Benedict Cumberbatch reads a letter from Kurt Vonnegut at Letters Live, Hay Festival
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- čas přidán 2. 06. 2014
- Part of the 'Letters Live' event at the Hay Festival 2014. Recorded in the Tata Tent on 31st May 2014. Benedict Cumberbatch reads a letter by Kurt Vonnegut to a headmaster who had just burned all the copies of a particular book by Kurt in the school's furnace. This letter is taken from the book 'Letters of Note' by Shaun Usher
This was the fifth letter Benedict read of the Letters Live event on this day. This also includes the 'bows' at the end, with Rob Brydon, Louise Brealey and all the other readers, and Benedict throwing his rose into the audience.
So sorry its a bit wobbly at times but the chairs were quite rocky!
I do not own the copyright, and thank Hay Festival, Letters Live, Shaun Usher, Simon Garfield, Cannongate books, the readers and all behind the scenes for the most wonderful, enlightening event. Who knew Letters could rock quite so much?! If you've not read the books they are DEFINITELY worth a read - Letters of Note by Shaun Usher and To the Letter by Simon Garfield.
“A sane person to an insane society must appear insane.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
Never a truer word spoken
"Berhaps you will learn from this that books are sacred to free men." This gave me goosebumps. Nobody talks like this anymore.
@Anakin Jasper Douche.
Indeed they don't; nobody writes anymore by hand with purpose, intent, and thought.
Also, nobody says "Berhaps" anymore.
I was introduced to Kurt Vonnegut in an English grammar school by a beloved American teacher. And what a favour that man did me. I still regard Vonnegut as one of the best authors ever. Not everyone gets it, but his articulation in this letter shows his mastery. RIP Mr Vonnegut. Oh and well done Benedict!
I love how he portrays his best American accent throughout...
I didn't notice till halfway through
I think he even studied Vonnegut - not to imitate, but to channel his phrasing, enunciation. A good actor would, and Cumberbatch is among the best.
Vonnegut has been a literary hero of mine since I was 15. Every 5-10 years, I go back and revisit his stories and novels and they remain as powerful and insightful as the first time I read them.
What a wonderful reading of this letter.
I had an older sister who was an avid Sci-Fi reader, she would say to me, "Read this". Vonnegut was one of the authors she introduced me to at 13. I consumed every new novel he came out with until I was 21 or so. As an adult, my real taste in books tends more towards English literature, but I'll always have a soft spot for Kurt Vonnegut.
Oop I Oop
Me too, loved him since I was 14!!
Just realized...he is using an American accent, as much as possible, to read this letter. Impressive. As. Always.
Had you even heard Kurt speak when you made this comment?
Thank you! I have just finished Slaughter House... A re-read. The more things change, the more they stay the same. I have raised many children, oldest 37 and youngest 14, all are well read and familiar with Vonnegut. Never considered his writing anything approaching a corrupting influence. We look to the anti war and the irony of free will message.
2020 these are words we continue to need. So grateful to find others who are able to share them.
Kurt Vonnegut, one of my favorite writers. Wow, what a powerful reading. Thank you for posting this.
Same
He sounds so different . I am floored. It is quite amazing .
Mr. Cumberbatch is an acting animal, a master of his chosen profession, with skills that are masterful and under his total control. He can do whatever his characters demand of him to portray the truth of who they are. His vocal skills, body language, facial features, etc. are simply amazing. He can play anything; whatever he does is simply magical.
I love Kurt Vonnegut’s book so much. I have read his history, I will always adore 🥰 Kurt Vonnegut!!!!!!!! I consider myself a Bokononist. I am so proud of Kurt’s letter and Benedict’s reading of it. Kurt was indeed a patriot and an amazing human, his imagination has allowed mine to soar! My son loves Vonnegut as much as me!
I am a native born citizen of the United States. I became disenchanted with American culture in my thirties. Now in my mid-fifties. I am just starting to see our inherent good. This letter filled my heart in a way little else has. 😌 Thank you.
Benny's American accent is really getting much better! Love this!
This is so GOOD.; the great man speaking to us across the years. Everyone who cares about literature ought to read it now or share this with as many viewers as possible, especially in a time when books are being censored and writers cancelled. I found it in a collection of Kurt's essays...years ago. I can't quite remember the title, but it exists in perpetuity in black and white. God rest you, Kurt--and I don't think that's an ironic remark for a man of faith like me to write about a man such as Kurt; in fact, I think he would be charmed. "God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform" as the poet Cowper put it. So it goes... What a wonder was Kurt Vonnegut, and kudos to Benedict Cumberbatch for his impeccable reading.
This is awesome. Cumberbatch as fiery Vonnegut!
We read this in my English class now I’m obsessed
So it goes
Ben's quite the natural with accents!
Incredibly powerful letter and read. And, this was from 1990 and here we are continuing to ban more and more books. 🤬. Thank you for sharing.
Linked here from reddit, fucking boss letter here, read so well.
Elements of Fahreinheit 451 in this speech. I Just watched the biopic of Kurt Vonnegut on Skyarts. I was totally transfixed by this person whose life was filled with tragedy living through being a POW and seeing death and destruction in Dresden. He lost his elder sister through cancer and two days before she died her husband died in a railway bridge disaster which led him to adopt her three boys. I now have a new mission to read as many of his books as possible.. Nice speech and letter Mr Cumberbatch.
Dear God he's so handsome
Gorgeous reading! BC has some voice power :)
My father, was an avid Vonnegut reader, he also read U.Sinclair, and catch 22. He loved Louis L'Amour and Richard Bach, and Frank Herbert's Dune.
My mother both loved and hated him when she left him for the 10th time after her 200th black eye. He'd touched me. That was her line. He choked her and beat her regularly. He beat us kids. But when he stepped across that line, it was one step too far.
I'm not sure what my father was hiding, because he wouldn't let me read Vonnegut; I'd asked several times.
Later, after we were gone a few years, I asked my mom about the books he read. She got angry and said that it was obvious that he'd been influenced somewhere and that was probably it. Nuff said, case closed. I got the message. Dad was a pervert and if he read Vonnegut, it's probably where he got it. Check.
I was 16 when he died 35 years ago. I never questioned my mother. It's taken until today to learn about Vonnegut and by extention, my father.
I have some reading to do.
Good bless you Kurt.
Thanks very much for uploading these HQ clips!
interesting that he is affecting an American 'accent' for this. Doesn't make his voice any less mesmerizing. :)
“It was evil deeds and lying that hurt us.” ❤
We need to get Benedict Cumberbatch to read the Navy Seal Copypasta.
He doesnt really sound like vonnegut to me tho.
I can't get the image out of my head. This would be so hilarious.
My favorite gift to someone if I can't think of anything else is to give him or her a Kurt Vonnegut novel. If they haven't read anything by him, Cat's Cradle.
so relevant today
funny how nobody is comenting about the letter but only about the person who reads it...
There was an old man who lived near you.
He saw so many fools he did not know what to do.
He gave them some stories without any BS.
Then whiped them all soundly and put them to rest.
That was great!
Excellent Sarah B
Receives standing ovation by people who think deplatforming is civilized behavior...
Who caught Ben's flower?! ... He bit that flower... I need it! 3
Kurt was the "Dude".
Yes yes
looks like somebody else got another copy of his letter. btw- that crowd is very loud & rude. These performers have a lot of words to get thru. Keep quiet & let them do what you came to hear!!
Nice undershirt
Curious about why this is being read at a festival in Wales. Does book censorship occur similar to how it does in some US schools?
No, not at all! I'm Welsh and have been reading Vonnegut since I was about 13. His books are in all the libraries I've ever visited and I'm a voracious reader!
Fine, just try to refrain yourself from burning books.
PS. I wasn't expecting the Spanish Inquisition...:)
No one ever does. ;)
This type of conversation about true history you don't expecting! Don't come with this silly talk about the rights of women,gays or even animals because i know how comunist/progressist like to divide people. This kind of activism love to divide and then conquer. Can't you see that they like to use people as pawns only to create caos in society this is the start of World New Order.Is in every place...sports,politics,medicine this plage of comunist disguised as progress of mankind.When in fact as Lenin said and wrote in his Decalogue 's 1913- The 10 principles of the left - The translator of communism-the human trash to give many freedoms and rights to society and after enslaving it. This in 1913 people! It seems that until it was written yesterday ...Marxism Today - Your name is Political Correctness, Diversity, Multiculturalism
vanessacarter1981 It is difficult to answer you because it is pretty clear you're simply applying your worldview to whatever grabs your attention at that particular moment. This time it is Vonnegut, the next - who knows, maybe Dr. Seuss? I guess it makes no sense to try to explain you how absurdly wrong you are about the brave writer Kurt Vonnegut, because essentially you don't care about him in the slightest. Only pity for this comment section.
Well ,well you don't give up!What can i do?You are the big fans of Mr Cumberbatch doesn't matter what he done if right or wrong.You really don't care about him,about his life i care because when i like one artist or person i care too much!Sometimes our favorites artist maked things that we not like. It's obvious that I do not agree with everything that people say or think, I also am not approving these things for exemple: progressim and comunism.You don't give the true value to freedom, I'm not talking about these moral deviations so absurdly accepted as " new normal" this debauchery that turned the western world, this confusion of values so ingrained in modern society.I don't wanna impose nothing you want to impose me this "new normal" these anti-christians values that i never will accept in my life doesn't matter if people will or not believe in GOD!Today Christians all over the world are ridiculed and murder for their beliefs considered antiquated for our days. God is everlasting and His laws and commandments are eternal wanting the man or not,because of that Muslims, Chineses and even the Russians do not want to enter this scheme the globalized world of true adoration to money, lusts, idolatry,depravity and pleasures.Nobody want to give anything of these things to serve the true. Poor materialistic world which will be yours when Christ returns?
vanessacarter1981
You said you care too much. I think I'd agree with that. Please take care of yourself. I know what it's like to worry about things, and it can be very hard on our health. If you hurt your health too much, you won't be able to do the good things you want to do with your life. I wish you the best.
Who else just listening to this because they to lazy to read it during quarantine. Me
Kiyoxmii nope🤣 just listening because of benedict👌🏼
"I figured out how to keep humanity from hurling itself off the cliff. To start, we're all going to post our favorite Rant(s) on 11-11 at 11:11.
~ xoxo Hahn Furst”
#FLICKiT
#HappyBirthdayKurt
#HappyBirthdayFyodor
#HappyBirthdayLeo
I come back to this video shortly after the mosque shooting on 15/03/2019 in Christchurch, NZ, which saw 49 innocent people killed. The New Zealand government are threatening to make the gunman's manifesto illegal to possess, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
I'm very conflicted about this, as I understand that the manifesto is hateful and insights violence. The ban will also supposedly deprive the shooter of the infamy he craves, though I think it might backfire and be subject to the 'Streisand Effect'.
I think it is a terrifying precedent, because I don't know how many steps (or what sort of leadership changes) it would take before innocuous books are tainted with a hefty prison sentence, and for this kind of mentality to spread to the other governments of the world.
If a book can change your perception of the world to such a degree that it can drive you to commit the most unspeakable act, it says much more about the person than it does the book. Any stupid person can write a book, can write whatever stupid message they like into the book. It is down to the person as to whether or not they will listen to it. The problem is not with books, or messages, or people writing books and spreading messages. It is with people listening and following without question.
Did Cumberbuddy do this to practice his American accent?
ik hou van appels
I am not by any means an "academic" but I always struggled to understand "Slaughter House Five" about concentration camps??
Nope - Slaughterhouse 5 in Dresden, Germany was a place where pre-war Germans killed animals to make food for humans in that slaughterhouse.
K and his buddies worked in a factory to make a malt vitamin drink for new mothers to imbibe, because there wasn't much food for humans anymore.
Slaughterhouse 5 was where K and his buddies were paradoxically saved from the satanically savage Allied bombing outside, after which humans were turned into burnt food themselves. There were also scattered small pillars of ash which would not be good food for humans.
"The birds in Slaughterhouse-Five make the sound “Poo-tee-weet”- which is about all that can be said about killing people in industrial quantities.
Try K's "Armageddon in Retrospective" - it's pretty short and very clear about this Children's Crusade.
Have you read it? Are you american?
Aren't you Harry baby ?
His accent isn't quite right. He sounds a bit Irish.
Book burning has been a fascist obsession for a long long time.
I don't really understand why Vonnegut was upset about it. I've had people want to censor Christmas cards. I just ignore them.
onaturalia wut?
You've convinced me. Book burning is okay now.
He was upset about burning books, that give opinions different to what others believe children should read!
Poorly read by badoonga crimpleboth i thought
It's for nothing dialogue with people wants only bread and circus!This is a waste of time!The honorable man seeks justice.The small man seeks advantages .Confusio (551. BC-479. BC) .Which of the two will be that Mr. Cumberbatch wants to be?
I would guess he's going to be "the Actor" and immerse himself in the challenge of characters offered to him due to his talent. And he will live his life, as much as possible, out of the limelight while attempting to claim some privacy for himself. As ANY one should be able to do. I'm glad he eschews social media, it's very intelligent of him. People online are, in large part, nasty and judgemental creatures who say terrible things behind the safety of their keyboard in their warm homes as he does his best to ignore it and get on with his job. More power to him.
It's not my case, i only try to open minds...to the disease of the success and fame that many people want and even sells his own soul (the most precious thing that we possess , God, Jesus Christ and the HOLY SPIRIT) to the devil!
V.Carter 21
How exactly do you feel he has "sold his soul?" He continues to campaign for causes that are clearly dear to his heart, he doesn't seem to care if others care whether or not it is "politically correct" or him or not- he does it anyway- because he feels it is right. How is this "selling his soul?" He spends his free time with his wife and child, and his friends, and he obviously depends on his friends to keep him grounded. You and I do not know him, and have no right to judge him- as the book you are quoting states.
Well read, Actor.
As for Vonnegut: he is shooting every fish in the barrel, twice, with a howitzer. I liked the fact that he had an engineering background of sorts (so did Mailer who didn't brag about it half as much) and that he used to scold luddite hippies that it was not a vice to know how a refrigerator worked.
Yet this is not a particularly well written letter for a professional writer. Yes. Books are sacred. Are they all sacred? Is Mein Kampf sacred? And Vonnegut gets in the fact that he has lots of invitations to speak and is therefore important and that the little man should pay attention to someone as important as he is and that he is even good with tools and can fix the little man's refrigerator. A succession of narcissistic non-sequeters resonantly read by Actor. (By the way, how is Actor reading an entirely private letter? Did the little man who received it treasure it? Would Vonnegut, so good with tools, be capable of lying?)
Vonnegut was a nobody's nobody 4 years before this letter was written. Slaughterhouse 5 made him rich and famous because it was seized by the antiwar movement to undermine morale in Vietnam. This was highly profitable for anyone who could do it at the time.
I don't know if anybody remembers the Vonnegut commercials from about 20 years ago where he goes to some online bookstore and buys all his own books which is exactly what a solipsist would do. He died in his 85th year, walking his dog, tangled in a leash, crashing to the New York city pavement, a martyr to pet ownership. Greater love than this hath no dog owner. And an argument for owning cats.
Finally: what writer would defend freedom of speech now? It got you speaking fees in 1973. It gets you un-personed today. Vonnegut's courage was cheap at the 1973 zeitgeist exchange rate.
Courage is never cheap. And you're an asshole. Your slight portrait of Vonnegut is nothing compared to who the man really was: a patriot, a man unable to lie, and a great humorist. He also wrote movingly of the human condition, with fury and compassion. If Slaughterhouse 5 helped end the Vietnam War, excellent. That was a very great byproduct of that novel about another war.
@@FasterFaster196 Vonnegut was a mediocre writer and an insufferable egoist. Your post manifests the same symptoms.
What "courage" did V have? He served with millions, honourably, OK. So did most of my relatives and they dud so quietly and uncelebrated. He opposed the Vietnam War at a time when doing so was lavishly rewarded. He was a jackal. So are you.
I would appeal to all non-jackals to listen to Vonnegut's risibly self-important letter and then to Feynman's letter to his late wife and then tell me which one was the better writer. Vonnegut's letter described his own magnificence and importance. Little else. Feynman loved someone besides himself. Vonnegut was swollen with self love.
You applaud Communist victory? "End" the Vietnam War? Vonnegut was the fool du jour for the adversary culture. He was well-paid for it. In 20 years no one will read him.
But I am cut to the core by the epithet "asshole". Truly you are his worthy descendant.
@@FasterFaster196 i did not see my attempted reply post. Let me concisely summarize.
Vonnegut opposed the Vietnam War at a time when any writer doing so was lavishly rewarded. This required no courage.
He served in the War. So did my dad, my uncles and all their friends. He deserves no more credit.
His letter is insufferable self important and bullying. Compare his letter and Feynman's and then tell me who the better man - and better writer was. I am appealing to the viewership at large as you clearly have no taste or moral values.
Your vulgarity ("asshole") makes you his worthy literary heir but probably his last. In 20 years no one will read this mediocre narcissist.
As for applauding Communist victory in Southeast Asia, the people who propped him up longed for it as you revel in it.
The post was slow. Excuse the redundancy. Triple the vitriol.
@@FasterFaster196 And Vonnegut obviously lied about keeping this letter private. So he was capable of lying. Probably to his wives, lovers, and on his taxes as well.
Look, in 3 years, maybe sooner, it will be illegal to read white male authors anyway. For most of my life, Vonnegut was considered cool, though he was a humourist without humour and perhaps the single most unquotable semi-major writer of his generation. His antiwar masterpiece took place in World War 2, the most necessary war in human history. Is it a profound insight to question fire bombing? Or to point out that it was unenjoyable to experience it?
Whatever else you may think of his literary ouvere, this specific letter reeks of narcissism, mendacity and bullying. How was it relevant that Vonnegut was good with tools? Why didn't he mention he was good at horseshoes?
I don't appreciate being called an "asshole" for not admiring Kurt Vonnegut. I was pretty much ordered to revere him by my teachers too because of the courageous antiwar stance that got him overpraised and overpaid for the last 35 years of his life. He no longer really matters. He is not pining for the fjords. He has ceased to be, neither in heaven nor hell. But through you and other kindred spirits, his witless bullying marches on. Glory.
Well, it was me search on google this guy Kurt Vonnegut and not liked what I saw about the book in question: Slaughterhouse-Five.In wikipedia says that the content and terrible for children and was criticized and censored for it in 1972, not needless to say what I found in the book now is terrible for children if was true what wikipedia says about it.That actor that I admired so much and i just liked because of the fierce caused the instant success of Sherlock by BBC and also ended up liking it of this Actor turned up now unfortunately one more controversial celebrity.I wanted to know what he Mr. Cumberbatch has against Christian values? But I guess I'll never know, after all I'm only a number and who cares what the numbers as I (and deadly anonymously) has to say ...
mira3ful checked out her comments on other BC videos at this festival, you'd find that her comments are all very FUNNY.
You've made the same mistake as the person to whom Vonnegut wrote, in the letter Benedict read. You haven't read the book. I have read it. It is no danger to anyone of high school age, nor to society. Christian values? Which ones? That term is used by many people who give it different meanings.
You are another !Please read what i said to mira3ful .oh i will forget to say to you teke care with Decalogue of Lenin - The 10 principles of the left - The translator of Communism - The Human Trash.The Marxism Today - Your name is Political Correctness, Diversity, Multiculturalism.
vanessacarter1981 For some reason (I know it won't help) I want to say this: try to be specific, ok? Because now you're simply pouring out your 'message' on cue, and I might as well have said 'hello' to you and you would have told me exactly the same story. For starters: so you approve of burning this book, right?
Well i just want to open your eyes because I do not know where and what you from, whether maybe you are from europe, america and etc ... but let me posted The Decalogue's Lenin and only to get you an idea and almost exactly the same as we witnessing this today . And the incredible coincidence of this not mere fiction's facts.
The "Decalogue" written by Lenin in 1913.
Decalogue of Lenin and the present:
In 1913, Lenin wrote the "Decalogue" which featured tactics to seize power actions.
a) Any resemblance to the present day, it is no coincidence
b) Having history is in charge of ending the ideological issue, meditation ideals then advocated, may reveal astonishing similarities these days, but let's see:
1 .. Corrupt youth and give him sexual freedom;
2 .. Infiltrate and then control all vehicles of mass communication;
3 .. Divide the population into antagonistic groups, urging them to discussions on social issues;
4 .. Destroy the people's confidence in their leaders;
5 .. Always talk about democracy and rule of law, but as soon as the opportunity arises, take the Power without scruple;
6 .. Collaborate for the squandering of public money; put into disrepute the image of the country, especially overseas and causing panic and unrest among the population through inflation;
7 .. Promote strikes, even illegal, in vital industries of the country;
8 .. Promote disturbances and contribute to the constituted authorities not to restrain;
9 .. Contribute to the collapse of moral values, honesty and belief in the promises of the rulers. Our infiltrators in democratic parliamentary parties should not accuse the Communists, forcing them without penalty expose them to ridicule, to vote only on what is in the interest of the socialist cause;
10 .. Look catalog all those who possess firearms, that they may be confiscated at the appropriate time, making impossible any resistance because ...
Damn them all belonging to the DREAM LEFTIST DOCTRINES RED COMMUNISM, NAZISM, FASCISM ...
I just listened to Oscar Isaac read Richard Feynman's letter to his dead wife.
OK, Feynman, a physicist is an infinitely more effective writer than Vonnegut.
Break this letter down: (1) this is private no copies are retained (obviously a lie); (2) I am frequently invited to give commencement speeches; (3) I have children and I am good with tools; (4) I've taught at Harvard (not really, they let you speak at a seminar because you were the antiwar flavour du juour); (5) you are nobody; (6) books are sacred, even books that claim books are not sacred are sacred; any nonsense, drivel or raging hatred that has been bound between covers is a holy object and; (7) did I mention I am frequently invited to give commencement speeches? You may have seen me on TV as well.
This is the most dishonest, shallow, narcissistic screed in the history of human correspondence. Vonnegut was a smirking mediocrity.
Feynman was a genius and a man of deep feeling.
Cumberbatch-code is not at fault. He placed the emphasis on random syllables that fine actors are trained to do in order to ensure that we stay awake watching Shakespeare. He contorted his facial features impressively. He did everything actors are expected to do and paid lavishly to do.
Vonnegut simply had no soul. Feynman had one.
You criticise Vonnegut for a letter he wrote 'privately'. He may have archived a copy of this letter for autobiographical/biographical purposes. You discuss Feynman's letter to his dead wife. What's the difference between the two writers? Is it that you weren't 'ordered' to revere Feynman as you were forced to revere Vonnegut? You need to let go of your searing bitterness, as evidenced by the number of lengthy comments you've posted! I was, like my schoolfriends, 'ordered' to revere Shakespeare but I never let it cause me to hate and obsess over him, you need to let go of your hate, it isn't healthy!
@@sianchetty1361 The difference, Petty Chetty, is that Feynman was a Physics Nobel laureate and his eloquent letter reflected genuine love for his late wife. Vonnegut was a novelist of middling skill, lifted on a wave of antiwar sentiment, who wrote a bullying little screed consisting disproportionately of declarations of his own importance. If you think the two are equivalent, you should go in for a check-up of your value system.
The egotist would "archive" these quotidian lines because everything he scribbled including his grocery lists would fascinate posterity? As a white male, he is despised by posterity and posterity randomly, accidentally, got it right in his case. There are despicable white male writers.
Searing bitterness? Yada. I like my life and the people admitted into it. I like Feynman. I detest Vonnegut. I may have gone on at some length about this, but I don't think 3/4 of a page of comments to be too garralous. If I have offended those who are reading comprehension challenged, I apologize. Vonnegut droned on rather longer. Cheers.
@@sianchetty1361 Let me provoke you further with a PS. Yes, Vonnegut archived this squalid little piece of abusive writing because he was narcissistic. Feynman wrote heart rending words to his late wife - I was moved, maybe you weren't - and then shoved the note into his desk drawer where it was discovered after his death. And he solved the Space Shuttle crash.
Feynman was a mensch and a genius. Vonnegut was a fad. Bitterness seared out.
You are probably very nice so excuse my curmodgeonliness.
@@1rjbrjb Did you ever meet Kurt Vonnegut? I ask because I've never detested a person I've never met! Your two responses to me are dripping with unadulterated hatred and bitterness for some unknown reason. Be mindful that I have only read one book by Vonnegut so you need to temper yourself when speaking to others. Also, there's absolutely no need to make fun of people's names i.e. 'Petty Chetty'. It's rude, insulting and utterly juvenile!
@@sianchetty1361 well, you've never met me and you have diagnosed me with "searing bitterness".
The Letters folks - fine actors - have read two letters from Vonnegut that I've heard. The first was sophomoric, preachy, and illogical. The second was relentlessly self-satisfied. Neither letter was particularly clever or well written. I find this characteristic of Vonnegut's nonfiction, he was an egotist utterly lacking in wit or style. I don't judge his fiction, it seems to represent reasonably proficient literary carpentry.
The trouble as I see it is that the actors here are so good that they make this dreck seem clever. This is what Harold Pinter relied on. When Robert Shaw says: "this is the basket then"? four times he makes it seem funny. Enough of mediocre writers sponging off excellent actors.
No it was not necessary to make fun of your name. It was optional. I didn't think it would cause offense. If it did, excuse me.
No, I never met Vonnegut and he was lucky because he would have been thoroughly told off.
End of searing.
Sadly, still relevant in 2023 USA.