New Domain: ReadVonnegut.com

Just a quick note, but if you're visiting us through our old domain (kurtvonnegutsettings.blogspot.com), we now have a new, much snappier domain: ReadVonnegut.com!

The change reflects how the site has grown in recent months, as well as how we'll begin covering more Vonnegut related material. Comments, thoughts and opinions on the new domain are more than welcome!

Over the next few months, there will hopefully be a few more positive changes here, so make sure to update your bookmarks to ReadVonnegut.com.

Less is More with Vonnegut?

Lou Harry at the Indiana Business Journal  (IBJ) has entered the debate surrounding Vonnegut’s  posthumous short story collection, While Mortals Sleep. Harry makes clear that while he’s very much a fan of Vonnegut’s work, he has “mixed feelings about the Tupac-like influx of posthumous releases”. Harry of course isn’t the first writer to express such misgivings. Deidre Wengen, of PhillyBurbs.com has already suggested she has mixed feelings about While Mortals Sleep.

However, now that While Mortals Sleep has been released in the US (UK readers will have to wait until October to obtain a copy), you can now make up your own mind about the collection of stories. You can also join the debate about the book over on the IBJ website.

Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library in Need of Donations

Why not start 2011 with a donation to the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library? A post on the library’s Facebook page indicates that the charitable organization is in need of $283,000, to help pay for the various events and programs taking place this year.

Particular highlights include ‘Teaching Teachers How to Teach Vonnegut’, as well as the annual ‘Night of Vonnegut’ event. Last year’s event featured readings from Vonnegut’s work by local actors, as well as an auction of art work.

While Mortals Sleep Receives Mixed Reviews

While Mortals Sleep, the latest selection of Vonnegut short stories to be published posthumously, appears to have divided both critics and fans. Deidre Wengen, over at PhillyBurbs.com, has observed that while she eagerly went out and bought Armageddon in Retrospect (the first of Vonnegut’s posthumous titles), she’s concerned as to whether “it would have been better to stop after the first posthumous publication”. While Mortals Slee will feature six previously unpublished short stories by Vonnegut, as well as an introduction by Dave Eggers, the author of You Shall Know our Velocity.

Posthumous publications are always tricky, so it’s no wonder that fans of Vonnegut’s work, such as Wengen, have some concerns about While Mortals Sleep. Over at The National Post though, Mark Medley has named the collection of short stories as one of his ‘Most Anticipated Books of 2011’. However, Medley does suggest that he’ll “ read anything with Vonnegut’s name on it”.Given the mixed opinions about While Mortals Sleep, it’s probably best to reserve judgement until the book at least hits the shelves.

2011: A Vonnegut Year?

A little late perhaps, but I’d just like to take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful 2011! While Vonnegut may be gone, he’s certainly not forgotten, with While Mortals Sleep, a collection of six previously unpublished stories, appearing in January.

Alongside this, there’s also the opening of the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library in Indianapolis, Indiana. The library already plays host to a variety of meetings related to the author and in April, they’ll be hosting the ‘2nd Annual Night of Vonnegut Event’.

If you know of any other Vonnegut related happenings taking place in 2011, make sure to leave a comment, as we’d love to feature them here!