| | Slaughterhouse-Five (Harper Classics)/Cassette |  | Author: Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Publisher: Harper Audio
Category: Book
This item is no longer available
Avg. Customer Rating:  712 reviews
Sales Rank: 4456670
Media: Audio Cassette
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 7 x 4.5 x 0.5
ISBN: 1559949252
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9781559949255
ASIN: 1559949252
Publication Date: July 1994
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| Customer Reviews:
 Aliens and Predestination? Oh My!!! December 10, 1998
26 out of 29 found this review helpful
Kurt Vonnegut creates an intricate and creative story of science fiction while still writing an anti-war novel. " Slaughterhouse-Five " focuses on an incredibly silly character named Billy Pilgrim. After a series of tragic events, aliens called Tralfamadorians abduct Pilgrim. These aliens have the ability to travel to any moment in time whenever they wish. They teach Pilgrim how to travel through time and we find him constantly traveling back and forth through his own life at random. We find Pilgrim one moment reliving the firebombing of Dresden and on the very next page teeing off at a country club ten years later. Incidents exactly like this can be found adorned through the book along with Vonnegut's distinct wit and black humor. One of the stronger points in the book deals with free will and predestination. Billy Pilgrim and the aliens believe that everyone's life is set in stone and everything that we do was destined to happen. One Tralfamadorian tells Pilgrim, I've visited thirty-one inhabited planets in the universe, and I have studied reports on one hundred more. Only on Earth is there any talk of free will." If such a thing were true then obviously the notion of free will is nothing more than human imagination used to fool ourselves. Thought provoking subjects such as this grab the reader's attention and never lets go. Although the writing style is a bit strange and takes time to get used to, Vonnegut manages to weave an intricately detailed world of laughter, war horrors, and moral issues. Slaughterhouse-Five is a truly creative and incredibly entertaining read which comes highly recommended.
The Writing of Vonnegut May 22, 2001
23 out of 26 found this review helpful
Throughout the seemingly incoherent plot structure of Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut illustrates not only his subtle outcry against the stupidity of war, but also his cynical views on the meaning of life. Although the novel is based upon the life of Billy Pilgrim, an optometrist correcting the vision of people on Earth, and his experiences leading up to the bombing of Dresden, Germany during World War II, the time-setting fluctuates as Billy comes "unstuck" in time to view his past and future. This fluctuation may confuse the reader at first, but soon becomes clear, revealing the purpose behind the masterfully chosen timeline. The apparent random structure of the tale holds within it Vonnegut's ideas on the circular nature of life and existence of fate. He first hints to this in the first chapter as he quotes a song that continues through infinite, just as a circle. As the story progresses, the Tralfamadorian aliens are introduced, providing the basis for the abnormal writing style. The Tralfamadorians write in such a way that all events of the book are read at once so that the scenes "produce an image of life that is beautiful and surprising and deep" (88). Although his abduction by aliens is only a part of his imagination, forced into existence by the stresses of war and the influences of his favorite science fiction novelist, it plays a major roll in Billy's "so it goes" attitude toward life and causes him to act in such a way that people are eventually repelled by him. Just as the aliens introduce Billy to infinite, they also reveal the nature of fate. Because these creatures can see through time, they already know the outcome of all events, even the one that destroys the universe. Because they know that nothing can change this, they find that the human concept of free will is hilariously preposterous. Vonnegut also includes his anti-war position throughout the whole mess. In the autobiographical first chapter, he even states that this is an anti-war book. This is further supported by his alternate title, The Children's Crusade, referring to the episode during the great Crusades when thousands of children marched to their deaths. The parallel between Billy's capture in Germany and his capture by the aliens also reveals his attitude. Billy asks the aliens why he was chosen out of all the people on Earth. They only respond "Why you? Why us for that matter? Why anything?" (76). When he is captured in Germany, a soldier is asked "Why me?" and he replies "Vy you? Vy anybody?" (91). This connection between the aliens and the war create a sense that war is stupid. His repeated use of "human beings" in his description of the Nazi transport train forces the reader to realize that these are actual people in this terrible environment. Vonnegut's beliefs in life and war can clearly be seen through the workings of Slaughterhouse-Five as he constantly changes the timeline. These beliefs are all very important to the meaning of the book, but none more than his idea that life is meaningless in a structured time.
 Insipid 60's tripe February 2, 2006
20 out of 56 found this review helpful
Slaughterhouse-Five is one of those rare sorts of books whose total lack of any merit whatsoever is inexplicable in the face of its generally agreed upon status as a world classic.
Had this fatalistic, dewy-eyed tripe not been written during the escalation of 'Nam and the sudden moral ambiguity pervading American letters at the time, it would, honestly, never have made it close.
This is sad. The literati have doubtless showered numerous accolades at its feet, though what, for instance, is there to celebrate in this pure dreck?
Vonnegut's cheap cynicism? The novel itself, when not drowning in a sea of depression and cathartic murkiness, hardly makes a joke worth mentioning that doesn't revile the establishment, turn the hardship of soldiers into a complete and utter disgrace, revile all war, and then have the sheer scholastic arrogance to proclaim once and for all, as though this distorted face were really truth. Yes, as a 'satire', it fails completely.
So we come down to technique. The structure of the novel is mildly interesting, and the minimalism flows well. The writing is fairly clear and potentially charged; if only the subject matter had been improved upon, than perhaps the author could have gotten away with the awards. As such, this is hardly the case.
In short, it's nothing groundbreaking. And moreover it is dangerous. Not to mention very worthless. Had it been a great absurdist parable like Catch 22 (which, though also wrong, has strong artistic license, and will likely stand the ages) than I would have rather different sentiments.
1 star.
Absolutely terrible May 1, 2007
16 out of 45 found this review helpful
I had heard that this author died recently so the name of Slaughterhouse five had surfaced in my consciousness because, while I had attached it to the author, I had never had a chance to read it, and find out what it was about. I thought the title was quite cool, and I knew that it was a science fiction novel--and I'm all for that: science fiction and a good read.
But I have to say, with all due respects to the author, this is the WORST book I have ever read in my life. It is disjointed and hops all over the place. There's no continuity at all. The prose is terrible. The back cover says it is funny without laughing, splendid art, a book without tears. Wrong! I am actually crying: that I paid so much money for this. I gritted my teeth to finish reading this book.
When I logged onto this site, I was amazed that so many people gave this as high a rating as they did. I thought more would feel as vehemently as I did, but alas, not. I guess I am not cerebral enough (or maybe too cerebral) because I--do--not--get--this--novel. I am always admirous of writers and wish to praise them for their efforts when I like the book, but I couldn't here. I gave it what I think it deserved. (And why does he keep saying 'so it goes' all the time. Geez, that phrase is just annoying me now. That phrase would be okay if it was used once or sparsely. But over and over again!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Save your money and buy something else!
 Anti-war novel w/twisted time concept (SLV) ;) December 11, 1998
15 out of 18 found this review helpful
"Slaughterhouse Five" is a work of literary fiction that combines historical, psychological, sociological, and science fiction elements. Unlike your everyday novel, Vonnegut does not express a clear plot, conflict, or climax, instead he offers us a multi-dimensional view of fantasy and reality. Slaughterhouse Five grew out of Vonnegut's own personal experiences during W.W.II, particularly the horrors of the Dresden air raids. Everything Vonegut writes related to the bombing of Dresden is meant to be felt as senseless to the reader. The story is mostly seen through the eyes of the main character Billy Pilgrim, a tall, skinny, sort of senseless man. He becomes "unstuck" in time and travels to different places and times during his life. An interesting yet somewhat confusing element in the story is Vonnegut's use of alien beings called Tralfamadorians to install his multi-dimensional concept of time. Billy is kidnapped by the Tralfamadorians and kept on their spacecraft. There he learns the Tralfamadorian concepts of time, predestination, and the absurdities of the human world. Vonnegut, also present in the novel, includes a telegraphic narrative explaining who he is and where he has been. Vonnegut displays many horrific events constituted with death by means of black humor. When a person dies the term "so it goes" immediately follows as if death were just some careless event. His use of black humor is meant to make the readers laugh in situations of absolute tragedy, such as death. If you're interested in warped SCI-FI with a bit of humor mixed with some hard-rock reality that reads smoothly, I would suggest "Slaughterhouse Five" as an excellent novel in its class. Slaughterhouse Five broadened my perspective of time and whether or not predestination exists. Vonnegut, through "Slaughterhouse Five", opens the reader's mind to his own a different, twisted, world of interesting thought, concepts, and experiences.
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