louiedog: The librarian thing sticks with me because her husband also worked at the school. H

Librarians should not be doing that. It is against the ethics of the profession. Some librarians get around not having books by purchasing them and then keeping them in their desk drawers.

tlchwi02: louiedog: handed her my copy of Jurassic Park and her first reaction after thumbing through it was glaring at me and telling me that I shouldn't be reading a book with so many naughty words

i had the same experience with the same book. teacher took it away from me in elementary school because it was inapropriate for me. my parents were livid when i got home and told them.

My "naughty book" was Roots in grade 6. My mother told me I really needed to read it, and made me watch the mini-series and sat down with me and we discussed it. My grade 6 teacher thought it was inappropriate for my age. Ironic part was that it was Black History month too when she told me not to read the book anymore.

Also, not all librarians are assholes that like to censor. This librarian is a huge Vonnegut fan, and still misses him.

/Mom just told me to keep it at home, and proceeded to buy me more books, such as Lord of the Flies, that 11 year old girls probably couldn't/wouldn't even read in this day and age

NateAsbestos: StaleCoffee: Slaughterhouse Five was a great book. Vonnegut is awesome. Didn't know he was a veteran. Learn something every day I guess.

Really? He talked about it all the time, in practically all of his later, more self-referential books.

Well, yeah, but he also talked about having a penis 3 inches wide and 1 inch long so I kinda just didn't take that in as factual. I shamefully admit I have not really read much about his life. I will go atone for that later and do so.

Tax Boy: Did he remind the students to always wear sunscreen?

Popular misconception - Vonnegut didn't write that.

/just finished his biography

I always thought there were a couple of good points in Salughterhouse Five.

Link (new window) NSFW

crispyone: Most overrated writer in history

Oooohh! Oooh! I know the answer!

Ayn Rand


I thought Atlas Shrugged sucked (had to bail at 100 pgs), but I really liked Anthem when I was 14.

Devo: I enjoy reading. I remember reading Catcher and the Rye on some Florida car trip as a teen. After reading the letter, I will pick up another book by Kurt twenty years later. Any recommendations?

/pretty sure Florida is one big highway.

Catcher was not Kurt. Anyway, you really can't go wrong with anything by Vonnegut but I'd say start with Breakfast of Champions.

azazyel: Devo: I enjoy reading. I remember reading Catcher and the Rye on some Florida car trip as a teen. After reading the letter, I will pick up another book by Kurt twenty years later. Any recommendations?

/pretty sure Florida is one big highway.

My top favs are "Cat's Cradle" and "Welcome to the Monkey House" (bunch of short stories). But "Man without a Country" was really good too. That one isn't a story but a collection of articles that he had written.

"[This] may be as close as Vonnegut ever comes to a memoir."
-Los Angeles Times

Man Without a Country is great if you're into that sorta thing. And lean left.

crispyone: Most overrated writer in history and now sounds like a whiny-asz bich. Could he be any more but-hurt?

Jeez, I've sold millions of books and you burnt 32 of them!!!

This coming from someone so eloquent and learned, I see.

alklloyd: crispyone: Most overrated writer in history

Oooohh! Oooh! I know the answer!

Ayn Rand


I thought Atlas Shrugged sucked (had to bail at 100 pgs), but I really liked Anthem when I was 14.

""Two novels can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other involves orcs."
- the Internet

Durake Sucks!

/ great letter, but a little longer and not quite as elegantly biting as I expected when I clicked the link

Teachers in the 1970s: purse-lipped old biddies who are more concerned about children hearing certain words than they are about educating the children

Teachers in 2000s: smokin' hot babes more concerned about getting laid than educating children

So, some improvement.

Smelly Pirate Hooker: Teachers in the 1970s: purse-lipped old biddies who are more concerned about children hearing certain words than they are about educating the children

Teachers in 2000s: smokin' hot babes more concerned about getting laid than educating children

So, some improvement.


I've dated a few teachers in recent years. Newsflash: 20-something women enjoy a good farking.

yequalsy: honk if you demand satisfaction: CliChe Guevara: Danger Mouse: So where did this copy come from? I find it hard to belive that McCarthey who was burnign the books actually saved the letter?

To all the people asking this, RTFA or RTFT. It came from vonneguts own papers. it was found after he died, and reprinted in a biography.

Actually, he published it himself in his non-fiction collection "Palm Sunday". It says so right in TFA...and I verified it by grabbing my copy off the shelf.

So, in other words, Vonnegut lied.

No. He was obviously referring to the fact that he sent no copies to other people. It was common place in the days before home computers for people to use carbon paper, keeping the carbon of a letter for their files, in case of a need to refer back to what they had written.

TheDirtyNacho: Smelly Pirate Hooker: Teachers in the 1970s: purse-lipped old biddies who are more concerned about children hearing certain words than they are about educating the children

Teachers in 2000s: smokin' hot babes more concerned about getting laid than educating children

So, some improvement.


I've dated a few teachers in recent years. Newsflash: 20-something women enjoy a good farking.

Whoa slow down. You don't say? Holy crap. Call the BBC. Get Brian Williams. Jesus. OMFG.

yequalsy: honk if you demand satisfaction: CliChe Guevara: Danger Mouse: So where did this copy come from? I find it hard to belive that McCarthey who was burnign the books actually saved the letter?

To all the people asking this, RTFA or RTFT. It came from vonneguts own papers. it was found after he died, and reprinted in a biography.

Actually, he published it himself in his non-fiction collection "Palm Sunday". It says so right in TFA...and I verified it by grabbing my copy off the shelf.

So, in other words, Vonnegut lied.

Whar all copies of originals whar?

I'm a total truther about this letter, too.

HallsOfMandos: Tax Boy: Did he remind the students to always wear sunscreen?

Popular misconception - Vonnegut didn't write that.

Beluga Heights: TheDirtyNacho: Smelly Pirate Hooker: Teachers in the 1970s: purse-lipped old biddies who are more concerned about children hearing certain words than they are about educating the children

Teachers in 2000s: smokin' hot babes more concerned about getting laid than educating children

So, some improvement.


I've dated a few teachers in recent years. Newsflash: 20-something women enjoy a good farking.

Whoa slow down. You don't say? Holy crap. Call the BBC. Get Brian Williams. Jesus. OMFG.


Amazing right? Some of loudest, craziest in the sack women I dated were teachers.

Come to think of it, the craziest women I dated (in all respects) were teachers. hmmmm.

Also - this letter was written at a time (iirc) when Vonnegut was working with PEN (new window) and so having his books burned hit a bit close to home.

Orange Guy: I always thought there were a couple of good points in Salughterhouse Five.

Link (new window) NSFW


I remember watching her in the PBS production "Steambath".

The high school burning of a book that carries the title "Slaughterhouse Five or The Children's Crusade" has a nice touch of irony.

When Mr. Vonnegut passed, I realized I didn't own any of his books (I had always borrowed them from the Library). So I went out, bought a copy of Cat's Cradle and re-read it. Great book, by a great American.

/here's hoping future generations can find his work in the library - as I did.

Tax Boy: HallsOfMandos: Tax Boy: Did he remind the students to always wear sunscreen?

Popular misconception - Vonnegut didn't write that.



[images.wikia.com image 452x339]

Well, Poe's Law and all. How can I tell if you are actually moron or just impersonating one really well?

For those wondering why some of us feel Vonnegut changed our lives after reading, here's my response. His writing showed me that we live in world with everything any one could want, if only we could learn to love everyone with the same passion with which we love personal gain. And good music. If you aren't down with the program why don't you take a flying fark at a rolling doughnut. Why don't you take a flying fark at the moooooooooon!

I wonder how the recipient of the letter reacted.

Many people are so star struck by actual authors that they keep any scrap of paper they write on, no matter what is written on it. This guy in North Dakota gets a personal letter from a famous author, he's not going to destroy it. On the other hand, it calls him out on being such a twat, so he's not exactly going to show it around, either. What a wonderful predicament Vonnegut created for the dimwit.

good for lulz, at least.

Just wondering, but...

Are you a member of the turtleneck club?

/Ting-a-ling, you sonofa biatch!

medius: fre





/correction? What correction?

I absolutely LOVE lettersofnote this website is one of my all-time favorites.

yequalsy: LandOfChocolate: I'm curious about the provenance of this letter, how did it come to light now?

The letter itself states that there was only one copy and it was sent directly to the school board chairman.

Exactly what I was wondering. If it was the only letter then the recipient must have shared it (or else the letter is a fake).

Here, for the sourcing-impaired:
(Source: Palm Sunday: An Autobiographical Collage; Image: Kurt Vonnegut, via Everything was Vonnegut.)

See, it is quite possible that he carboned everything he sent out, but didn't really consider that the same as a 'copy', it was for archiving. It's also possible that the family of McCarthy found it and sent it back to the Vonnegut estate. I have never heard of lettersofnote publishing a 'fake' letter, there is sourcing for everything they publish.

AngryPanda: Every time I go to Letters of Note, they always have another Vonnegut letter.

The man had a hell of a voice in correspondence.

I have a book at home that is nothing but letters from Groucho Marx. People used to really write back in the day. Now we just fark around at work.

Rubberband Girl: optional - That's a cool story, but Harlan Ellison yells at so many people for so many different things that it doesn't end up being that impressive.


I got to hug him when he came to Cleveland! How many people can say THAT?!?!

He actually talked shiat to Ol' Blue Eyes.
Frank F**king Sinatra.
Nobody talks shiat to Sinatra.

StaleCoffee: NateAsbestos: StaleCoffee: Slaughterhouse Five was a great book. Vonnegut is awesome. Didn't know he was a veteran. Learn something every day I guess.

Really? He talked about it all the time, in practically all of his later, more self-referential books.

Well, yeah, but he also talked about having a penis 3 inches wide and 1 inch long so I kinda just didn't take that in as factual. I shamefully admit I have not really read much about his life. I will go atone for that later and do so.

Here's an interesting letter you may be enjoy Link (new window)

Apparently, I have been living in a cave, as I have never heard of this site. It is Awesome.

If we weren't -positive- that Mark Twain was dead, I'd wonder what his Fark handle was:

Idiot of the 33rd degree! (new window)

I now realize how incredible it would be to be told off in writing by Vonnegut, Twain, Thompson... and will now never have the chance. Alas. So it goes.

"I once knew an Episcopalian lady in Newport, Rhode Island who asked me to design and build a doghouse for her Great Dane. The lady claimed to understand God and His Ways of Working perfectly. She could not understand why anyone should be puzzled about what had been or about what was going to be. And yet, when I showed her a blueprint of the doghouse I proposed to build, she said to me, "I'm sorry, but I never could read one of those things." Give it to your husband or your minister to pass on to God," I said, "and, when God finds a minute, I'm sure he'll explain this doghouse of mine in a way that even YOU can understand."

― Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle

I recently ran into my middle school librarian at a coffee shop. She still has a big hate-on for Judy Blume.

rufus-t-firefly: Great_Milenko: crispyone: Most overrated writer in history

I'm sorry, did I stumble into a JK Rowling thread? Stephen King, perhaps?

Or are we talking about the committee of advertising copy writers who threw together The Hunger Games?

How the fark has no one mentioned Dan Brown?

/shallow and pedantic

Because everyone has completely forgotten about him?

You see, this is why you don't insult people who write for a living. They're generally better than you at a come-back.

Listen: Billy Pilgrim has become unstuck in time....

... So it goes.