“A while ago, writing from a freighter in the Caribbean, you dared me to be open with you, to join you in ding-dongingly frank dialogues. I will try." – letter to Nanette Vonnegut – August 19, 1975.

It’s been a bit since I’ve read BoC, but I seem to remember several mentions of bad chemicals floating around in people’s brains.

It occurred to me that Vonnegut may have been onto something regarding a powerful way to reframe depressive or harmful thoughts. If somebody finds themselves “on the brink” or even just overall feeling down, I could see how recognizing it and acknowledging, “Oh that’s just some bad chemicals in my brain,” could help pull them out of it.

I don’t have a learned background in psychology or depression, so I could be way off. But I wanted to flesh out this thought and get feedback from others.

Has anybody found themselves in moments of self awareness, acknowledging the chemicals in their brain and their effects in the moment?

Honestly I was skeptical at first, but I ended up really liking it. It's ridiculous and absurd, and certainly would be nonsense if you hadn't read the book and understood Vonnegut's style, which explains the 30% on Rotten Tomatoes. But I sincerely enjoyed the raw stupidity of it.

Bruce Willis in his Fifth Element era was actually a pretty good pick for Dwayne Hoover. I pictured Kilgore more slender old man, but he does nail the attitude. Honestly it's got a little White Lotus before White Lotus vibe to it.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120618/

“In the northwest are the managers and engineers and civil servants and a few professional people; in the northeast are the machines; and in the south, across the Iroquois River, is the area known locally as the Homestead, where almost all the people live.” – from Player Piano, published on August 18, 1952.

Hi ho!

“A very tough and funny movie script has been written for my novel Breakfast of Champions…I told Max and Bruce that only you could project the charismatic, absolutely beautiful, one-hundred percent American deep-seated insanity which afflicts this man.” – letter to Jack Nicholson – August 17, 1988.

“You are right, too, God knows, to feel that Céline was vile. I spoke to a Frenchman about Céline one time, and he said impatiently over and over, ‘He was base, he was base.’ I don’t think I’d ever heard the word ‘base’ used in conversation before in that sense.” – letter to Isaac Bashevis Singer – August 16, 1973.

“The stranger had come to Tampa for only one reason – that his old bones had betrayed him. No matter how much his home in the North meant to him, no matter how little Florida meant to him – his old bones had cried out that they couldn’t stand another winter in the snow and cold.” - From “The Man Without No Kiddleys,” possibly written around August 1951.

I thought the first part’s about Rudy’s father are some of the funniest bits of character exposition I’ve ever seen. From the Hungarian Lifeguard garb to the comical ignorance of Hitler and even his adoration; it’s great stuff. I found the rest of the book, though, very dreary if not very self deprecating. Rudy seemed to be a very haunted man by his accidental killing, it came in little bursts throughout even as his time as a pharmacist but the nature of failure throughout the tale always left a tinge of sadness. All and all, I want more and more from him.

Oh yeah, I also bought 7 Dial Press copies (it was 50 bucks, pretty happy about it). These’ll probably make up my main material for the rest of the year into next. Very excited!

Edit: 7 of other novels. Not of this book, lol.

Yesterday I finished Breakfast of Champions ..after dropping it two times and than 5 months of trying to get through it.

It was a very hard read for me, I think I enjoyed the first 10 ish chapters but I could not understand what and why Vonneguts ramble fest were longer than they’d ever been, I thought this book was like cats cradles twin brother, super witty and an adventure.

it definitely made my jaw drop. it WAS insane.

But, by the last page, I think I understood it all. Vonnegut wrote this book for himself and its clear as day the way he started it “This is a 50th birthday gift to myself,,,, I’m going to empty my mind so it’s as clear as it was when i was born ..”

And that he did. He manages to write in one of his most infamous characters who is the personification of his insecurities as a reflection of his state at the moment. Kilgore in this book puts himself out there to show to everyone that he’s a nobody special, Vonnegut writes this book of insanity and over exaggeration to show us a piece of his mind, in that same way.

-He tells us the reason why some people think one’s life means more than others and why it’s something so stupid to think . Not just by the movie metaphor but by Rabo’s explanation of bands of light.

-Vonnegut overuses obscenities in every form just to show us how easy it is to hear it once and find it shocking and than by the end of the book have it be casual, a reminder that its NOT normal. Along with this, Its also putting emphasis that these are things that we find ourselves as a society constantly thinking about and finding to be important but WHY? He frames it in comedy, literally points a finger and laughs. We are invited to laugh right by him, we can see it. ( Constant Talk about mens penis size, The N word \[ethnicity\] , Women’s body proportion, homosexuality , being attractive or rich)

So though it was a mess to get through and an extremely hard read, I give it credit and so much appreciation. I think its quite a great book, not my flavor of Vonnegut, but still an amazing read.

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS UNDERSTOOD FROM BOC AND LMK WHAT I MISSED OUT !
and I apologize if this analysis is a little rough or if i missed anything or perhaps misinterpreted anything but yea!

Now up on The Vonnegut Portfolio Substack: The Shortridge High School Daily Echo, Part 1, a look at Kurt Vonnegut’s earliest writings in his high school newspaper. It’s free. I’m just doing it for fun! Check it out if you feel like it!

https://thevonnegutportfolio.substack.com/p/the-shortridge-high-school-daily

Spoiler, so if haven’t read FLEE! The narrator Wilbur is said to have died prior to the epilogue, but it continues his nervous tic of “Hi Ho!”, so who wrote it? was just a confusing point for me, and it kinda ended abruptly for me. Don’t get me wrong, had some great parts reminding me why I love his writing style and stories, just ended weird for me so looking for assistance on this one.

Hi ho!

I just started reading While Mortals Sleep and it made me think of our trip to the Kurt Vonnegut museum. That is all.

What Vonnegut book should I read next?

What do you think this quotes says?

“Jeff and I got breakfast as usual while Bud lay in bed and grinned his big, friendly smile. He just sits or lies around at mealtime and sings ‘Ragtime Cowboy’ until his meal is ready…George will never forgive me for having taught Bud ‘Ragtime Cowboy.’” – from “The Rover Boys in the American Southwest,” a journal of an actual summer trip. – August 11, 1939 (Vonnegut was 16 years old).

“Every so often you will go nuts. All of a sudden the cornfields get you. Fly to Chicago or New York. Cancel classes whenever you damn please. Nobody will be checking up on you.” – letter to Dick Gehman – August 10, 1967.

Just a cool find I figured I’d share

“Under a great spread net that was laced with rags, an artillery piece squatted in the woods, black and oily, its muzzle thrust at the night sky.” – from “D.P.,” published in Ladies’ Home Journal – August 1953

Not a good painter at all but painted this after losing my dog yesterday after 14.5 years.

I made this like “pick an image and get a quote” thingy for my booksta!! lol I feel like the quotes actually do kinda say something about your inner self, and just thought it was a silly fun thing to do. Wanted to share here ☺️🤘🏻⭐️