Items related to Slaughterhouse Five or, The Children's Crusade
Billy Pilgrim is the son of an American barber. He serves as a chaplain's assistant in World War II, is captured by the Germans, and he survives the largest massacre in European history the fire bombing of Dresden. After the war Billy makes a great deal of money as an optometrist, and on his wedding night he is kidnapped by a flying saucer from the planet Tralfamadore. So begins a modern classic by a master storyteller.
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Review:
It took Vonnegut more than 20 years to put his Dresden experiences into words. He explained, "there is nothing intelligent to say about a massacre. Everybody is supposed to be dead, to never say anything or want anything ever again." Slaughterhouse Five is a powerful novel incorporating a number of genres. Only those who have fought in wars can say whether it represents the experience well. However, what the novel does do is invite the reader to look at the absurdity of war. Human versus human, hedonist politicians pressing buttons and ordering millions to their deaths all for ideologies many cannot even comprehend. Flicking between the US, 1940's Germany and Tralfamadore, Vonnegut's semi- autobiographical protagonist Billy Pilgrim finds himself very lost. One minute he is being viewed as a specimen in a Tralfamadorian Zoo, the next he is wandering a post-apocalyptic city looking for corpses. Slaughterhouse Five-Or The Children's Crusade A Duty-Dance with Death is a remarkable blend of black humour, irony, the truth and the absurd. The author regards his work a "failure", millions of readers do not. Released the same time bombs were falling on South East Asia, this title caused controversy and awakening. Essential reading for all. So it goes. --Jon Smith
Review:
"Marvellous...the writing is pungent, the antics uproarious, the wit as sharp as a hypodermic needle" (Daily Telegraph)
"A work of keen literary artistry" (Joseph Heller)
"The individuality of Vonnegut's style is a curious yet perfect match for the pain of the emotional content. A humane, human book that always remains a work of art rather than biography, no matter how apparent the author's presence" (Kate Atkinson)
"A laughing prophet of doom" (New York Times)
"Unique" (Doris Lessing)
"A work of keen literary artistry" (Joseph Heller)
"The individuality of Vonnegut's style is a curious yet perfect match for the pain of the emotional content. A humane, human book that always remains a work of art rather than biography, no matter how apparent the author's presence" (Kate Atkinson)
"A laughing prophet of doom" (New York Times)
"Unique" (Doris Lessing)
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherJonathan Cape Ltd
- Publication date1970
- ISBN 10 0224618016
- ISBN 13 9780224618014
- BindingHardcover
- Edition number1
- Number of pages186
- Rating
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Slaughterhouse-Five: or The Children's Crusade. A Duty-Dance with Death
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Delacorte Press, (New York)
(1994)
ISBN 10: 0224618016
ISBN 13: 9780224618014
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. Twenty-fifth Anniversary edition, later printing. Fine in about fine dustwrapper. Seller Inventory # 456662
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Slaughterhouse Five or, The Children's Crusade
ISBN 10: 0224618016
ISBN 13: 9780224618014
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Good. 1970 Jonathan Cape hardcover early reprint. Light reading wear, price-clipped dustjacket else very good condition. Seller Inventory # WG-ZSZI-1A3K
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Slaughterhouse-five;: Or, The children's crusade: a duty-dance with death
Published by
Cape
(1970)
ISBN 10: 0224618016
ISBN 13: 9780224618014
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First Edition
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. First Edition. the jacket is a little edge worn and shelf rubbed. unfortunately tape was used underneath the jacket and the residue from this has left shadows on the jacket where the tape was. the book has a book exchange stamp mark and 2 ink prices (one crossed through). a little very mild foxing. the spine is a touch faded. the binding is excellent. the jacket is not price clipped. first issue. Our orders are shipped using tracked courier delivery services. Seller Inventory # fh2721b
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Slaughterhouse-Five: or The Children's Crusade. A Duty-Dance with Death
Published by
Jonathan Cape, London
(1970)
ISBN 10: 0224618016
ISBN 13: 9780224618014
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Hardcover
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. First British edition, second impression (states on copyright page: "reprinted 1970"). Near fine with spine slightly cocked in a near fine dustwrapper with spine a touch faded, modest edgewear, rear flap creased. Seller Inventory # 389590
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Slaughterhouse Five or The Children's Crusade : First printing
Published by
Jonathan Cape, London, United Kingdom
(1970)
ISBN 10: 0224618016
ISBN 13: 9780224618014
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. 1st Edition. True first British printing with original unclipped jacket (30s/£1.50). Jacket has faults - namely edge/shelf wear, a few small (largest approx. 1cm) tears, very small patchy loss (mainly to head/tail of spine and to corners), creasing/rubbing to edges, a little fading to spine, a few small scratches, the odd spot of foxing, pushing/rubbing to head/tail of spine, patchy browning/little dustiness/minor foxing to reverse (white side), pushing/bumping to corners, little rubbing/creasing/odd small marks to front/back inner flaps and is in only good condition. Boards are very good (having been well protected by the jacket) with a little patchy browning, minor pushing to corners, a little patchy rubbing to edges and a little pushing/rubbing/bumping to head/tail of spine. Pages are generally clean and the binding is tight. Pages little tanned. Previous owner's name, date and location in pen inside front board. Odd small marks/spots of foxing to page edges, tops and bottoms. End-papers bit tanned with the odd small mark/minor foxing. Occasional small marks/spots of foxing to pages. No other faults. All books described honestly and accurately. Paypal accepted. Seller Inventory # 008537
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Slaughterhouse-five;: Or, The children*s crusade: a duty-dance with death
Published by
Jonathan Cape Ltd
(1970)
ISBN 10: 0224618016
ISBN 13: 9780224618014
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Very Good. book. Seller Inventory # D7S9-1-M-0224618016-4
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SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE OR THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE - A Duty-Dance with Death (First UK edition)
Published by
Jonathan Cape, London
(1970)
ISBN 10: 0224618016
ISBN 13: 9780224618014
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Hardcover
First Edition
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. Bryan Rowell (Jacket design) (illustrator). First UK Edition. First printing of the first UK edition, preceded by the first American edition, published by Delacorte Press, New York the preceding year. Jacket design by Bryan Rowell. ***Very good in bright green cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine. The boards are clean and unmarked. Tail of spine slightly creased. Corners sharp. Fore-edge of text-block slightly marked (please see scans). No reading lean to the binding. Spine tight. Internally also very good, with no inscriptions. Interior pages clean, with just a couple of slight finger marks to page margins. No creases or tears. ***In very good colour printed dustwrapper, which is complete, and has not been price-clipped, retaining the original publisher's dual price of 30s / £1.50 net. As is usually found with this book, the extremities are slightly creased and rubbed, but far less than is normally found. There are some small nicks and rubbing, with a small closed tear at the top edge of the front panel. Spine lettering slightly faded from orange to pale yellow as is usually found. Dustwrapper otherwise bright. ***186 pages. 222mm x 144mm. ***'Kurt Vonnegut's latter-day Pilgrim's Progress, a miraculously moving, bitter and funny story of innocence faced with apocalypse, is the most original anti-war novel since Catch-22.' (Quote taken from the inside front flap of the dustwrapper). ***'Slaughterhouse-Five, also known as The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death is a science fiction infused anti-war novel by Kurt Vonnegut, first published in 1969. It follows the life and experiences of Billy Pilgrim, from his early years to his time as an American soldier and chaplain's assistant during World War II, to the post-war years, with Billy occasionally traveling through time. The text centers on Billy's capture by the German Army and his survival of the Allied firebombing of Dresden as a prisoner of war, an experience which Vonnegut himself lived through as an American serviceman. The work has been called an example of "unmatched moral clarity" and "one of the most enduring antiwar novels of all time"' (Wiki) ***A first printing of the first UK edition of Kurt Vonnegut's classic novel, in very good condition - much better than is usually found. A great novel of the Second World War. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc. Seller Inventory # 8670
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Slaughterhouse Five or, The Children's Crusade
Published by
Jonathan Cape Ltd
(1970)
ISBN 10: 0224618016
ISBN 13: 9780224618014
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Hardcover
First Edition
Quantity: 1
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. No Jacket. 1st Edition, Special Edition. 1970 Jonathan Cape Hardback 1st edition 1st impression. Near fine clean tight copy. This 1st edition is a modern leather binding. The striking design depicts the firebombing of Dresden. With marbled endpapers, from the library of "Kilgour Trout". Seller Inventory # ABE-1672402317311
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