God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater

By: Kurt Vonnegut

Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer

Length: 5 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Eliot Rosewater, a drunk volunteer fireman and president of the fabulously rich Rosewater Foundation, is about to attempt a noble experiment with human nature, with a little help from writer Kilgore Trout. The result is Kurt Vonnegut's funniest satire, an etched-in-acid portrayal of the greed, hypocrisy, and follies of the flesh we are all heir to.

As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of Kurt Vonnegut's book, you'll also receive an exclusive Jim Atlas interview. This interview – where James Atlas interviews Gay Talese about the life and work of Kurt Vonnegut – begins as soon as the audiobook ends.

This production is part of our Audible Modern Vanguard line, a collection of important works from groundbreaking authors.

©1965 Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (P)2008 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[Vonnegut] at his wildest best!" ( The New York Times Book Review)

the afterword is terrible

they abrupt end of the book is typical and beloved by Vonnegut. the afterword is awful. b ready to stop audible.

Excellent Performance

Eric Michael Summerer's narration was absolutely top-notch! I'll be looking for more audiobooks he's narrated.

The portrayal of the main characters multiple personalities are written wonderfully and performed beautifully!

There are so many things to like! Humor, realism, and thoughtful provocative ideas are just a few.

A Story About Money

If you could sum up God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater in three words, what would they be?

The Money Shot

What was one of the most memorable moments of God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater?

Vonnegut has so many classic situations in his stories, that not only make you laugh but cry at the same time so its tough. But I would say when Rosewater comes to a moment of clarity at the end of the novel it really pulls the story together in a profound way. You may not like his response, but you must admit that it solidifies his narrative.

Which character – as performed by Eric Michael Summerer – was your favorite?

Rosewater. The images of him living day to day in squalor but being so happy and helping others was well done. "How Can We Help You"....terrific.

Who was the most memorable character of God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater and why?

The woman who called Rosewater up every day was my favorite for some reason. She was the average person who struggles to deal with life, the fact that Rosewater took time for her sums up the treatise of the novel. The everyday contains magical qualities that can never be overlooked, being kind to people is always a good investment.

Any additional comments?

Its almost impossible to review Vonnegut, who is my view is the most over looked and under rated American novelist ever. He wrote some of the best books in the American literary tradition. This book, though dated in some respects is timeless in others. I can understand why some people don't like his work, but if you do you owe it to yourself to listen to this well produced thoughtful version.

Changed my view of money

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

"Thus did a handful of rapacious citizens come to control all that was worth controlling in America. Thus was the savage and stupid and entirely inappropriate and unnecessary and humorless American class system created. Honest, industrious, peaceful citizens were classed as bloodsuckers, if they asked to be paid a living wage. And they saw that praise was reserved henceforth for those who devised means of getting paid enormously for committing crimes against which no laws had been passed."

Wow.

Any additional comments?

This book speaks perfectly to our times. Poor people "earn" money while rich people "make" money. Money is a fiction we all buy into, without realizing the game is rigged.

Tolerable short listen

At times this book was humorous and probably quite salacious for the time it was written. The characters were interesting and well developed but the story was jumbled and rambling. The ending was abrupt and didn't provide closure. Not sure if the author wasn't as crazy as his main character, Eliot. Snippets of good writing but overall a disappointment. Others may disagree and it may be worth a five and one-half hour gamble if you want to experiment with an unusual listen.

Timeless Message

A concept, "slurp-slurp", as applicable in 2017 as it was when this book was written. "Same circus, different clowns." Knowing our history does not prevent its repetition. Bottom line of charitable giving, though, bears repeating.

Vonnegut - Love him or leave him?

Vonnegut seems to invoke the "love it or leave it" reaction and there are not many people who sit in the middle. I'll confess up front: I like his style and his social commentary, as the latter is usually spot on.

I can fully understand how his style would be too slow and detailed for some. This work in particular seems "over described". As well, in true Vonnegut fashion, the book contains tangential mini-stories that don't seem to have a reason in the larger construct. Many readers will be left scratching their head and asking "what the heck was that all about"?

So, give this a shot if you like Vonnegut. If you've never experienced his work, I recommend you start with some of his other more well know works (Slaughter house Five, Catch 22, etc.).

Not my favorite but Vonnegut none the less

Somewhat tedious imho, but feels much more substantial toward the end. I tend to lean towards his more other-worldly themes as this is more "real" than tralfamadore. His allegories hit home, with resignment and resolve just as Vonnegut fans would expect.

A perfect time for a re-read

This book is in strong competition with Mother Night for my favorite Vonnegut book. Here, Elliot Rosewater, a trust-fund millionaire, comes to be in charge of the Rosewater Foundation's funds. The foundation was established as a family tax-dodge, but Elliot thinks the charity is supposed to do good things for people and begins to use the money for the people of his hometown, Rosewater, Indiana. The book follows Elliot and his family, who think he's insane, and their attempts to wrench control of the funds from him. The story is a character-driven adventure that makes the reader ask how they might respond. Is Elliot mad? And can he withstand the pressures put on him?