Hocus Pocus

In my first clear memories of politics and world events, the Wall come down and we had to get used to live in the shadow of dieing Communist Empire, predicament that defined our lives and the world we lived in. Purported as so called End of The History, PAX AMERICANA lasted shorter then the war that produced it.

Now when the Project for the New American Century turned out to be the Project for the Last American century we live in the world best describe by the two books, American Psycho by B. E. Ellis and Hocus Pocus by K. Vonnegut.

No, I am not aiming at easy targets, conjunction school shootings and hell of Katrina with blood and gore spread by Patrick Bateman. The connection with current events is much more subtle. His crimes are as invisible and as devoid of guilt (and persecution and punishment) as the rootless unabashed greed that dig the whole so called developed economies are sinking in now, Bernie Madoff has spiritual brother more then Charles Menson.

And there we have it, the world of Hocus Pocus, America as a third world country, with gas so expensive that a 30 miles commute needs serious financial planning, dollar debased to the level of monopoly money, and daily commerce carried out in foreign currency, with even the state penal system outsourced and sold to foreign companies.

Written in 1990. at the moment of high water mark of American influence, Hocus Pocus seams eerily prescient.

Last year BBC treated us with the news about drug cartels in South Central LA accepting stolen copper cables and roof covering as a down payment for cocaine deliveries.

A quirky tale, whose main character doesn't exactly suffer from sexual addiction and a huge case of not knowing what the heck he is doing or what is going on throughout a lifetime of wacky happenstance. Even though he is constantly in a position possessing too much power over these notable events, he is naive to this until it is far too late to do anything about it.

In HOCUS POCUS Vonnegut presents the journal of Eugene Debs Hartke -atypical Vietnam Vet-Antiwar poster boy. The story reminded me of what John K Toole did with Ignatius Reilly in CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES. However, it's difficult to sustain interest when a writer puts all his eggs in one basket. All the other characters became keys on the piano that Hartke kept playing, on and on. Now that the Vietnam vet has been pounded to death from every angle, as time goes on, the story loses much of its poignancy. When it was written twelve years past it may have gotten my five stars, unfortunately, literature must be evaluated with one eye on its longevity....

Compared solely to other Vonnegut novels, I'd give this one 3-4 stars. As other reviewers mentioned, it's not quite as good as the favorites (Slaughterhouse Five). The thing I like most about Vonneguts style is it reads like you're sitting on a porch having a smoke with the guy and he's just telling you a story. So it goes.

I have always wanted to read more Vonnegut, and I happened to come upon this one through the good graces of the store. I can confidently say that it is not what one would come across in the normal pantheon of things. Very interesting, and a quick, enjoyable read. Once you start, tough to put down.

I read Hocus Pocus because of the "People who read this aurthor" thing at the bottom of a book by T. Robbins. I picked it up and the intro was enthralling. There were some good parts but it was basically a i careth not siituation. I mean it wasn't painfully boring and it wasn't enthralling either. I am going to read another of his, to see if it is any better, since it wasn't that bad.

The best part of Hocus Pocus is the beginning; It creates such a lure that the reader creates immense hope for the rest of the novel and for the most part, the novel does a good job of lving up to those hopes. Vonnegut's style is once again back in full flair, but I found myself bored by some chapters, whereas in another work, Slaughterhouse-5, every page kept me entertained. Not to say this is a bad book, but there are better Vonneguts out there.

This is the first vonnegut I've read, having missed the craze. (A bit too young, I suppose.) I loved the depth of the characters and the hysterical, multiple plots played out to the very end. Some of it's magic, some of it's tragic, but all together a fantastic read

What bleak existentialism lies at the heart of Vonnegut's work! Ho hum. Having finished this book, I feel as though I have awoken, loosed from my dream of life, to find a reality far more terrifying than the everyday fears I convinced myself were real.

Hocus Pocus is still a brilliant satire. People who want another "Cat's Cradle" (which I think is his best) "Slaughterhouse 5" or Galapagos" may be a little disapointed, but this is still a very funny, sadly true look at life today, even if it was written 15 years ago. It satires war, education, the prison system, and the outsourcing of jobs, still hot-button issues today. This is just a good book, even if Vonnegut's prime was a bit earlier.

Vonnegut's humor is unbeatable. Yet, while you laughing out loud, you are struck by what Vonnegut's poking at. He is a master. Hocus Pocus is definitely more than worth the 2 cups of overpriced coffee i gave up to buy it!! :)

To those not familiar with the writings of Kurt Vonnengut this is not a good starter. Go buy Mother Night or Slaughterhouse Five instead. If you are familiar with Vonnengut, you will probably also enjoy this book.
As always the sarcasm and humour is worth it all. But the story of this novel is really hard to keep track on. It seems more like a collection of notes than a novel proper. Obviously this means that this book will primarily be of benefit to dedicated fans, such as myself.

Though I thought it would be hard to top "Breakfast of Champions" and "Slaughterhouse-Five", Vonnegut managed to do it with "Hocus Pocus". This book is a testament to his genius. If you have never read Vonnegut before, start by reading this book.

Vonnegut has written many works that are justifiably praised, often laced with biting satire and normally an excellent insight into people and their surrounding society.
The various praises of this book, liberally sprinkled on the back cover and the opening few pages, call this 'Hilarious', 'Sharp-toothed satire - absurd humor' 'Comic', '...a scream'. From these comments, I was all set for another Slaughterhouse Five, but when I finished this I wondered if these book reviewers had read the same book I did. I didn't even break a chuckle, finding instead a large amount of cynicism, retreads of ecological and Vietnam phrases that became trite long before this was published, a main character who entirely monopolizes the book (there is almost no conversation and darn little action), and a story line that very badly extrapolated the society trends of 1990.
Certainly, Vonnegut's sharp tongue is present, ripping up academia (and their captive students) as we explore the benefits of prisons run by outsourced Japanese guards, the equivalency of loving and killing, television talk-shows, the mindless drive to wealth normally thought of as the American dream, and, yes, the whole Vietnam experience with his typical precision. But instead of these items being couched in a manner that would bring a smile and a chuckle (before the sharp stab of truth hits), the barbs are almost baldly presented, or driven by obvious situations and comparisons. And his patented time-slip style of narration is still present, but it no longer seems fresh. Perhaps what I missed the most in this work was the completely zany worlds that his characters in previous novels occupied inside their heads. This work seemed far too mundane and everyday.
Perhaps I read this on a bad hair day, but for my money this is very minor Vonnegut.
--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

Slaughterhouse-5 was excellent - moving, meaningful, striking, powerfully written...
This was better.
Hats off, Mr. Vonnegut; I took the time, and read 'em all. They were all wonderful -- this is the best.

chuckle, wanting to laugh as I did during my college days at Auburn reading Vonnegut's classics. I think Hocus Pocus has lost the magic; I found it insipid not inspiring as his previous works. The soaking sarcasm and bitter cynicism were 2 overdone and I for 1 found the book predictable and mundane.

There were "moments" within the character development passages that were reminiscent of the more rewarding reading of Vonnegut in days gone by, but they left me hopelessly hanging to a bitter end.

You may laugh because "everyone" says that you should, after all of the great reviews which were wall papered on the book cover. And this should serve as a warning to those paying attention not to pay any money for this paperback, unless you have a table that is missing four inches from one of it's legs.

HP is a slow sigh ("cough"), a wheezing deflation, a tedious grind. Vonnegut is a fine writer, to be sure, but his talents are poorly deployed here. I listened to this relentlessly overcast novel on the morning commute of similarly overcast days. I learned not a thing, was entertained not a whit, and was moved nary an ounce. HP is dull, dull, dull -- the dimmest of stars in an otherwise bright Vonnegut sky.

HP is a slow sigh ("cough"), a wheezing deflation, a tedious grind. Vonnegut is a fine writer, to be sure, but his talents are poorly deployed here. I listened to this relentlessly overcast novel on the morning commute of similarly overcast days. I learned not a thing, was entertained not a whit, and was moved nary an ounce. HP is dull, dull, dull -- the dimmest of stars in an otherwise bright Vonnegut sky.