Jailbird
A Novel
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4.4 • 56 Ratings
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
“[Kurt Vonnegut] has never been more satirically on-target. . . . Nothing is spared.”—People
Jailbird takes us into a fractured and comic, pure Vonnegut world of high crimes and misdemeanors in government—and in the heart. This wry tale follows bumbling bureaucrat Walter F. Starbuck from Harvard to the Nixon White House to the penitentiary as Watergate’s least known co-conspirator. But the humor turns dark when Vonnegut shines his spotlight on the cold hearts and calculated greed of the mighty, giving a razor-sharp edge to an unforgettable portrait of power and politics in our times.
Praise for Jailbird
“[Vonnegut] is our strongest writer . . . the most stubbornly imaginative.”—John Irving
“A gem . . . a mature, imaginative novel—possibly the best he has written . . . Jailbird is a guided tour de force of America. Take it!”—Playboy
“A profoundly humane comedy . . . Jailbird definitely mounts up on angelic wings—in its speed, in its sparkle, and in its high-flying intent.”—Chicago Tribune Book World
“Joyously inventive . . . gleams with the loony magic Vonnegut alone can achieve.”—Cosmopolitan
“Vonnegut is our great apocalyptic writer, the closest thing we’ve had to a prophet since . . . Lenny Bruce.”—Chicago Sun-Times
“Vonnegut at his impressive best. . . . His imaginative leaps alone . . . are worth the price of admission. . . . His far-reaching metaphysical and cultural concerns . . . are ultimately serious and worth our contemplation.”—The Washington Post
Customer Reviews
The High and not so Mighty
A good portrayal of corruption in politics.
Nothing But Love and Fascination
Vonnegut, as always, spins straw into gold as the reader endeavors upon the twists and turns of Walter F. Starbuck’s life. Through the multidimensionality of this text, one is forced to examine their moral integrity, political values, and economic shrewdness through the lens of our main character.
In a time where truth lays empty, bleeding on the floor and everything everyone has ever known is questioned–Vonnegut provides sound wisdom. He drives down the spikes of the path of righteousness. He provides guidance where it is most unknown. He answers a million questions with elegance and eloquence and a natural propensity for articulating thought. He is a true genius; a master of his trade.
Thank you, Kurt V., for being the G.O.A.T. You’ve allowed me the grand privilege of learning something new– and for that, I’ll always respect and admire you.
Go for it
Fun, interesting, somewhat historical, and all sorts of crazy. I really enjoyed Cat’s Cradle and I suspect that any Vonnegut fan (or fan-to-be) will also. Privileged turned rebellious youth, love, war, political sabotage, white-collar crime, and capitalism gone awry are all themes in this book. Very well written and easy to read. If you’re like me, you’ll be sad to set it down at the end.