101 Books, Number 87

Favorite Books from Throughout My Life

87. Cat’s Cradle, 1963, by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1922–2007)

We share a birthday, Kurt and I*—

Which flatters me (and so I sigh!).

I read this book in ’66–

A college senior—with the picks

Of books for Dr. Ravitz’ class—

A prof whose class I hoped to pass—

Oh, sure, I can exaggerate—

But Dr. Ravitz? He was great.

That book I really just inhaled—

And off I went, and off I sailed

Into the world of Vonnegut,

Who then (no if, no and, no but)

Became a lifetime love of mine—

Though all his books weren’t truly fine.

But this one! Oh! The first I read

Just simply rearranged my head.

I saw such possibility

In fiction then. A change for me.

Ice-9 was great! The end of all!

The sky becoming our own pall.

And yet … I laughed when it was done—

Just so much pleasure so much fun

Mixed in with satire pure and keen—

The sharpest I had ever seen.

*Nov. 11, but he came first—by some 22 years!