Slaughterhouse-Five
by Vonnegut, Kurt
Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death is a satirical novel by Kurt Vonnegut and is generally recognized as his most influential and popular work. Set around World War II, the novels tells of the story of Billy Pilgrim, a chaplain’s assistant, and his experiences and journeys through time. Billy sees when, how, and why he will die, resulting in his becoming fatalistic. The refrain “so it goes” is used when death, dying, and mortality occur and it appears in the book 106 times. Additionally, the novel can be read as semi-autobiographical: Vonnegut was present during the firebombing of Dresden, a central event in the novel.
Shortly after publication, Slaughterhouse-Five was nominated for two best novel recognitions, a Nebula Award and a Hugo Award, though it lost both to Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness. The Modern Library ranked Slaughterhouse-Five eighteenth on its list of the “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century in 1998. It is also listed in TIME’s “100 Best Novels” (since 1923).
However, mainly due to its irreverent tone and obscene content, Slaughterhouse-Five has been the subject of many attempts at censorship. The novel treats one of the most horrific massacres in European history—the firebombing of Dresden—with mock-serious humor and clear antiwar sentiment. It also depicts sexuality to a revolutionary extent as one of the first literary acknowledgments that homosexual men, referred to in the novel as “fairies,” were among the victims of the Nazi Holocaust. Thus, Slaughterhouse-Five is listed in the American Library Association's list of the “Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–1999” as well as the ALA's “Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2000–2009.”
The novel has been adapted more than a handful of times, most notably a film adaptation by the same name made in 1972. Although the film did poorly in the box office, it was critically praised, winning the Prix du Jury at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival.
First Edition Identification and Notes
Delacorte Press originally published Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death, in 1969. Bound in blue cloth, the 186-page first edition states “First Printing” on the copyright page. The dust jacket states the original price of $5.95 on the upper corner of the front flap.
Other Collectible or Notable Editions
Franklin Library published the first collector’s edition of Slaughterhouse-Five in 1978. This edition is bound in brown leather with gilt lettering and design work, silk end pages, and an attached page marker.
Reviews
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I very much enjoyed this novel. It was my first Vonnegut book, and have since ordered others.I felt it a very well written novel, with a great story, however made a horrible movie.
Available copies

Slaughterhouse Five
by Kurt Vonnegut
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- 1969
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Slaughterhouse Five: or the Children's Crusade, a Duty Dance with Death
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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- 1970
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by Kurt Vonnegut
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Slaughterhouse Five
by Kurt Vonnegut
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by Kurt Vonnegut
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Slaughterhouse-Five
by Kurt Vonnegut
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- 1981
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SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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- 1978
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Slaughterhouse Five
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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Slaughterhouse-Five; or, the Children's Crusade. A Duty-Dance with Death
by Kurt Vonnegut
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- 1978
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by Vonnegut, Kurt
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by Vonnegut, Kurt
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by Kurt Vonnegut
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by Vonnegut, Kurt
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by Vonnegut, Kurt
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by Kurt Vonnegut
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by Vonnegut, Kurt
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Slaughterhouse-Five
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by Kurt Vonnegut
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SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE: or the Children's Crusade (Signed)
by Vonnegut, Kurt; Illustrated by Alan E. Cober
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- 1978
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by Kurt Vonnegut
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Slaughter House Five
by Kurt Vonnegut
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- David Lewis
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- 1969
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Slaughterhouse Five
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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Slaughterhouse-Five
by KURT VONNEGUT
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Slaughterhouse-five;: Or, The children's crusade: a duty-dance with death
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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- 1970
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by Kurt Vonnegut
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Slaughterhouse-Five: Or The Children's Crusade, A Duty Dance With Death (25th Anniversary)
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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- The Dusty Bookcase
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- 1994
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Slaughterhouse-Five: or, The Children's Crusade; A Duty-Dance with Death
by Vonnegut, Kurt (Jr.)
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Slaughterhouse-five: Or the Children's Crusade. A Duty-dance with Death
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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- 1970-07-09
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Slaughterhouse-Five: A Novel (25th Anniversary)
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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- 1994
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by Vonnegut, Kurt
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by Vonnegut, Kurt
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by Vonnegut, Kurt
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by Vonnegut, Kurt
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Slaughterhouse-Five: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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Slaughterhouse Five
by Kurt Vonnegut
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Slaughterhouse-Five: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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by VONNEGUT KURT
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Slaughter House Five (movie poster)
by Vonnegut, Kurt (novel). Screenplay by Stephen Geller. Directed by George Ray Hill. Produced by Paul Monash
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- Eureka Books
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- 1972
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Slaughterhouse-Five: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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Slaughterhouse Five
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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- 1991-01-01
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Slaughterhouse-Five
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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- 1991-11-01
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Slaughterhouse-Five: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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- 1999-01-12
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Slaughterhouse-five: Or the Children's Crusade. A Duty-dance with Death
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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by VONNEGUT KURT
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by VONNEGUT KURT
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by VONNEGUT KURT
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by VONNEGUT KURT
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Slaughter-House Five [Mass Market Paperback] Kurt Vonnegut
by Kurt Vonnegut
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Slaughterhouse Five
by Vonnegut, Kurt
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