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| View Larger Image | Slapstick: Or Lonesome No More!
by Kurt Vonnegut
| | List Price: | $14.00 | | Price: | $11.20 | | You Save: | $2.80 (20%) |  | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours | | | | | Sales Rank: | 42269 | | Studio: | Dial Press Trade Paperback | | | Binding: | Paperback | | Number Of Pages: | 288 | | Publication Date: | May 11, 1999 | | Publisher: | Dial Press Trade Paperback |
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
Slapstick presents an apocalyptic vision 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 Vonnegut’s pen into hilarious farce (a final slapstick that may be the Almighty’s joke on us all.)
“Vonnegut’s ongoing puppet show…that fabulous is reborn.”—John Updike
“Both funny and sad…just about perfect!”—Los Angeles Times
“Imaginative and hilarious…a brilliant vision of our wrecked, wacked-out future.”—Hartford Courant
*The New York Times |
Amazon.com
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. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 72 reviews)
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Not one of his better books 
I have mixed feelings about Kurt Vonnegut. I always admire the way he writes - his ability to propel me through a book, quickly and effortlessly. I know there will be a few good laughs, some heart-wrenching tragedy, and some wry or clever social commentary. When he is at the top of his game, he is one of the best. I really enjoyed Breakfast of Champions and I consider Slaughterhouse Five to be a masterpiece. So every couple of years, I read another Vonnegut book, hoping to recapture that magic.
But here's the thing - while I like the way Vonnegut writes, I often find myself not really liking the actual story. The plot devices are too silly, too cute, or too absurd to be taken seriously. Or worse, the jokes fall flat or the satire is uninspired.
Slapstick has all of these faults with none of the rewards. After 25 pages, I knew the book was a dud and seriously thought about putting it down. But it is just so easy to read, I kept on, hoping it would improve. But to no avail. If anything, it lost momentum about half-way through the book, when the Wilbur's twin sister, Eliza, moves out of the story. Overall, the plot is foolish and ridiculous. The funny parts aren't that funny, and the sad parts are only occasionally poignant or tragic. Finally, the satire isn't clever or insightful; rather, it feels obligatory and halfhearted.
So I kept thinking, what is the point of this book? That Kurt Vonnegut mourns the loss of his sister, the one person he wrote for? While her death is sad, Slapstick only hints at his pain, so the reader never fully appreciates the extent of his loss.
Perhaps the point is that simple human decency is desirable and the cornerstone of a functional society. Okay. But I already knew that, and this book didn't really do much to show me why I need a reminder.
I found out soon after reading Slapstick that Vonnegut considered it to be one of his worst books. If you love Vonnegut, go ahead and give it a whirl. You'll plow through it in a couple of hours. But if you are new to Vonnegut or just lukewarm on him, give this one a pass.
Hi ho.
August 25, 2008 | |
AMAZING. 
There is no way that Slapstick is over-rated. I just read this in honor of Kurt Vonnegut's passing (re-read). I read all of his books around the mid to late 80's. I think I've gone back and re-read all of them for the second time, but this was the third time I've read Slapstick. It really just dosen't get much better than Vonnegut does it? I really enjoy reading his speech and letter stuff, plus his later books, but then when you go back and read one of the "heavy hitters", it just is really out of control isn't it?! The first four books I heard about from Vonnetgut where Galapagos, Slapstick, Cat's Cradle, and Deadeye Dick. I had heard about Slaughterhouse but hadn't read it. I read those first four and that was it, my mind was blown, I simply had to read ALL of this man's writings, and I have never been disappointed. Some of his material is lighter, some mind blowing, but it is ALL amazing stuff. Hey, this is just because I care man. cheers
August 09, 2008 | |
Is Slapstick over-rated? 
This is an absolutely bizarre story, even for Vonnegut. It is hilarious, but for me most of the humor is far too dark and poignant to be 'laugh out loud' comedy for anyone who hasn't yet hardened themselves to dark, depressing satire.
Because Slapstick is a portrait of cultural loneliness and human whim - mostly as an American phenomenon. The plot is a collection of lost childhood and the real dangers we are willing to ignore in order to pursue social networks and happiness.
A quick read, packed with gargled nonsense and satire that 'comes off' only to the extent you jibe with Vonnegut's sense of humor. In that vein, the ending is quite good, and it all comes together much better in reminisce than perhaps it does throughout.
I think people rally around this novel because of Vonnegut's slipshod consistency (in popular consciousness) during his late period, which this story precedes slightly (or, heralds?). If you're just starting with Vonnegut, the classics are: Cat's Cradle, Sirens of Titan, Slaughterhouse V, and Breakfast of Champions. I would recommend any of those titles (in roughly that order) before this one.
February 06, 2008 | |
A little less love, a little more decency
Such was the world Dr. Wilbur Daffodil-11 Swain tried to create as the west disintegrated around him. As the President of the United States, Swain promised relief from the isolation modern society has created--a system of family networks, randomly created, and a set of rules. No, you don't have to love them, or even like them much--but you owe them, as they do you.
But Wilbur was too late, and as he writes his memoirs he sits in an abandoned NYC, one of few survivors of two massive pandemics. The world has long ago exhausted its supply of fossil fuels, and uncontrolled scientific progress has unleased the forces of gravity that used to hold the physical world in place. Not the bomb, but just as bad. He's with his granddaughter and boyfriend, who hope soon to become the slaves of the one person who's stumbled upon the antidote to the green death.
More than thirty years ago Vonnegut offered up this view of the apocalypse, and his foresight was stunning. Some find this book funny, and it's certainly a massively entertaining read--but I found it scary. The threats Vonnegut wrote about in the mid-70's are more real than ever, and technology has only increased the noise level along with our isolation.
But even in this dark world, Vonnegut has let a little light in. His granddaughter is pregnant. And how did she make it halfway across the country in all the chaos to jopin Wilbur? By relying on her computer-generated family. No love, no passion, few expectations--help each other out is all.
Vonnegut is a master. So many of his works are perceived as sophisticated young adult sorts of books, but that certainly shouldn't scare anyone away. The plots are fantastic, the language silly, the characters far from realistic. But there are a lot of layers here, well worth your time.
August 31, 2007 | |
Classic Vonnegut.
Slapstick is a true Vonnegut classic. At its simplest, Slapstick is the story of a brother and sister isolated from their family due to birth defects (both mental & physical) and their life's journeys once they are seperated from each other. Of course with any Vonnegut story their are many twists, turns and sub-stories contained within the bigger story. Slapstick is also the comical tale of the end of the world as we know it and what leads us there.
The writing of Slapstick is great and very easy to read. You can read this story in only a few sittings but as with any Vonnegut book the story can get confusing to follow at times. Although I highly recommend reading this book, If you have not read any Vonnegut before I would suggest reading either 'Mother Night' or 'Slaughterhouse 5' first to get acquainted with his unique writing style.
August 12, 2007 | |
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