Armageddon in Retrospect releasing today, on the anniversary of Kurt Vonnegut’s death

Armageddon in Retrospect is a collection of 12 new and unpublished works about war and peace by Kurt Vonnegut — releasing today on the one-year anniversary of his death.

The author’s son, Mark Vonnegut (a pediatrician and author of The Eden Express: A Memoir of Insanity), penned the lovingly tongue-in-cheek introduction, which leads perfectly into the start of the collection — a 1945 letter home, detailing Vonnegut’s experiences as a prisoner of war.

In true Vonnegut style, every story manages to cleverly layer some silliness beneath despair in hauntingly simple language. My personal favorite is “Happy Birthday, 1951” — a brief yet heart-wrenching tale about a young boy’s disinterest in the gift of peace after knowing only war. Vonnegut’s trademark line drawings appear between each piece, adding a touch of tragic humor to the pauses between.

Overall, I found the collection really satisfying, and the timing of the release perfect — not just in lieu of the anniversary of his death, but in compliment to where my head’s been lately with all the presidential campaign war talk. I’m in awe, as always, of Vonnegut’s ability to humanize difficult subjects with his spookily simplistic approach, and I found this collection to be yet another beautiful example of why his talent will forever be missed by millions.

For more info, click to Armageddon in Retrospect at Amazon.