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Thursday Thirteen: The Death of a Champion
By Nancy Lindquist | April 12, 2007
2. He wasn’t afraid to make fun of himself. “I will say anything to be funny, often in the most horrible situations.” I do the same thing, although not to the same degree. He never worried so much about what others thought.
3. He had horrible habits, like smoking, but he never apologised for being who he was. He never PC’d himself into a corner.
4. He changed the face of American Literature and was a fabulous writer. In an era when most work was prosaic, he broke the mold with his grit.
5. He didn’t try to look like anyone else, talk like anyone else, be like anyone else. He was iconic, but never seemed to get that. Whenever I read something of his, it does not drip with self importance.
6. Slaughterhouse Five is one of the great reads of all time.
7. He battled depression and was not ashamed to tell people that. He helped others who who were afraid that it stigmatized them with his honesty.
8. “He’s sort of like nobody else.” Gore Vidal.
9. He wrote books so powerful, people burned them.
10. He embraced the anti-hero in favor of characters who were a mess. Ain’t no man titty on the hero of, “God Bless You Mr. Rosewater.” That was one unattractive dude.
11. He was Al Gore before Al Gore was out of diapers, “We probably could have saved ourselves, but we were too damned lazy to try very hard … and too damn cheap.” KV
12. He made fun of people who got out of school, but never learned anything. I am personally appalled that there are people so clueless in our society that they cannot win on a show entitled, “Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader.” KV got that.
13. He lived life with a throwaway cool that normal people could not approach. He will be greatly missed.
“Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt.”
Rest in peace, Kurt. I hope the afterlife you worried was not there, sees you dancing in joy.
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April 12th, 2007 at 7:15 am
I am sorry for your loss.
He sounds great. I suppose it is possible that
a person very close to him will one day answer
some of those unanswered questions.
Hugs
Terrific Thursday Thirteen!
My TT is posted.
Have a wonderful day!
Happy TT’ing!
*^_^
(=’:'=)
(”)_ (”)Š
Raggedy
April 12th, 2007 at 9:19 am
I’ve heard a lot about him. I heard of Slaughter House 5 but have yet to read it myself.
April 12th, 2007 at 11:36 am
That was a beautiful tribute Nancy and lots of things to love about anyone.
There are a few attributes on there I’m working on myself.
April 15th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
I used to live in Indianapolis, which was Kurts old stomping grounds. One of his favorite bars was the Red Key. It is this major dive, even 15 years ago when my friends and I used to hang out there. The bar owner was this fiesty old coot, that told stories of Vonnegut. We would sit in rapt attention. Sadly I was usually drinking, so i don’t think I could share even one of his stories. Part of the ambience of that bar was just knowing a great writer hung out there, just like us.