A Man Without a Country

Looking back, looking around and, presumably, looking up and shaking his head, Kurt Vonnegut unleashed a stream of witty advice and discourse in his last contribution to the literary world. In A Man Without a Country, which ended up being his first book in seven years, Vonnegut got some things off his chest. Speaking to his fellow Americans, he offers an honest and bitingly cynical view of the world, while retaining his brilliant sense of humor. In this compilation of previous articles and speeches, Vonnegut crafts an autobiographical commentary punctuated by hand-lettered maxims. He has every right to be a curmudgeon, but his voice is that of an older man who still looks at the world with the curiosity of a precocious child. With chapter titles like “Here is a lesson in creative writing” and “Okay, now let’s have some fun,” A Man Without a Country is a quick and enjoyable read. Vonnegut comments on the state of our nation, politics, art, censorship and twerps. This is Vonnegut’s truth. And as he writes in chapter two: “You know, the truth can be really powerful stuff. You’re not expecting it.”