RIP Kurt Vonnegut

"Beware of the man who works hard to learn something, learns it, and finds himself no wiser than before." -Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut passed away recently, a tragedy for lovers of his literature. The NY Times wrote an article about his passing.

I am a huge fan of his work; I even got my little brother (who was not interested in reading whatsoever) to be infatuated with his writing. He has now read more Vonnegut than I have! I want to inspire others to read like I have him--part of my mission as an aspiring ELA teacher.

Anyway, if you haven't read Vonnegut, check out his most famous novels: Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse Five. Or, check out this short story if you would teach utopias or are interested in utopias: "Harrison Burgeron."

I read an article on Vonnegut in my local newspaper in Albany recently, and it turns out that he actually worked at the General Electric plant in Schenectady for a while in the 1940s. A lot of his ideas on science fiction, machines, and factories generate from this location. What a great way to get students interested in Vonnegut, for he lived here and was inspired by local places.

Over the summer, Rolling Stone Magazine put out an article on Vonnegut, which I saved perhaps for future class reading material. Articles from sources like that are exciting and interesting, but if I gave them an article from the newspaper, it might not be as appealing. Yet, they would be more apt to read Rolling Stone. That magazine has very good writing in it, however, so it is sort of a trick to get them to read that.

Anyway, I just wanted to acknowledge a great writer lost.

RIP Kurt Vonnegut