Author Vonnegut to speak today

Author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., whose sarcastic and unconventional works include Slaughterhouse Five and Cat's Cradle, will speak in Irvine Auditorium tonight at 8 p.m. Vonnegut's talk is titled "How To Get a Job Like Mine." Emily Nichols, chairperson of Connaissance, the group sponsoring the event, said that Vonnegut is expected to mix personal anecdotes with political commentary. "There are not many other authors today that write books that are considered to be literature," said Nichols. "I can't think of any other writer that might be more timely." Nichols said Vonnegut's works tend to be pessimistic and science fiction-like visions of the future. Connaissance treasurer Russell Klein said the group is especially excited about bringing a well-known speaker who is not a politician or journalist. "It should be kind of a wild speech," Klein said. English Professor Robert Lucid said that unlike most other writers who come to the University, Vonnegut will speak directly to the audience rather than deliver a fictional reading from a manuscript. "He's very famous as a speaker," said Lucid. "People are going out of eager anticipation to see him in action." Vonnegut is speaking tonight as part of a lecture tour he is giving this fall to promote his latest book, Hocus Pocus. The speech is free of charge and open to the public.

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