“The master at his quirky, provocative best.”—CosmopolitanDeadeye Dick is Kurt Vonnegut’s funny, chillingly satirical look at the death of innocence. Amid a true Vonnegutian host of horrors—a double murder, a fatal dose of radioactivity, a decapitation, an annihilation of a city by a neutron bomb—Rudy Waltz, aka Deadeye Dick, takes us along on a zany search for absolution and happiness. Here is a … absolution and happiness. Here is a tale of crime and punishment that makes us rethink what we believe . . . and who we say we are.
Praise for Deadeye Dick
“A moving fable . . . Vonnegut, sweet cynic and ugly duckling, continues to write gentle swan songs for our uncivil society.”—Playboy
“A brilliantly unconventional novel . . . a must for all Vonnegut fans.”—Worcester Sunday Telegram
“Hits the bull’s-eye . . . dolefully celebrates the randomness of life, treating private and public disasters with a kind of reckless whimsy. . . . You don’t read Kurt Vonnegut for meaning exactly. You read him for the sad-funny attitude of mind, the kind of weirdness that can interpret the world’s weirdness.”—USA Today
“Vonnegut is beguiling as ever . . . Incredible plot constructions and inventive language continue to leap from his typewriter . . . the humor is natural and inborn; the insight usually purchased by his characters at painfully high cost. Funny how life turns out. Even funnier how Mr. Vonnegut turns life’s insanities into funny, profound sense. That takes a master’s touch. Mr. Vonnegut still has it.”—Kansas City Star
“Playful and imaginative . . . On finishing the novel, the kitchen of your mind is a cleaner and more well-lighted place than it was before.”—Houston Chronicle
“Endearing and enchanting . . . a wise and charming book . . . very full of life.”—Glamour
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I liked it a lot. A crazy mishmash of a character looking back at his odd life, social satire with a dark, sarcastic bite. Good stuff.
Kurt Vonnegut is one of my favorite writers and this book was no disappointment. Really well written and intriguing.
What an interesting, unique book. I have read others by this author but way, way back in high school. This is my first for a long time and I really enjoyed it. An author’s main job is to make readers think, to spark emotions and Deadeye accomplishes both, what a read. The story is in first person and is written so close that the “I” disappears, terrific writing craft. I rarely, if ever experience a voice like this one. “Voice,” is the “everything” in writing and this one has it.
The structure is a running narrative that starts historical and moves forward. The conflict is not even set until page 21. The details—some of which are quirky—gives the prose authority, and at the same time authenticity that is irresistible. This creates a world that seems real and yet we know it can’t possibly be. And still I wanted to read on and on.
The book jacket reflects the quirky tone in the prose. It doesn’t have a written author description on the back flap, instead there’s a photo of the author’s legs that winds around to the back page to the author taking a nap on a couch with his cat. Brilliant marketing.
Well-wrought fiction sparks emotions, I cringed at the telling of Hitler and his father’s relationship with the despot. It made me stop and think this is also a sign of great fiction. And lots of irony, a thick sauce for the prose, made me chuckle at times.
If you want a break from your regular reading, if you want to clear your pallet with a bit of ginger the same as you would in a sushi restaurant, this is the book for you. It reminds me a little of Spooner by Pete Dexter, (I love Pete Dexter, especially Train and Paris Trout two marvelous books solid five star works).
David Putnam author of the Bruno Johnson series.
Not one of his best.
Typical Vonnegut. He was a curious author.
Slightly repetitive, but a Vonnegut book, so still very good.
This wasn’t one of my favorite KV books, but it had its own unique charm(?).
Vonnegut is hit or miss for me. Deadeye Dick was more of a miss than a hit. The overall pessimism and disagreeable characters and the sad turns of so many of their livest is tiring. In some sense, randomness of good and bad fortune and the fleetingness of human happiness may be an accurate reflection of the human condition. But it was not a lot of fun to read.
Love Kurt Vonnegut, been reading his books since I was a kid!!!
Amusing
Did not like
Can’t go wrong with Vonnegut.
I’ve been a Vonnegut fan since the 1970s. Maybe I’ve changed too much but this did not seem to be one of his best efforts. Oh well, it is just good to read his work again.
what the ?
Vonnegut is always thought provoking. He is also a master novelist. Not, however, always happy.
Classic Vonnegut.
Love anything Vonnegut!
Love Vonnegut’s prose and wit. Among his best!
A fascinating tale, so engaging that I couldn’t even put it down. 🙂
I haven’t read a Kurt Vonnegut book since the Seventies. Very entertaining and totally Vonnegut. Great for distraction from current day politics.