Bluebeard
A Novel
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4.5 • 90 Ratings
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
“Ranks with Vonnegut’s best and goes one step beyond . . . joyous, soaring fiction.”—The Atlanta Journal and Constitution
Broad humor and bitter irony collide in this fictional autobiography of Rabo Karabekian, who, at age seventy-one, wants to be left alone on his Long Island estate with the secret he has locked inside his potato barn. But then a voluptuous young widow badgers Rabo into telling his life story—and Vonnegut in turn tells us the plain, heart-hammering truth about man’s careless fancy to create or destroy what he loves.
Praise for Bluebeard
“Vonnegut is at his edifying best.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
“The quicksilver mind of Vonnegut is at it again. . . . He displays all his talents—satire, irony, ridicule, slapstick, and even a shaggy dog story of epic proportions.”—The Cincinnati Post
“[Kurt Vonnegut is] a voice you can trust to keep poking holes in the social fabric.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“It has the qualities of classic Bosch and Slaughterhouse Vonnegut. . . . Bluebeard is uncommonly feisty.”—USA Today
“Is Bluebeard good? Yes! . . . This is vintage Vonnegut—good wine from his best grapes.”—The Detroit News
“A joyride . . . Vonnegut is more fascinated and puzzled than angered by the human stupidities and contradictions he discerns so keenly. So hop in his rumble seat. As you whiz along, what you observe may provide some new perspectives.”—Kansas City Star
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Bluebeard is the “hoax autobiography” of Rabo Karabekian, the fictional abstract impressionist painter who made an appearance in Breakfast of Champions, Kurt Vonnegut’s 1973 bestseller. Karabekian is a chatty narrator—a warm, slightly cantankerous older gentleman who used to hang out with Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. As Vonnegut’s winning hero traces his fascinating life story, he bounces between the past and present, telling us about everything from his parents’ ordeal surviving the Armenian genocide to his current lonely existence in the Hamptons. It’s a fun, breezy read, but Vonnegut, of course, keeps it thought-provoking, using Karabekian’s musings to bring up big questions about love, war, and art.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this, the most intimate of Vonnegut's 13 novels, he brings back "the erstwhile American painter Rabo Karabekian, a one-eyed man'' who played a minor role in Breakfast of Champions. At 71, Karabekian is leading an oyster's life, albeit in an East Hampton mansion stocked with modern masterpieces. Most of the friends with whom he launched the Abstract Expressionist movement have died, as has his wife of many years; his faith in his artistic ability has vanished as well. It remains for an irritant in the form of a determined younger woman to oust his customary melancholy. Circe Berman is an author of teenage fiction with ``relevant'' themes and a rearranger of Karabekian's home and creative energies. She soon has him writing his memoirs, which he titles Bluebeard; and it is a pearl of a book. Karabekian recalls his parents' exodus to California from Turkish Armenia following the first mass murder of what will become ``the genocide century,'' his introduction to both art and sex during an apprenticeship with a mad New York illustrator, Gregory, and his mistress, Marilee, the loss of his eye and a few more illusions in World War II and his subsequent role as an artist manque. Like lost lives, Karabekian's is a constant blending of regret and hope but Vonnegut has graced it with a touching denouement that suggests that even in our own particular kingdom of the blind, a one-eyed man can be king.
Customer Reviews
The Beauty and Chaos of a Life Well Lived
When it comes to literary genius, Kurt Vonnegut reigns supreme. You can't go wrong with his work. His perspective on the world is a delightful blend of humor, honesty, and profound insight that will leave you both entertained and enlightened. Vonnegut weaves stories with a touch of resignation, embracing the unyielding march of time and sharing the worn-out voice of wisdom that only comes from a life well-lived and a wealth of experiences. He sees through the rose-colored glasses of life's promises, acknowledging the truths that many of us prefer to ignore.
In "Bluebeard," Vonnegut invites us into the intriguing world of Rabo Karabekian, an eccentric artist who spends his days in the company of his art collection and memories that carry the weight of a challenging upbringing, the legacy of genocide and the lingering specters of departed friends. It's a story that delves into the complexities of aging, of navigating a world that may seem to have moved on without you, or perhaps one that you've intentionally left behind. And through it all, Rabo embarks on a quest to make sense of the bewildering tapestry of life.
As you immerse yourself in the pages of "Bluebeard," take a moment to reflect on your journey. How do we navigate the twists and turns of time, grappling with our past, our present, and the uncertain contours of the future? What does it mean to remain alive in a world that is constantly evolving, leaving behind remnants of our former selves? These profound questions, artfully woven by Vonnegut, will linger in your mind long after you've closed the book.
Satirical book
A funny and witty book. Kurt Vonnegut does not disappoint.
Rough Turtle (no shell)
This guy's a sap, this Vonnegut.
Bruised and thoughtful ... Makes me want to pull my skin off like a sweater.