Goodbye Kurt Vonnegut, You Were a Seriously Cool Dude - Page 2

Strangler Lewis · 04-11-2007, 10:54 PM

Apart from his writing, he was really good in Back to School. He looked about 84 then back in '84. Now he and Rodney are both gone. As are so many others.

thecorndogwalker · 04-11-2007, 11:05 PM

One of my favorite lines from a movie was from the 80's teen flick called "Just one of the boys" where a girl dons boy drag to and goes to another high school. Her teenage brother is this little horndog and he is talking about a playboy centerfold he is drooling about and says.
"She despises Toxic waste and reads Vonnegut in the bathtub!"

Hey it got me into Vonnegut...

Loved Breakfast of Champions... Loved his concepts of the "LEAKS"

Ghoulish Delight · 04-11-2007, 11:34 PM

Poo-tee-tweet.

Mixed bag indeed on his work as a whole, and I very much disagreed with some of his strong views.

That said, he was a genius and much of his work entertains me quite a bit. Writers like him are few and far between, I always found it odd that he was a contemporary and I find it equally odd that he's gone.

Moonliner · 04-12-2007, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by News

Kurt Vonnegut, the satirical novelist who captured the absurdity of war and questioned the advances of science in darkly humorous works such as "Slaughterhouse-Five" and "Cat's Cradle," died Wednesday. He was 84.

In college my roomate had to write a critique of a "Breakfast of Champions". The teacher did not like his take on the book, gave him a bad grade and said his views were just wrong. So my roomie sent his paper along with the teachers comments to Kurt. About a month later he received back a message:

Dear John:

Your teacher is an asshole.

Sincerely
Kurt Vonnegut

(oops, I just noticed the other thread on this. Would someone merge this with that?)

3894 · 04-12-2007, 06:55 AM

Dear World,

Kurt Vonnegut had serious writing chops. Thank God he let us read his stuff.

Sincerely,
Helen

Snowflake · 04-12-2007, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonliner

In college my roomate had to write a critique of a "Breakfast of Champions". The teacher did not like his take on the book, gave him a bad grade and said his views were just wrong. So my roomie sent his paper along with the teachers comments to Kurt. About a month later he received back a message:

Dear John:

Your teacher is an asshole.

Sincerely
Kurt Vonnegut

(oops, I just noticed the other thread on this. Would someone merge this with that?)

What a great story. Farewell Kurt (in truth, I thought you'd gone already

)

SacTown Chronic · 04-12-2007, 08:20 AM

It's such a great story, I still remember the first time I heard it.

So either Vonnegut has called many a professor an "asshole" or Moonie's roommate is THE guy in the story I heard (read).

Moonliner · 04-12-2007, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SacTown Chronic

It's such a great story, I still remember the first time I heard it.

So either Vonnegut has called many a professor an "asshole" or Moonie's roommate is THE guy in the story I heard (read).

I would not be suprised if Kurt recived and responded in kind to many such letters. However in this case I did see the actual letter from Kurt. (Circa 1981 or so...). If you can find the refrence you saw please post it. I'd be interested to see if there is a connection.

Strangler Lewis · 04-12-2007, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonliner

In college my roomate had to write a critique of a "Breakfast of Champions". The teacher did not like his take on the book, gave him a bad grade and said his views were just wrong. So my roomie sent his paper along with the teachers comments to Kurt. About a month later he received back a message:

Dear John:

Your teacher is an asshole.

Sincerely
Kurt Vonnegut

(oops, I just noticed the other thread on this. Would someone merge this with that?)

Nice story. Interestingly, that was basically the bit in Back to School. Rodney hired Kurt Vonnegut to write his English paper on a Vonnegut novel. The snooty professor recognized that Rodney could not have written the essay and added that whoever did knows nothing about Vonnegut.

Professors being professors, you'd probably get the same result with whatever author you plugged in.

Sub la Goon · 04-12-2007, 06:52 AM

I still consider Mother Night to be one of my favorite books.

I will miss his skewed point of view.

04-11-2007, 10:54 PM	#1
Strangler Lewis Doing The Job Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: In a state Posts: 3,956	Apart from his writing, he was really good in Back to School. He looked about 84 then back in '84. Now he and Rodney are both gone. As are so many others. __________________ Live now-pay later. Diner's Club!
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04-11-2007, 11:05 PM	#2
thecorndogwalker Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: east west hollywood Posts: 435	One of my favorite lines from a movie was from the 80's teen flick called "Just one of the boys" where a girl dons boy drag to and goes to another high school. Her teenage brother is this little horndog and he is talking about a playboy centerfold he is drooling about and says. "She despises Toxic waste and reads Vonnegut in the bathtub!" Hey it got me into Vonnegut... Loved Breakfast of Champions... Loved his concepts of the "LEAKS"
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04-11-2007, 11:34 PM	#3
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	Poo-tee-tweet. Mixed bag indeed on his work as a whole, and I very much disagreed with some of his strong views. That said, he was a genius and much of his work entertains me quite a bit. Writers like him are few and far between, I always found it odd that he was a contemporary and I find it equally odd that he's gone. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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04-12-2007, 06:55 AM	#5
3894 Next Stop: Funkytown! Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Cheeselandia Posts: 1,907	Dear World, Kurt Vonnegut had serious writing chops. Thank God he let us read his stuff. Sincerely, Helen
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04-12-2007, 08:20 AM	#7
SacTown Chronic the myth of the dream Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,217	It's such a great story, I still remember the first time I heard it. So either Vonnegut has called many a professor an "asshole" or Moonie's roommate is THE guy in the story I heard (read).
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04-12-2007, 06:52 AM	#10
Sub la Goon Ride me! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: The line forms here... Posts: 326	I still consider Mother Night to be one of my favorite books. I will miss his skewed point of view. __________________ You roll the dice, you move your mice.
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