Clifford Thurlow - my tribute will be a re-reading of Slaughterhouse Five. There isn't a book about Iraq with one percent of the skill, passion and irony that came out of the events in Dresden - and for that I must apologise that my own contribution as the co-writer of Making A Killing is the creation of an adventure story, decent reviews, decent sales but, on reflection, lacking the depth that gives a book lasting value. I will try harder, Kurt. That's our job.
He classes as one of those authors I was desperate to like, but in the end, couldn't quite. Maybe I didn't try hard enough, so like Martin, might try Slaughter House Five again.
"Died last night aged 84
So it goes."
Nice touch, maddan!
according to an associate of mine
"Phillip Adams will be re-broadcasting the fantastic conversation that they had last year on his Late Night Live show tonight, 10pm on ABC Radio National 621AM. It will be available to download on the website from tomorrow at http://www.abc.net.au/rn/latenightlive . It is one of the best radio interviews I have ever heard. Check it."
jude
Kurt Vonnegut is probably the only reason I've ever had to believe in the concept of 'great men', as opposed to just the remarkable, the admirable and the famous. Every other example of someone supposedly 'great' sounds to me like phoney, Imperialistic exaggeration, a grand delusion that has simply led, inevitably, to modern celebrity culture. Worshipping people for the sake of having something to worship. But KV, for me, was pretty damn great.
For me he was the author who made the bridge between the sci-fi section of the library and the proper books. I shall be omitting semi-colons in tribute.
I've just been reading Closing Time by Joseph Heller. In it, he introduces a character who was a POW in Dresden during the bombing a la Slaughterhouse 5. It suddenly occurred to me that the two writers might have been friends (seems obvious now…). Anyhow, I googled and found this interview:
http://www.vonnegutweb.com/vonnegutia/interviews/int_heller.html
It pleases me that they were friends.
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www.fabulousmother.com
Clifford Thurlow
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www.fabulousmother.co.uk