I can't say I've ever been able to emulate him, nor have I really been tempted to try - which is a compliment of the highest order. Vonnegut always depressed me, and I gained a lot of my opinion and sadness about war from him, Pat Frank, Ernest Hemingway, Gabriel Garcia Marquez... but Vonnegut always did the best at illuminating war, while the others portrayed the humanity behind it.
Rest in peace, Mr. Vonnegut.
I heard this quote from Vonnegut on the radio the other day and felt it
really embodied his twisted sense of humour:
I hate the fact that Vonnegut is no longer with us. He was probably one of
the best authors in the last 100 years in my opinion.
It really is hard to believe that he is gone.