A fantastic example of this writing advice is Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five.
Poignant and hilarious, threaded with compassion and, behind everything, the cataract of a thundering moral statement. – The Boston Globe
Kurt Vonnegut’s absurdist classic Slaughterhouse-Five introduces us to Billy Pilgrim, a man who becomes unstuck in time after he is abducted by aliens from the planet Tralfamadore. In a plot-scrambling display of virtuosity, we follow Pilgrim simultaneously through all phases of his life, concentrating on his (and Vonnegut’s) shattering experience as an American prisoner of war who witnesses the firebombing of Dresden.
Don’t let the ease of reading fool you – Vonnegut’s isn’t a conventional, or simple, novel. He writes, “There are almost no characters in this story, and almost no dramatic confrontations, because most of the people in it are so sick, and so much the listless playthings of enormous forces. One of the main effects of war, after all, is that people are discouraged from being characters.”
Slaughterhouse-Five is not only Vonnegut’s most powerful book, it is also as important as any written since 1945. Like Catch- 22, it fashions the author’s experiences in the Second World War into an eloquent and deeply funny plea against butchery in the service of authority. Slaughterhouse-Five boasts the same imagination, humanity, and gleeful appreciation of the absurd found in Vonnegut’s other works, but the book’s basis in rock-hard, tragic fact gives it a unique poignancy – and humor. – Goodreads
Highly recommended. A masterpiece.
Libby Sommer, Author 
Reblogged this on Write of Passage and commented:
Here is an interesting observation on the way a great book tells a story. The way a book is written can tell us more about people than detailed description can. Author Libby Sommer points this out by sharing a review of a classic.
Thank you, Libby!
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thank you for the reblog Ellie. glad you found my post interesting. Libby 🙂
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It’s been a while since I read this book, but your post is a great reminder of the reasons I loved it.
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How ironic, my daughter’s class is reading so she’s just ordered the book. I’ve only read Galapagos. If Slaughter House-five is better I’ll have to read it as well. Thanks for the tip. 😊
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yes, that’s a co-incidence. a fabulous book. but not for everyone. i was in a book group once and some of the others didn’t like the book at all. such a subjective thing. 🙂
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I can see how some people wouldn’t like his style, but this is probably the very reason to introduce the book–it’s different from anything the kids have studied so far. And it shows literature comes in all forms, even satire. I’m glad it’s being explored.
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exactly. i agree totally. wonderful to be exposed to different forms of literature.
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I really enjoyed this unique theme👏
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excellent. so glad you enjoyed this writing tip.
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