Kurt Vonnegut: The Making of a Writer

by Dan Wakefield

The first and only YA biography of the great American novelist and humanist comes out on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

Kurt Vonnegut, author of Slaughterhouse Five, Breakfast of Champions, Cat's Cradle, and many other brilliant novels and short stories, is one of our greatest American writers, often using science fiction, humor, and a humanist view of society, religion, politics, and human nature in his writing to show us the absurdity and the loveliness of life on earth. Born in 1922, Vonnegut's life was full of great fortune and great his family was wealthy, but lost everything in the market crash of 1929; he was the youngest son in a loving family, until his mother fell into a depression and committed suicide; he joined the army in WWII with great pride for our country, but experienced instead a world of destruction and horror. These and many others were the experiences that made him a writer. But how did he channel the highs and lows of his life into great writing?

Dan Wakefield, a friend and mentee of Vonnegut's for decades and a fellow Hoosier, distills the facts including Kurt's novels, essays, interviews, letters and personal experiences, into a beautiful telling of the making of a writer. Using the second person "You," it is as though Wakefield is a friend walking through Kurt's life alongside him, a guide for readers to his extraordinary life. Here is an American life, a burgeoning artist's life to inspire anyone who has read Vonnegut's work or who themselves aspire to write.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 13, 2022

Reviews

[Grady W. Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kurt Vonnegut is one of my favorite authors of all time. I have read nine of his novels including two non-fictions, and Sirens of Titan is currently my third favorite book of all time. Needless to say, I'm kind of obsessed, and went into this book with very high expectations on how Wakefield would cover Vonnegut's fascinating life. Kurt Vonnegut: The Making of a Writer surpassed every expectation I had for a young adult biography about these masterclass artists and delivered not only an informative, but also very entertaining read.

One of the aspects that makes this biography most memorable is the personal connection the author has with Vonnegut. The fact that they knew each other in real life means that Wakefield is able to perfectly capture Vonnegut's energy within the pages, leading to a work that could be written by the man himself, because most of it was. Much of this work consists of letters and essays Vonnegut wrote, which are masterfully woven between Wakefield's 2nd person writing striking a perfect balance between original writing and archive documents. As we’ve seen from Man Without a Country the best person to write about Vonnegut is himself, so it's nice that Wakefield knows when to step back and let the master speak for himself.

Between the amazing writing and the heavy use of Vonnegut's writings, The Making of a Writer is able to create a comprehensive document about one of the greatest writers of all time, and can deliver it in a way that is easy and fun, just as the man would have wanted

[Renata · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently read and loved Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler, and I was at first skeptical of that one bc I was like, "why is there a middle grade biography of Octavia Butler when most readers that age won't be able to read any of Butler's books?" (I do think the book works anyway because the verse is lovely and Butler's life story is also an interesting micro-history of civil rights in the US, but anyway, enough about that book for now). But a biography of Kurt Vonnegut aimed at teens made sense to me because I was in high school when I first encountered (and loved) Vonnegut, and I think that still holds true for a lot of teens.

And like Star Child, this is written in a unique style--in this the whole thing is written in 2nd person, which I think could have misfired easily but for me it really worked. I think it helped that Dan Wakefield was a friend of Vonnegut's, and went to the same high school as him, and was really able to pull off the familiar tone. And I think it focuses a lot on Vonnegut's teen and young adult years and the way those events shaped the whole rest of his life, in a way that I think works for teen audiences.

But it's also great for adult readers too IMO! And I loved the heavy use of Vonnegut's letters and quotes from his earlier works.

I love Vonnegut's writing for his sense of humor and humanity and all of that is on full display in this biography. Really great stuff.

[Geoff Winston Leghorn Balme · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Vonnegut and Mr Wakefield. This reads a bit like an extension of the Vonnegut letters the good Mr Wakefield edited a few yrs ago. This time with a bit more emphasis on Vonnegut’s childhood and starter writing efforts.

And when I thought there was no more to know there were still a few secrets.

I’m a fan of these revealing books about our favorite artists. Mainly because I try to have success myself and I often want to imagine I’m missing a secret doorknob or nutrient. I hope I’ll learn of the unknown fruit or beverage I should be imbibing. Of course what I usually learn has little to do with such nonsense and I find out our heroes are hardworking humans, not demigods or freakish geniuses. And this is hopeful and beautiful.

Thank you again, Mr Wakefield.

[Tomas Curcio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wakefield understands that in reading this book, fans of Vonnegut seek to feel and understand the writer better.

Through a series of letters, creating an almost entirely epistolary biography, Wakefield gets across Vonnegut in his daily life and minutiae in ways his autobiographical fantastical worlds could not.

While Wakefield wrote the book, Vonnegut really is in the book.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gave me a deeper insight into KV’s life and it made all of his work that much nicer to me. Very enjoyable read.

[Barbara Haunton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many of the places, exoeriences, etc. brought back memories of growing up in Indiana during the middle years of Vonnegut’s life. Recommended for all ages.

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the second person POV. The letters were incredible. I learned a lot about the power of truth in writing.

[Dunigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this biography of Kurt Vonnegut. This book would probably be a bore for anyone who isn't already a huge Vonnegut fan. For fans though, it has a lot to offer. There's been a lot of books published about Vonnegut over the past few years, and this one was probably my favorite. Dan Wakefield was a friend of Kurt's throughout his life. As a result, there's a lot of fun stories in here that you won't find anywhere else.

One aspect of the book that immediately stands out is that it is written in second-person (e.g., Wakefield refers to the reader as "you" throughout the entire book). The story of Vonnegut is told through this second person, as if the reader themselves is experiencing Vonnegut's life (e.g., "You were born in Indianopolis to two wealthy parents"). At first this was a little jarring, but it grew on me throughout the book. It gives you the feeling that you're sitting down for a coffee with an old friend.

In everything I read about Vonnegut, I am struck by how much of an angel his first wife, Jane, seemed to be. My least favorite part in every Vonnegut biography is the part in his life where he gets famous and then seemingly immediately ditches Jane —his wife of 25 years—for a younger woman, Jill Kremetz. Nonetheless, the sadness and anger I feel towards Kurt at this point in any biography is always replaced soon after with a feeling of awe at how elegant Jane handled the situation.

Throughout their marriage, Jane was always Kurt's biggest fan. She would often send letters to editors who rejected Kurt's stories to tell them how they are clearly missing out on a supremely talented writer (Kurt) who would one day become big and famous. In Kurt's letters from the time of his first marriage, he often refers to Jane's confidence in him as the main thing that keeps him writing. It's a beautiful thing, her devotion to him. Especially when—as I learned in this biography—that she had a big career ahead of her in Washington, DC, that she gave up to support Kurt's writing. I also enjoyed hearing how she had rejected Kurt for many years before they got married, until ultimately saying yes to marriage after he returned from war. It makes her love for him feel a little more real to me, knowing that this wasn't simply two high school sweethearts who latched onto eachother when they were 12 and never let go. No, Jane was a successful and talented person in her own right with dozens of potential suitors, who went out and lived her life for many years before ultimately settling on Kurt as the "one". In a perfect world, she wouldn't have had to given up so much for Kurt's career. And even though he did reach the potential she saw in him, I wonder if it was the right decision for her. After all, he got famous and then ditched her. It's seriously fucked up.

And yet, from everything I've read, and everything in this biography, it appears that Jane handled the unenviable situation with nothing but grace. And instead of (totally justifiably) hating and resenting Kurt, it appears that she wished him the best, and was still one of the first people to read his newly published novels. In fact, her children say that all she had was empathy for him—empathy!! Even after he screwed her over, she couldn't help but feel for him. He got so famous so fast, she would say, that it's hard to hate him for anything—fame does crazy things to people. Who knows how she would have behaved in a similiar situation, she would say. And instead of judging him, she was still there for him. And although she still cared about him, she too moved on and live a full life with a new marriage, never spending too much time thinking about what could have been or how she was wronged.

I've read many books about Kurt Vonnegut, and I think I've got about all I can out of them. Now all I'm waiting for is a book about Jane, I know there'd be even more I could learn from her.

[Jerry Bunin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kurt Vonnegut’s friend, men-tee and fellow writer, Dan Wakefield provides an insightful stroll through the events, relationships, and work that shaped this great, honored and yet still under appreciated 20th century American author.

While I preferred the more balanced and detailed Charles Shields’ “So it Goes” Vonnegut biography, Wakefield’s “Kurt Vonnegut: The Making of a Writer” adds details and nuances to how Vonnegut came to be an important and influential global figure in modern literature and thought.

However, I’ve come to the conclusion that Vonnegut himself produced the fullest and most concise description of his thinking and writing in the last piece of advice he offered before dying in 2007 at 85.
“How should we behave during the apocalypse? We should be unusually kind to one another, certainly. But we should also stop being so serious. Jokes help a lot. And get a dog, if you have one already. … I’m out of here!”

Wakefield, who has also edited a volume of Vonnegut letters, again relies on his correspondence to help tell the story of the latter’s early struggles to get published through his broad and lasting public success despite mixed critical reactions and being pigeon-holed as a “science fiction” writer.

Vonnegut uses science fiction, humor, and a humanist view of society, religion, politics, and human nature to illustrate how absurd 20th Century life on earth had become and preaches a doctrine of being kinder to each other.

Wakefield uses the second person "You" to tell Vonnegut’s story as if Wakefield travels through Kurt's life alongside him, like a guide and friend to both Kurt and his readers.

[Max Skidmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book mostly because I enjoyed Kurt Vonnegut’s books. I remember reading “Breakfast of Champions” 50 years ago while lying in the sun at Waikiki. I would burst into laughter and my wife would ask what was so funny. She kept marking my place in the book so she could go back later and see what had caused me to laugh out loud. I remember a particular moment in “Slaughterhouse-Five.” The main character is an American soldier in World War II. He is captured by the Germans and transported to Dresden on a troop train. Upon arrival, the door is opened to reveal a gorgeous city. The main character takes in the beauty and utters a single word, “Oz.” The text then says something like, “That was me. I said that.” At the end, the author pointed out that everything that had to do with the main character was true and was a record of his personal experiences. OK, I probably should have figured that out much sooner but, heck, I was in my early 20’s and living in Hawaii!

Here are a couple of memorable events from the book.
1. In 1957, while struggling financially, Kurt applies for a job teaching English at Cape Cod Community College. He is turned down.
2. In 1958, his sister, age 41, is dying from cancer. She is in a hospital in Newark, NJ. Her husband is on a commuter train when it crashes while crossing a bridge. All the passengers die. Someone brings a newspaper with the story to Kurt’s sister in the hospital. She dies the next day leaving four sons as orphans. Without any thought to finances, Kurt and his wife adopt the three older boys.
3. Money becomes so tight, that Kurt borrows $300 from one of the boys’ paper route savings.

[Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t find something to dislike about this book.
It seems to me written in the sincerest interest of exploring the life of Kurt Vonnegut by a dear friend. The book, written in second person, is a journey through the writer’s life. I imagined myself as Kurt, in old age or perhaps in some purgatorial state, hearing my life described back to me in the most tender and considerate way, through both the epistemological and plain chronicling.
I encourage anyone with an interest in the life of the quintessential American writer to read this, if not to understand his life, to imagine what it may be like to be a writer through someone who has experienced first-hand the most destructive times in history. Especially insightful given the state of the world today.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is completely wonderful reading, even for folks who haven't read many of Kurt Vonnegut marvelous books. (As a fellow author, I especially appreciate now knowing how hard it was for Vonnegut to get his books done, and how he'd tell his editor to assume they'd never see another manuscript from him but if one happened to show up in the editor's mailbox they'd both be pleased as Punch.)

The way it's written in second person is charming and immersive. Highly recommend for anyone looking for an unusual biography that makes you wish you could have known the author and gotten one of his letters. Going to now check out everything I can find of Vonnegut's at the library.

[kou昴 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up; Despite not reading anything by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. or Dan Wakefield, I really enjoyed this biography! The second-person narrative with the integration of letters made the timeline much easier to understand and emotions to be delivered. I love the incorporation of the pictures and art of Vonnegut. Maybe because it's intended for YA/juveniles, it was really easy to read too. Excited to pick up books by both authors in the near future!

[Hannah C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable! At first I liked the second person pov the book is written from, but it got a little tiring. I sped through the beginning and then it took me a while to finish the book. I really enjoyed learning about Kurt as a person and some of the anecdotes about where he got his inspiration for works like Cat's Cradle.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable biography of Mr. Vonnegut apparently written for Young Adults. The author was a friend of Vonnegut’s, and the book was written as if Wakefield is addressing Vonnegut directly. This gives the book a unique intimacy. The inclusion of many letters written by Vonnegut to various people throughout his life also contributes to this intimacy.

[Megan Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. Initially I found the fact that Wakefield (the author) was writing to Vonnegut awkward but it grew on me. As a citizen of Indianapolis, I really enjoyed the references to Indy. I’ve thought about the book a lot after I finished it, which is a sign of a good book IMHO.

[Sharon Falduto · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent biography of Vonnegut, written by a good friend of his. Includes some of Kurt's letters. Written in the 2nd person, for some reason.

[Mark Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kurt turns out to be cynical and self-absorbed.

[a s · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book! Loved the use of second person, and the letters from Kurt throughout. Only got three stars from me because I wasn’t CRAZY about it. Good read though!

[Yard Gnome · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cool to hear the story of Kurt Vonnegut's life in Dan Wakefield's voice!