Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut was first published in 1987 and is the hoax autobiography of Rabo Karabekian. This novel is laced with many parallels to Vonnegut’s own life. Much more so than his other novels as they all include aspects, either references or core experiences, from his personal history. Regardless of any level of direct association between author and text, this book was fun to read because it focuses on a changing history within America (and the world) mostly around art, war, and the changing of generations and what is remaining, fading, or gaining the spotlight of world events.

This novel centers around Rabo Karabekian, an aging artist and World War II vet, who has a secret locked away in his potato barn on Long Island. Along comes a younger, recently widowed, woman who invites herself to stay in his home and badgers him to tell her his life story. The result is in effect the entirety of this novel.

Circe Berman, the widow in question, is tiresome at times with her efforts to uproot Rabo’s contentment with (or resignation to) the life he has led. I doubt anyone would really have put up with some of her behaviors, but her own vitality re-ignites the old man’s interests in life to the point he is no longer content just sitting around and waiting to die. This gives us our story and one which I recommend because Vonnegut again gives a narrative that provides a unique perspective of what life means on this small world and how we live together within it.

The celebrities of today will fade and new popular artists and persons will emerge. Each generation seems to have their own heroes and time is unrelenting. Rabo Karabekian was fine thinking he was a forgotten artist who possibly made it into a footnote of history. He had seen much change in the world and most of his friends were gone. His perspective of seeing a world that has somehow already moved on from such a major event as World War II is both incredulous and sorrowful.

Unfortunately, the technologies of today almost make it seem like newsworthy events are cycling through the front page faster and faster than ever before. The world has forgotten the realities of the World Wars and unfortunately quickly forgets the realities of yesterday leaving us no time to mourn or laugh or even ponder the moments that are making up our lives.

So, dear reader, I hope you remember to slow down and enjoy the life you have. Read books that make you feel, think, wonder, and learn. Read books that give you new perspectives. The world is rich with all types of experiences. Go forth and enjoy the time you have.

Happy Reading.

Mother Night is Kurt Vonnegut’s third book and was originally published in 1961. It is one of several of Vonnegut’s novels that is relatively short and, at least for me, read easy. I very well could have finished it in an evening. I did finish in just a few days.

This story features Howard W. Campbell, Jr. who is wanted as a WWII Nazi war criminal. However, he was secretly a spy for America, his native country, but has no way to prove his work that helped defeat the Nazis and no agent from America will or can vouch for him. His work as a spy prevented him being tried as a war criminal directly after the war, but after 15 years lying low in New York, he becomes the center of many people’s, and several nation’s, attention once again.

Not only does this book drip with references to Vonnegut’s own time during WWII, but it provides a fictional yet very real perspective of how people still hold strong beliefs and alarmingly hateful ideas despite what paths have been walked throughout history. I hate to say that this book very much remains relevant considering the growing number of people spouting old hatreds that should have been buried by society long ago (or perhaps the hatreds were always there and they found new ways or more confidence in shouting them).

Howard W. Campbell, Jr. is a man who did and promoted terrible things. He admits as much and states how he was able to do them in order to survive the times that enveloped much of the world. He knew the evils he committed but held shreds of hope that his work was worthwhile as through those evils he provided information to assist those he truly believed in. His struggles resulted in a mostly apathetic, shattered old man who finds a way to live through any situation or society. Unfortunately, I think to a degree, we all take part in a society where we disagree with many aspects and wish things were better than they were or more accepting of the things we hold most valuable.

For me, that would be books, and the recent increases in book bans (including works by Vonnegut) only increases my desire to speak up and spread the information others want to suppress. Perhaps this counts as doing just that.

Happy Reading.