Reading the average review of Breakfast of Champions, one gets the impression that this book must be at once uproariously funny, incisive in its social critism, and deeply philosophical. In truth, none of the above are even remotely applicable. Like Mark Twain, whom Vonnegut has often been likened to, Vonnegut's humor is largely based on tongue-in-cheek irreverence of the "Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" variety. The idea is to write a social critique from …
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showed last 75 words of 640 total
…explain; how the person searching for a 'purpose' in literature shows a fundamental lack of comprehension of what literature is.... And so on. Breakfast of Champions is tasteless "trash" (I am quoting Vonnegut's own appraisal of the book on p.6 - for once his bluntness is entirely apt), fortified with heaps of smug pretentiousness. If you can stomach this sort of junk, have it your way; for a real literary meal, look elsewhere. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**