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Introduction
A Poem by Kurt Vonnegut
American novelist Kurt Vonnegut (1922 – 2007) included this poem in a thank you letter to the students of Marshall E. Bean (GLC 05508.250). The author, who was heralded for his knack for combining satire, dark comedy, and science fiction with a moral compass, explains that the poem is "about how everybody in the whole world is doing God’s work." In addition, Vonnegut warmly thanks the class for a Thanksgiving card they sent him and goes on to remember another "Mr. Bean," who was the best teacher he had as a child in Indianapolis, Indiana. The poem was published in Vonnegut's book Cat's Cradle in 1963, and this letter was written in 1969, the same year his popular novel Slaughterhouse-Five debuted. Krista Rupe Special Projects Manager Gilder Lehrman Collection Transcript
October 9, 1969
Dear Students of Marshall E. Bean: It is nice to hear from you. That was generous of you to send me a Thanksgiving card. I enjoyed it. When I was a boy, the best teacher I had was also a Mr. Bean. That was back in Indianapolis, Indiana. Here is a poem from one of my books. It is about how everybody in the whole world is doing God's work:
Cheers, Item Description and Credits
GLC05508.250. Kurt Vonnegut to students of Marshall E. Bean. 9 October, 1969.
For more information or to obtain copies, contact reference@gilderlehrman.com or call (212) 787-6616 ext. 209. Suggested Reading
New York Times Obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/books/12vonnegut.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Times Links of Web sources: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/v/kurt_vonnegut/index.html?scp=1&sq=references%20kurt%20vonnegot&st=cse AP Story of Authors Reflecting on Vonnegut: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/13/arts/NA-A-E-BKS-US-Vonnegut-Appreciation.php Vonnegut Website: http://www.vonnegutweb.com/ |
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