Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut is a crazy book. That is the only way I can describe it. But crazy in a good way. Vonnegut has such an honest view of life that I can't help but love him. He is like the crazy old grandfather who shouts obscenities at his nurses. Embarrassing but forgivable.
The first thing I noticed about this book is that it seems to be written for aliens in the distant future. He explains even the simplest things and provides his own drawings to further the explanation. For example, Vonnegut compares a steam train whistle to "the voice boxes of mating or dying dinosaurs." He then describes a dinosaur as "a reptile as big as a choo-choo train." This is followed by a drawing of what looks like a stegosaurus. He then talks about how the dinosaur's brain was the size of a pea, and goes on to describe what a pea is and provides a drawing. Check out page 126 of the Delta Trade Paperbacks edition to see exactly what I am writing about.
If you are not afraid of an unflinching view of society, read this book. Vonnegut was an amazing writer and the world lost a great talent when he passed away a few years ago.
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