IF THIS ISN’T NICE, WHAT IS?: ADVICE FOR THE YOUNG

Book ID/图书代码： 12070014B67080

English Summary/英文概要： A selection of Kurt Vonnegut’s best speeches.

After the publication of his novel Slaughterhouse-Five brought him worldwide acclaim in 1969, Kurt Vonnegut became one of America’s most popular graduation speakers. There were years when public speaking was his main source of income, and he put a great deal of thought and preparation into the things he said and also in his presentations. “We are performing animals” is one of Vonnegut’s trademark sayings, and he took it to heart when he found himself before an auditorium filled with college seniors about to enter the world as members of the citizenry, hopeful of being gainfully employed, adults with their school days now finally behind them.

Vonnegut was a very, very funny graduation speaker. At the same time, he conveys in these speeches something of the seriousness, of the momentousness of life too. He tells stories and jokes, invokes the figures who inspire him the most—Jesus, Eugene Debs, Bertrand Russell, Jazz historian Albert Murray, and Vonnegut’s friend Joseph Heller among many others. Perhaps most importantly, he acts like the young people he is speaking to are going to go out into the world and make a difference.

These nine college commencement addresses have never been collected before in a book. Together, they show us a side of Vonnegut—personable, brave, provocative, intimate, loving—that is consistent with but different from the Vonnegut of his books. A bit like Mark Twain, also a noted public speaker, folksy, an actor as well as a writer.

Chinese Summary/中文概要： 库尔特•冯内古特最佳演讲选集。

1969年，库尔特•冯内古特的小说作品《五号屠宰场》已经出版便获得全世界的一致好评，而作者本人也即刻成为了当时美国最炙手可热的演说家。曾有长达数年的时间，公共演讲都是他主要的收入来源，并且他本人也花费了大量的心思用于演讲的内容准备和效果呈现。“我们都不过是一群表演着的动物”是冯内古特最标志性的一句名言，并且每当他站在一群即将进入这个世界的大学高年级生们面前时，看着他们将成为未来的公民，满怀希望自己能够获得高报酬的聘用，而身为学生的成年生活也即将离他们远去时，他总是会对此忧心忡忡。

冯内古特是一名十分风趣的毕业生演讲家。与此同时，他也会在演讲中传递其背后的严肃性和生命的重要。他会在其中讲述故事和笑话，唤起人们对那些影响了他最多的人物形象们的记忆：耶稣、尤金•德布斯、伯特兰•罗素、爵士历史学家阿尔伯特•马瑞，以及他的朋友约瑟夫•海勒等。或许最重要的是，他的行为举止像极了那群作为他演讲对象的年轻人，仿佛他也正要走进这个世界，大显一番身手。

本书中收录的9所大学毕业典礼上的致辞从未出版发行在任何一部书籍作品赏。它们汇聚在一起，为我们展示了冯内古特的另一面----迷人、勇敢、跃跃欲试，却又令人感到亲切与喜爱---这与作家冯内古特有着一种延续的连贯性，却又有所不同。有些像是马克•吐温，却又是一名著名的演说家，不拘礼节，爱好交谈，他像是一名演员，却又更像是一名作家。（DC）

Awards/获奖情况：本書會有馮內果自己畫的圖!never-published-before, unknown drawings by Kurt himself.

http://www.biographile.com/the-lasting-charm-of-kurt-vonnegut-on-new-generations-of-readers/30819/?Ref=insyn_corp_bio-sevenstories

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/04/17/if-this-isnt-nice-what-is-kurt-vonnegut-commencement/

本書會有馮內果自己畫的圖!此前从未出版！

About the Author/作者介绍： 作为库尔特•冯内古特毕生的挚友，丹•维克菲尔德编辑并为我们带来了这本极具阅读价值的冯内古特畅销书信集，该作品去年由兰登书屋出版。维克菲尔德是一名作家，著有回忆录《50年代的纽约和回归：精神之旅》。他的小说《终将离开》已被拍摄为一部由本•阿弗莱克主演的电影。维克菲尔德还编剧了NBC黄金时段剧集James at Fifteen。作者现居印第安纳州的印第安纳波利斯市。

A life-long friend of Kurt Vonnegut’s, Dan Wakefield edited and introduced the highly regarded and bestselling Kurt Vonnegut Letters, published last year by Random House. Wakefield is the author of the memoirs New York in the Fifties and Returning: A Spiritual Journey. His novel, Going All the Way, was made into a movie starring Ben Affleck. Wakefield also created the NBC prime time series, James at Fifteen. He lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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Rights Status/版权销售情况：Simplified Chinese/简体中文：AVAILABLE(到期可授)

Complex/Traditional Chinese/繁体中文：AVAILABLE(到期可授)

Sales in other countries/其他国家销售情况：Rights Sold: 還未有審閱資料狀況下引爆日本出版社激烈競標, 最終由Asuka Shinsha奪標!版權已售12國: France (éditions Denoël) Italy (Minimum Fax) Hungary (Helikon Kiado) Czech Republic (Argo) Slovenia (Didakta) Greece (Patakis) Japan (Asuka Shinsha) China (Henan University Press) South Korea (Munhakdongne) Taiwan (Rye Field) Turkey (April) Spain (Malpaso Editorial)

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