Glad to hear you liked Player Piano, Jeremy! If you keep reading Vonnegut, I'll be interested to hear how you think it stacks up with his later novels. I'm finding that he really continued to sharpen his wit as he matured as a novelist.
Hi Jeremy thanks for the recommendation of the Player Piano. If it’s like Fahrenheit 451, will definitely be adding it to the list. Really like Bradbury idea in this of completing memorising books to preserve them. What would be your book to memorise?
Player Piano sounds like one to add to my “what am I doing with my life?” reading list. And I love Vivek Murthy. He gave a commencement speech at Arizona a few years ago. Nobody expects those to be memorable, but some of the things he said stuck with me— and it wasn’t even my own graduation.
Really appreciated the Dr. Murthy reference here. I read Together a few years ago (when I also attempted to start a book barter that never really took off) and had this to say at the time: While I’ve been interested in the the issue of loneliness and isolation in the past, I became a bit obsessed this past year (take a wild guess as to why) and have been devouring as much content as I can on the topic. Together, through a canny combination of authentic anecdotes and rigorous research, Dr. Murthy presents his case for what currently plagues our society (with a nice focus on how this manifests differently in men) and ways to combat it.
Glad to hear you liked Player Piano, Jeremy! If you keep reading Vonnegut, I'll be interested to hear how you think it stacks up with his later novels. I'm finding that he really continued to sharpen his wit as he matured as a novelist.
Agree about the later works. Galapagos springs to mind. Witty but deep.
I've been thinking about a Year of Vonnegut, actually. Either way, more of his work is definitely high on my list.
Hi Jeremy thanks for the recommendation of the Player Piano. If it’s like Fahrenheit 451, will definitely be adding it to the list. Really like Bradbury idea in this of completing memorising books to preserve them. What would be your book to memorise?
Having read a lot of Vonnegut in my youth, I recommend Cat’s Cradle. I heard Vonnegut speak in Indianapolis in the 1980s.
Wonderful, thanks Harley!
The one that comes to mind most readily is When Breath Becomes Air. Life-changing, for me at least.
So many great imaginative books by Vonnegut.I immediately think of Slapstick and Breakfast of Champions.
His other books are definitely high on my list!
Player Piano sounds like one to add to my “what am I doing with my life?” reading list. And I love Vivek Murthy. He gave a commencement speech at Arizona a few years ago. Nobody expects those to be memorable, but some of the things he said stuck with me— and it wasn’t even my own graduation.
"Player Piano sounds like one to add to my “what am I doing with my life?” reading list." --> Definitely!
I’ve never read Vonnegut, but this one is going on my list.
Really appreciated the Dr. Murthy reference here. I read Together a few years ago (when I also attempted to start a book barter that never really took off) and had this to say at the time: While I’ve been interested in the the issue of loneliness and isolation in the past, I became a bit obsessed this past year (take a wild guess as to why) and have been devouring as much content as I can on the topic. Together, through a canny combination of authentic anecdotes and rigorous research, Dr. Murthy presents his case for what currently plagues our society (with a nice focus on how this manifests differently in men) and ways to combat it.
If anyone wants to take the book barter concept, here's the initial post: https://open.substack.com/pub/kathekon/p/lets-barter-books-like-tapers-traded?r=7j6pb&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web