"A Man Without A Country" is Kurt Vonnegut's (KV) comical take on his life and life as we think we know it. Published in 2005, the title is a caustic jab at Pres G W Bush (and there are plenty) and the NYT for propagating the assumption of "weapons of mass destruction" in Iraq justifying Presidential carte blanche to invade Iraq & perpetuate endless warfare. Vonnegut, not unlike his literary icon Mark Twain & comedic doppelgänger, understood the power of humor to invoke the truth and the power of truth to instill the need for laughter; "that's the soul seeking some relief." I just used a semi-colon much to the chagrin of KV who admonishes his reader at the onset never to do so. (He's not the only one to be irreverent.) However, at the end of his fascinating memoir, comical & cutting social commentary and blatant critic of our selfish, lazy, self-destructive nature, KV makes use of this grammatical symbol. His bombastic defense is "Rules only take us so far; even good rules." Read as an anti-war, anti Bush or environmental plea to save the planet, KV's razor sharp wit and keen philosophical observations make his final publication a delight to read; a call to wake-up & smell the coffee. Oops(;) I did it again. His life is endlessly fascinating and his words notably quotable. "Another reason not to talk about war is that it's unspeakable." Unlike his heroes Twain & Einstein whom KV claims gave up on mankind, he chose to acknowledge happiness, "If this isn't nice I don't know what is." Vonnegut died in 2007 at the age of 85.
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