme side of their coin, probably not reflecting any sort of reality, but it does make the book fun to read. Who will like this book? Only Vonnegut fans probably, or anyone that wants to see capitalism and the rich portrayed in the worst possible way.

6 people found this helpful

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Sam King

A good read with a nice message

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 9, 2013

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Vonnegut claims that "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater" is a novel about people whose leading character is money. The protagonist, Eliot Rosewater, has inherited millions of dollars (earned from robber baron ancestors) in a charitable foundation used as a tax shelter. He, however, uses it as an actual charitable foundation. His father thinks he's crazy for giving away money; a lawyer and a cousin want to prove he's crazy to get his money; his wife doesn't think he's crazy, but can't stand it in any case.

However, while money does feature prominently, it would be a mistake to think that the novel is about money. A recent Goodreads review describes it in terms of Occupy Wall Street: "If you belong to the one-percent economic bracket, prepare to be mocked by Kurt Vonnegut. If you are a 99-percenter, prepare to realize that the joke's still on you." However, money is just the flavoring, not the dish itself. The rich folks range from charitable to greedy and industrious to lazy and ignorant, and being charitable is the experiment of someone who is far from normal.

I see this, like many of Vonnegut's works, as a humanist novel. The book is about loving people even if they're useless, annoying, greedy, or ignorant. Even if they hate you. Even if they say "God bless you, Mr. Rosewater" ironically egotistically. His baptism was also great: "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."

Some people criticized the ending, but I liked it. I can understand the criticism -- it was abrupt. However, it was also fitting. It felt right for the characters, right for the story, and right for the message. Also, the musical rendition of the ending was pretty fun (don't listen to it if you don't want a spoiler).

God bless you, Mr. Rosewater.

3 people found this helpful

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Davewise

A different look at socialism

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 12, 2012

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This book is a rather interesting one, with a fair dose of humor and philosophy. This is the first book by Vonnegut which I've read and I found his writing style easy to read and very entertaining and witty. I can't say I agree with his economic philosophy - I tend more toward capitalism than socialism - but I appreciate the unique way he put his ideas across. The titular character, Eliot Rosewater, is in charge of administering the family fortune with power to do whatever he wants with it. At one point in his life, he decides to abandon the trappings of a rich lifestyle in favor of a more modest one. He moves to a backwards county home to lots of people labeled as worthless by upper society. While there, he offers to help anyone in need however he can, whether it includes providing money or other types of support.

While the people in need are very grateful to Eliot, most outsiders seem to look on his actions as evidence of his insanity. Eliot seems to be an alcoholic, but that bothers his father and others far less than his concern for the welfare of strangers. It's clear from Vonnegut's portrayal of Eliot's critics - his father and others each have their own issues - and the way they voice their criticisms that he's firmly on Eliot's side. Who wouldn't be - he's just a regular guy using his inheritance to help out the less fortunate. I find it interesting how Vonnegut seems to be pushing for people who can to help out the less fortunate, rather than having the government handling it. This approach to socialism is quite different - it's voluntary and individual. Even more importantly, Vonnegut makes a case against class distinction. The people Eliot helps need simple recognition as human beings and emotional aide even more than money. Too many people are like Eliot's father - too aloof and snobbish to give common people a second thought.

11 people found this helpful

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Troy Parfitt

Capitalist Criticism? Literary Psychedelia? Weird but good.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 4, 2015

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I’d been reading rather serious books and needed something humorous, so I got the Kindle edition of Kurt Vonnegut’s God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. It’d been a while since I’d read Vonnegut. Years ago, I enjoyed Slaughterhouse Five, Breakfast of Champions, and Hocus Pocus. I also read Cat’s Cradle, but didn’t really go in for it. It was a little too sci-fi for me. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater is good, but pretty out there. The beginning is highly structured and organized, but the narrative soon spins off into myriad tangents. At times the writing is practically psychedelic. Imagine if the album The Worst of Jefferson Airplane were a book. The story is a bit of a magic carpet ride. Consequently, it’s hard to say what Rosewater means: commentary on the oddball nature of capitalistic society? The apparent randomness and unfairness of the universe? Everyone will take away something different. It’s not as funny as Breakfast and, for me, not as deep as Hocus Pocus, but it’s still good – funny in places, nicely written, and – best of all – highly imaginative. And it was nice to read something quirky and relatively light. I hope to read more of Vonnegut in the future.

Troy Parfitt is the author of Why China Will Never Rule the World along with War Torn: Adventures in the Brave New Canada.

6 people found this helpful

Tony Hill

Short, precise and bloody funny

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 9, 2014

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Another great, satirical romp by the mighty Kurt Vonnegut. If, like me, your starting point for KV was Slaughterhouse 5 and you're on a mission to read as much of his output as possible, this is a must. If this is your starting point, it's still a must.

Its short page count is stuffed full of Vonnegut's typical quirky characters, razor-sharp wit and deft prose. A darkly humorous swipe at High Society and the wealth gap that works just as well today as it did, no doubt, at time of writing.

4 people found this helpful

drjonty

Goddammit be kind

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 6, 2017

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Vonnegut is a sharp and flamboyant satirist. His imagination is wild, his tone generous and his humor sane. This confident and mature work also has a pitiless eye on grand American hypocrisy.

5 people found this helpful

Dex

Excellent

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 2, 2020

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Some of his best work..just below S5, Mother Night and cats cradle. Would recommend for anyone who likes Vonnegut. Stellar.

Kindle Customer

Good read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 12, 2013

Verified Purchase

Having read other books by Kurt Vonnegut , this I was looking forward to and didn't disappoint. The story was good and moved along at a good pace compared to slaughter house 5 this is a better story . Will be reading more

2 people found this helpful

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God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater Mass Market Paperback – January 1, 1971

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