Here’s an interesting article from the Los Angeles Times about Kurt Vonnegut’s latest book (A Man Without a Country) and about his work in general. Vonnegut’s current take on the human race is pretty bleak (not that he was ever all that optimistic). I disagree with his statement that only a nutcase would want to be a human being (or else I have to confess that I’m a nutcase), but I like the fact that he’s still doing his best to find something beautiful and useful to do with his talents. There are a number of ideas in here that inspired me, including what he has to say about the comfort to be found in words on the page, and the fact that great Americans are still speaking to us in their books, if we only read their words. I really liked the closing quote too. I don’t think Vonnegut has really given up all hope of finding the good in humankind, and I’d like to read his new book.
http://articles.latimes.com/2005/sep/10/entertainment/et-vonnegut10
