Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Unavailable
Slaughterhouse Five
Unavailable
Slaughterhouse Five
Unavailable
Slaughterhouse Five
Audiobook5 hours

Slaughterhouse Five

Written by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Narrated by Ethan Hawke

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook


Kurt Vonnegut's absurdist classic Slaughterhouse-Five introduces us to Billy Pilgrim, a man who becomes 'unstuck in time' after he is abducted by aliens from the planet Tralfamadore. In a plot-scrambling display of virtuosity, we follow Pilgrim simultaneously through all phases of his life, concentrating on his (and Vonnegut's) shattering experience as an American prisoner of war who witnesses the firebombing of Dresden.




Slaughterhouse-Five is not only Vonnegut's most powerful book, it is also as important as any written since 1945. Like Catch-22, it fashions the author's experiences in the Second World War into an eloquent and deeply funny plea against butchery in the service of authority. Slaughterhouse-Five boasts the same imagination, humanity, and gleeful appreciation of the absurd found in Vonnegut's other works, but the book's basis in rock-hard, tragic fact gives it unique poignancy -- and humor.

Editor's Note

The modern classic...

As much about one man’s search for meaning as it is about war, time travel & aliens, Vonnegut’s most popular & acclaimed novel transcends its genre.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperAudio
Release dateNov 11, 2003
ISBN9780060735555
Author

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Kurt Vonnegut is the author of many novels including the internationally best-selling Slaughterhouse 5, Cat's Cradle and Breakfast of Champions.

More audiobooks from Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Related to Slaughterhouse Five

Related audiobooks

Literary Fiction For You

View More

Related articles

Reviews for Slaughterhouse Five

Rating: 4.105353332608189 out of 5 stars
4/5

12,871 ratings339 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is a strange book. I read it easily in one day (which is unusual for me), so I did find it compelling. Perhaps if I had read it back in the 70s, it would have had more of an impact. I got the absurdity, but I didn't really see much humor.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I didn't particularly like the author's voice in this novel, but I liked the unconventionality of the story. Didn't blow my mind in any way, and I was glad to finish it. Some funny bits and interesting events.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    a stream-of-consciousness journey with a man who has become un-stuck in time. some sexuality and language.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    One of my all time favorite books. I love this book and Vonnegut. The ideas expressed in this book were so amazing and well thought of. I started reading this book in high school, while I was going through depression, but for some reason it made perfect sense and I couldn't put it down. I know it isn't for everyone but personally I would recommend it to anyone.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I had actually never read this book! My high school sophomore was supposed to read it for summer reading and he made it halfway through. He hated it. And honestly, I can see why he did, I think the format and writing style is more than he can really understand. And he hasn't yet learned to just keep reading and see what you find out later. He did read enough to ace the summer reading test.This book is the out-of-order story of Billy Pilgrim, who is drafted into World War II, is taken prisoner by the Germans, survives Dresden, returns to optometry school, marries the daughter of an optometrist, has kids, is an optometrist, is kidnapped by aliens and placed in their zoo, and so on and so forth.I actually rather enjoyed this--which surprised me a little. I know a lot of people who love it, but they are all men. But I did rather enjoy it, though mostly I felt bad for Billy Pilgrim and his fellow soldiers.I loved the convoluted storyline, which is typical for me. I like trying to piece together a timeline of sorts. And I do think that if I read this again, I would get more out of it that I missed the first time due to the way it is told. But I am not going to be reading it again right now.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Instead of gushing on and on about Vonnegut - he’s a favorite author of mine and this was a re-read - I’ll just say this is a great anti-war book. Funny, sardonic and fantastical, it’s the story of a P.O.W. who survived the Dresden, Germany firebombing at the end of WWII, which killed 135,000 people. Fun, huh? With some extraterrestrials and time travel thrown in. War is a b*itch.

    So it goes.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Non-linear story that seems like a partial retelling of the WW2 as experienced by the author. Not really a time-travel story in my mind.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book is weird, the narrator Billy Pilgrim is unreliable and there are so many genres mixed up, but all of this is what makes Slaughterhouse Five good. Kurt Vonnegut addresses war and the casual attitude towards it like its no big deal (especially by people who weren’t there) in a sarcastic manner. His writing style is to the point, not much detail, just the facts/points you need to know for the story to continue. The content is heavy but it reads light, that is remarkable to me. I look forward to reading more Kurt Vonnegut.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really loved this book. I have friends who are rabid fans of Vonnegut, but the ideas and style he was said to write in just “turned me off,” and I never had much interest in trying him out. But I finally did, and am pleased at that. This is a satirical novel, written in a series of looping flashbacks, of the life of Billy Pilgrim, a man traumatized by WWII and life in general, who is abducted by space aliens, and learns that we live our lives over-and-over, and he transports to scenes of his past at seeming random. Vonnegut’s “voice” is rich, sarcastic, funny at times, and, more often, tragic. He explores many themes still relevant today, such as humanism, free will and choice, war, family, wealth, and fate. Nominated for several industry awards when written in 1970, and still powerful and fascinating today.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I completely understand the five star ratings for this book. The overall message is powerful and the book is incredibly thought-provoking, drawing attention to the personal impact of war (and that’s just the tip of the iceberg). That being said, ratings are subjective for most people, and my own criteria for ratings are fairly simplistic. 5s are favorites, books I want to own copies of, that I want near to me, that I want to reread, whose story makes such an impression that it becomes personal. 4s are great reads, I enjoy them and will recommend them but won’t necessarily have a desire to reread and they don’t leave a lasting impression on me. So for me, my rating is based off of my own personal preferences. I acknowledge that, in the case that I were teaching an AP lit class, this one would be loaded with days and days of analysis and dissection - there’s so much to talk about. For me personally, right now, it has not made a life-changing impression on me, though I suppose over time, time will tell. It was an interesting read, definitely original, and I do admire Vonnegut for tackling it.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I can't say I loved this, but it got to me. I liked the pace and tone of it. I far preferred the war stories to the time travel or alien abduction parts, and it makes a powerful anti-war statement. I loved the characters, very vivid and even though I didn't like a single one of them I enjoyed how their stories played out.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Al eens gelezen als 16-jarige, als verplichte lectuur op school en toen absoluut niet verteerbaar bevonden. Nu, 35 jaar later, herlezen. Slachthuis Vijf zou ik spontaan in het rijtje absurdistische werken plaatsen, zoals ik er ook van Boris Vian en Eugene Ionesco heb gelezen: Vonnegut beschrijft schijnbaar willekeurig fragmenten uit het bijzondere leven van Billy Pilgrim, tijdreiziger, gijzelaar van buitenaardse wezens en krijgsgevangene tijdens het bombardement op Dresden in 1945 (dat laatste is trouwens autobiografisch). Dat gebeurt op een wel heel extreem droge manier, waardoor een sarcastisch-humoristisch effect ontstaat. De onderliggende boodschap is dat oorlog geen zin heeft, net als het menselijk leven en alle wreedheden die daarin worden gepleegd geen zin hebben. Vergeleken met 35 jaar geleden zie ik wel in dat Vonnegut een bijzonder ingenieus verhaal heeft geschreven, maar ik lust het nog altijd niet. Geef mij maar het esthetische cynisme van Celine.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A POW who is "unstuck in time" witnesses the bombing of Dresden.4/4 (Great).He combines a true story of one of the worst moments in human history with a little silliness, and somehow manages to make something beautiful out of it. My only complaint is that it doesn't go anywhere in the end, has no arc. But that's necessary; it wouldn't work any other way.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Nihilistic story about Billy Pilgrim and his life experiences as he travels back and forth through his own timeline. Well, this was an interesting little ride, which I "enjoyed" somewhat, but mainly found interesting. Especially the Tralfamadorians' four-dimensional view of time, where all things happen at once and all the time, which is quite possibly the best idea of how trauma affects people I've ever read. The way Billy gets dropped back into Dresden at intermittent times throughout his life feels very much like a real rendition of war trauma. Interesting, scattered, and short novel that I am very happy I finally got read. The main two passages that will stay with me are the war-movie that Billy watches backwards (amazing anti-war scene) and the treatise on how Americans view poor people (painfully true, even today).
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Alright, I don't think I should have listened to this one. I tend to think that if I listen to the old classic books I'll be able to get through them, but in this case it was probably vise versa. If I had read the physical words, I might have pulled more from the book. As it is, I didn't find much to be interested in during this listen along. There was a few lines in here that I know are due for some reflection to fully grasp the powerful messages, but truthfully, I'm just not interested in spending the time right now. I probably haven't given it's it's fair share of attention, but there it is. Someday I might come back and find a paper copy to give this another try.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Vonnegut is a genius.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Comic,sarcastic,more comic
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Al eens gelezen als 16-jarige, als verplichte lectuur op school en toen absoluut niet verteerbaar bevonden. Nu, 35 jaar later, herlezen. Slachthuis Vijf zou ik spontaan in het rijtje absurdistische werken plaatsen, zoals ik er ook van Boris Vian en Eugene Ionesco heb gelezen: Vonnegut beschrijft schijnbaar willekeurig fragmenten uit het bijzondere leven van Billy Pilgrim, tijdreiziger, gijzelaar van buitenaardse wezens en krijgsgevangene tijdens het bombardement op Dresden in 1945 (dat laatste is trouwens autobiografisch). Dat gebeurt op een wel heel extreem droge manier, waardoor een sarcastisch-humoristisch effect ontstaat. De onderliggende boodschap is dat oorlog geen zin heeft, net als het menselijk leven en alle wreedheden die daarin worden gepleegd geen zin hebben. Vergeleken met 35 jaar geleden zie ik wel in dat Vonnegut een bijzonder ingenieus verhaal heeft geschreven, maar ik lust het nog altijd niet. Geef mij maar het esthetische cynisme van Celine.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    So it goes. Such is life. I enjoyed reading this one.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I accept the author's apologies at the beginning of the book for having written such a fragmented and jumbled novel. At least it was short - that I don't think he should have apologised for, as I am grateful for it.

    What reasons should I give for my low rating? Well what reasons would I give for a high rating? To me a book should be engaging, andor entertaining, andor it should champion a set of novel ideas, or help develop something unclear in my own head - it should definitely communicate something to me. This book merely communicated confusion. Perhaps that is a piece of 'meta' communication itself - the book represents the mind's inevitably failed attempts to make sense of war, because as he puts it 'there is nothing intelligent to say about a massacre'.

    The book reads to me like a window into the mind of a regular confused person who happens to be a famous author. Autobiographical, incoherent and messy. There are some nice lines and ideas in there, but for me just didn't add up to something whole. I won't remember this book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Excellent, natural, strong storytelling; very refreshing. James Franco was the perfect narrator for the audio version. Shares some surprising themes in common with Story of Your Life (upon which the movie Arrival was based) by Ted Chiang.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Listened to the 2015 Audiobook edition narrated by actor/sometime author James Franco which was the Audible Daily Deal on Feb. 28, 2017, a bargain at $1.95.Franco's narration was fairly deadpan but felt totally right for the book especially in the almost throwaway reading of the constant litany (116 repeats if wikipedia to be believed) of "So it goes."Franco's image of oddball character performances (including his one-time hapless Oscar co-hosting) helped in my buying into his reading as well. I enjoyed the Kilgore Trout related passages the most esp. the perusing of Trout sci-fi novels in a Times Square dirty book shop. An earlier 2003 audiobook by Ethan Hawke seems to be out of print but is still available on used CDs and tapes. It apparently includes an interview with Vonnegut and an excerpt of Vonnegut's own reading of the book. If Guillermo del Toro's planned remake of the 1972 film is ever made then I would certainly look for the lead actor in that to do a reading as well.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This anti-war novel haphazardly follows the life of Billy Pilgrim, who has "come loose" in time, never knowing which point of his life he will experience next. He escapes the bombing of Dresden during WWII, along with 99 other American POWs. He is abducted by aliens and mated with a beautiful woman. He becomes an optometrist. The book does not follow the usual build up, climax, resolution style of other novels. It has no true resolution. It just ends. The covet says it's funny, but I found nothing remotely humorous in it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Sad, moving, melancholic story of Billy Pilgrim who survived WWII, the Dresden bombing and life in general, such as a plane crash. His story serves to show the absurdity of life, his attitude the only way to confront it, with fantasy, or madness, whatever you want to call it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Vonnegut's war critiques are acid and reliable; I then thought, and may still, his Slaughterhouse-Five the only "war" novel actually about war, except maybe All Quiet on the Western Front. War and Peace certainly is not; it's about a whole society, and the interruption of war. And ethics, which the U.S. no longer seems to have any use for, in the Cabinet. (When John Adams was asked, by a lady dining next to him in Bordeaux, France, in the mid-17C, "By your name, Monsieur Adam, you must know how our first parents found the art of making love?" The Puritan Adams was up to the challenge, and answered, "That's a family secret." Then he wrote in his diary, "A nation with such manners can never be a democracy." He would say the same of Trump's proud grabbing of ladies, and of mistresses/wives.)In Slaughterhouse, a soldier and history teacher, Edgar Derby, is executed for stealing in Dresden. That's beautiful irony, especially useful when I taught Shakespeare's Henry the Fifth in the same semester, with Bardolph coming to a similar end, being hung, for stealing a French religious symbol, a "pax." Maybe Bardolph for stealing a sacred religious symbol in France in the 14C; but a teapot in Dresden in the 20C? (Branagh's Henry V plays this scene for all it's worth, having all the troops march under the swinging body of Henry's old tavern associate.)Of course, Vonnegut adds lots of pulp sci-fi, the Tralfamadoreans, and various pop admixtures that made it compelling reading when it came out. Dunno about now, since I haven't re-read in thirty years. I do recall my students loving Welcome to the Monkey-house, not wanting to bother with the next I'd assigned, an Updike, Rabbit Run probably.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A great anti-war novel.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    The title of this book has intrigued me for years. I had no idea what it was about. So finally I made the plunge. I wish I'd known it was just another Catch-22, which I also was always intrigued to read, tried to read it but the style, subject, and dark humor just didn't do it for me and I quit. Thankfully (?) Slaughterhouse was much shorter so I carried through. I get that it's this great work of literature and is anti-war and shows the fractured mind of those forced to participate in it. But I'm already anti-war and its effects on it's participants. Am I better person for having read this? Probably not. Other than interestingly enough "So it goes" came up in another context right before my reading it so I was able to correlate the two.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I have a lot of classics on my shelves that I've never gotten around to reading. They hadn't been assigned when I was in school and I had so many other things I wanted to read once I was out of school. So I decided to work my way through some of them and started with Slaughterhouse-Five, Vonnegut's anti-war masterpiece.The story revolves around the Allied bombing of Dresden near the end of World War II, bookended with Vonnegut's own experiences in Dresden during the war and after. The prose is simple and felt dated, but it was still powerful in its ordinariness. The horrors of war are here, as Billy Pilgrim, our hero and Vonngeut's stand-in, goes to war as a chaplain's assistant, gets taken prisoner by the Germans, ends up in Dresden in time for the bombing, then goes home to get married and become an optometrist. He also gets unstuck from time, traveling up and down his timeline, and gets taken prisoner by aliens who put him on display in a zoo, along with a fellow abductee, a former porn actress. Did he really get abducted by aliens? Is he really traveling through time? Or did he wartime experiences leave him with PTSD and a need to make some sort of sense of his life? There is something so mundane in how Vonnegut describes the horrors of war, giving it the same tone and weight as everything else that happened in Billy's life that makes the war scenes worse somehow.And the repetitive phrase "And so it goes" that punctuates nearly all the paragraphs in the book, a precursor, perhaps, for the more contemporary "It is what it is." There are things that can't be changed, so they can either be accepted or not. To not is to drive yourself crazy. To accept is to, perhaps, stay sane. But war isn't sane, and maybe a sane response isn't appropriate. Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but the story is the sort that inspires introspection. I'm glad I finally read this.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The story of Billy Pilgrim, suffering from PTSD, as he recalls his time as a WWII POW and surviving the firebombing of Dresden. He travels back and forth in time, visiting his birth, death, all the moments in between repeatedly and out of order.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I can't believe it has taken me this long to finally read this book. This book is about Billy Pilgrim and his book he wrote about being a POW in Dresden and his life. It's a serious book but there is a lot of humour in it. There were parts that made me laugh out loud and I had a hard time putting it down. I kept wanting to know what he would talk about next. There's one line in the book that will stick with me, "That's one thing Earthlings might learn to do, if they tried hard enough: Ignore the awful times, and concentrate on the good ones." We sometimes forget to think about the good things when there are so many awful things happening. I believe that this is a book that everyone should read at least once in their life.