I've finally read all of Kurt Vonnegut's novels from the classic "Slaughterhouse Five" to the disappointing "God Bless You Mr. Rosewater." And I may surprise many of his fans by pronouncing "Mother Night" to be his triumph.

Kilgore Trout isn't in this book, and neither is a lot of the wacky plot twists that characterize many of his books. No, "Mother Night" might just be his most realistic book, and it certainly features one of his most realistic, and tortured characters.

Howard Campbell is an American spy who infiltrated the Nazi Party during WWII, sending coded transmissions to the Allies via his propaganda speeches radioed throughout Europe. The problem is that Campbell, a failed actor, was TOO good at his job, and the Americans who recruited him won't acknowledge his role as a spy. So Campbell finds himself hiding out under an assumed name in America, hated by Holocaust victims, and praised by neo-Nazis. Campbell finds himself somewhere he never wanted to be...torn apart by guilt over his role as a propagandist, and unable to accept his role as hero to the Allies. All Campbell wanted to do was have a family, and the war took even that away.

Vonnegut deals revisits the emotional issues he underwent himself during WWII and masterfully ties them into his main character. Campbell is truly a man without a country. This book contains what I believe to be Vonnegut's finest chapter, which takes place near the end of the book, when Campbell realizes that he has no place left to call a home, and decides to turn himself in as a war criminal.

This novel should be required reading for any English high school student learning about the use of irony as a literary device. Vonnegut's humor has never been darker, and his take on the world has seen such a blend of pessimism and optimism that only Vonnegut can weave together.

The movie starring Nick Nolte is a faithful adaptation that lacks some of the humor present in Vonnegut's narration but it still manages to capture some of the best scenes and themes.




Recommended: Yes