Conversations with Kurt Vonnegut

Perhaps because Vonnegut is not a literary intellectual--he studied chemistry and anthropology in college--that he gives ingratiating interviews. Or perhaps because his entree into writing was journalism, that he is leery of boring any prospective reader. The peppery wit and sweet/sour philosophy that delight his readers also spices his conversation. Vonnegut talks about writers and writing in a nonstuffy, unacademic way. He is more concerned about morals and politics than aesthetics, with good punch lives rather than realistic dialogue. His concerns are nearly the same as those of the average person. They recommend his novels to many who read little fiction, and they give his conversation a common appeal. ISBN 0-87805-357-3: $27.95.