Moving piece of literature...Vonnegut with another winner.

books:

	• Mother night (Bard books) Kurt Vonnegut Avon, 1972 - 192 pages average customer review:based on 99 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

Vonnegut is a master

Howard W. Campbell, secret agent for the US and a Nazi propaganda artist faces execution by a War crimes trial in Israel circa 1960. Will he be recognized for his service with the Allies or will he be executed for his crimes while 'playing a Nazi'? Vonnegut leaves us with a story of a man plagued by his on ambiguity and the consequences of associating one's self with the wrong cause. Very good story, very insightful writing; Vonnegut shows mastery.

Howard W. Cambell Jr.'s story

This is the second book I've read by Vonnegut(after the exceptional Cat's Cradle) and Vonnegut proves his superior ability to create complicated characters. After finishing the book, I still have no Idea if Cambell was a real person or not. (I don't think so, but the author made him feel like a real person.) My only complaint is that the plot was never clearly defined and it constantly shifted in time. But other than slight lack of focus(which works in a way since it is the last written words of a probably soon to be convicted war criminal possibly about to be hanged, making the story all the more realistic.) Overall this was a great book with all issues such as morality and responsibility. In fact, I loved the idea that a man working as a spy could serve the side he is spying on far more than he could ever serve the ones he is spying for... all unintentionally. Vonnegut loads the story with humorous ironies also.

for more information click here

Fascism for opportunists

Prerequisite for Mother night is Palm Sunday, where Vonnegut bemoans the lost of his family's ties to German culture. Motehr night, like Speer's biography (and Arendt's interview with Eichman) is about how easily a seemingly ordinary person, this time Vonnegut imagining himself as an American in Germany before and during WWII, can fall into fascism out of opportunism. Sister book to this one (complementary) is Slaughterhouse Five, which Vonnegut did not have to invent because he was there for the show.

Great Book

This is one of the best books I have ever read. The story of Howard Campbell is compelling. All of the differing supporting characters are interesting. Since most of the other reviews are so good, I'll just say that this is a book that is a joy to read and is easy to read. It is relatively short and Vonnegut writes in a style that makes you want to finish the book in one night. Also of interest is the movie Mother Night starring Nick Nolte which stays very close to the book and features a cameo by Vonnegut.

for more information click here

Moving piece of literature...Vonnegut with another winner.

Mother Night is one of my favorite Vonnegut books, along with The Sirens of Titan and Hocus Pocus. It is different than the majority of his works, as Vonnegut does not rely on obvious comedy, or space travel. In this account of an accused Nazi war criminal, Vonnegut lets the reader deep within Campbell's mind, in order to allow the verdict to waver back and forth between guilty and not guilty. This is a brilliant novel, and it deals with issues deeper than Vonnegut lets on. A must for Vonnegut fans...

reviews: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, page 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

hot

not?

What's your opinion?

Write a review and share your thoughts!

search for books
mother night, bard, books, mother, night

Impressum / about us