By Matthew B.
Kurt Vonnegut is a strong worded man, such as his moving short story 2BR02B, Sinbad, and A Song for Selma. His book, Jailbird, is a masterpiece of symbolism and creativity to show the comparison of socialism vs. capitalism through the life of Walter Starbuck. He is the main protagonist of the story and his told through his perspective, giving more insight into the mind of an ex-communist during the 50's.
Walter Starbuck is an 80 years old when the novel begins with him in a jail cell for the crimes he committed. However, he is being released soon, with him taking a trip down memory lane. He thinks about what had brought him to where he was then, with his involvement in the Watergate scandal during the Nixon administration, his struggle between communism and capitalism, and his wrong doings.
This book is highly political and while I'm not the most politically inclined person, it gave an incredible insight into what politics were back in the 50's, even though it was published in the 70's. While politics is only one of the overarching themes, there are many more that layer this book with symbolism, such as corruption, the bonds between people, and how typical American values have changed.
It was a tough read since I couldn't always get along with the main protagonist since he is written quite blandly. While the events in his life are exciting, the character itself is quite boring. The dialogue between characters is dense and so is the description of his surroundings, with most of it being quite dark. The story as a whole is well constructed, but you can see that his main purpose is to spark ideas in you, which isn't always exciting to someone who doesn't want to be awoken.
Overall, this book is a compelling read. It truly does speak volumes to what America is truly like and what has become of it. While the writing can be drab and the characters either redundant or dry, the way the words flow are as good as ever. While I didn't find it the most enticing as others, if you are one who likes politics and corruption, this is the book for you.
Jailbird, by Kurt Vonnegut, The Dial Press, 1979, 306 pages
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