It was an attempt to separate the writer from the man and offer a compassionate view of who Kurt Vonnegut Jr. really was, based on how he treated the people in his life.

No one claims that he was a good father, or a faithful husband, Vonnegut was very much a product of his time, but this biography doesn't offer a good idea of what that time looked like.

The author was unkind in his characterization of Kurt Vonnegut Junior: his procrastination, his infidelity, his inability to connect with his children, or women, or other writers, indicate that he was simply a narcissist. And the only explanation the author offered was the potential diagnosis of bipolar personality disorder due to crippling mommy issues. Charles, you are truly a moron.

His avoidance of writing, self-deprecation and sarcastic wit, which artfully but not subtly concealed his intense self-loathing, weren't merely the result of Middle Child Syndrome. These things paint a clear picture of a lonely man pretending to be a writer, but whole-heartedly believing to be a fraud until his very final breath.

Vonnegut's tragedy isn't in the fact he was cruel to others, it's that he was cruel to himself, and it doesn't take away from the relatability of his writing. No, in fact, it's what makes people connect with his novels to this day. The feeling of powerlessness in the face of stupidity isn't due to an inflated sense of self, it's fear of not fitting into the world, of being strange and unworthy of being understood.

How could you blame his marriage to Jane for her unhappiness when she never harbored any resentment towards him? Her being the sole caretaker of their children and his sister Alice's may have been difficult, but he was tasked with providing for everyone with the skill he never believed in. Was it so surprising he looked for validation in his sexual conquest? Was it humorous he found himself in an abusive relationship with a woman who at first seemed to value his contribution to art? Jill was psychotic and controlling and he went back to her because he was terrified of her. Making light of that fact was unfair.

I really struggled with this book because I normally love biographies, but this... was ass.