Two for the price of one!

What contrition! What value! What productiveness! Yes indeed ladies and gentlemen, two posts in the same night. And thus I muse on Kurt Vonnegut, in accordance with prophecy:

I gained a new respect for literary critic Harold Bloom (I've heard his name before, but couldn't tell you what he's done) a few days ago while looking through his suggested Western Canon. All in all it seems like a very standard, solid like of western literature. I wish I had the time to read all of the books he recommends; maybe someday I will. But at the end, when he addresses twentieth-century American books, he lists a book for author Kurt Vonnegut. This in itself is not unusual, the ironic/satirical Vonnegut is on most "Great Books" lists that deal with the twentieth-century. But instead of suggesting the obvious Vonnegut work Slaughterhouse Five like every other lit critic, he includes Cat's Cradle as the best of Vonnegut's novels. I agree. Slaughterhouse Five is okay, but I've never understood why it is considered his best work. Likely because it deals with World War II and has been adopted by the anti-war crowd. Equally likely because it is short. Cat's Cradle has always seemed a superior work, it is entertaining, ironic, and well written. It is thoughtful and absurdly philosophical. I read it all in a single day and it has since been my favorite Vonnegut book. It was nice to have some confirmation. So all of you should go out and read Cat's Cradle. For those at PHC, there is a copy in the library. Go.