Fates Worse than Death
Encyclopedia
Fates Worse than Death, subtitled An Autobiographical Collage of the 1980's, is a 1991 collection of essays, speeches, and other previously uncollected writings by author Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
. In the introduction to the book, Vonnegut acknowledges that the book is similar to an earlier book, Palm Sunday
. In it he discusses his attempted suicide.
This book also includes a "humanist
requiem
" that Vonnegut wrote as a reaction to the Roman Catholic Requiem, which he had heard in Andrew Lloyd Webber
's setting and whose text he found "terrible and sadistic". Vonnegut's own text was then set as a "Cosmos Cantata" by the composer Seymour Barab
, of whom Vonnegut said, "Barab's music is full of magic. He proved to an atheist that God
exists. What an honor to have worked with him."
The ending of this text is as follows:
Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was a 20th century American writer. His works such as Cat's Cradle , Slaughterhouse-Five and Breakfast of Champions blend satire, gallows humor and science fiction. He was known for his humanist beliefs and was honorary president of the American Humanist Association.-Early...
. In the introduction to the book, Vonnegut acknowledges that the book is similar to an earlier book, Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday (book)
Palm Sunday is a 1981 collection of short stories, speeches, essays, letters, and other previously unpublished works by author Kurt Vonnegut Jr.-Content:...
. In it he discusses his attempted suicide.
This book also includes a "humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
requiem
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
" that Vonnegut wrote as a reaction to the Roman Catholic Requiem, which he had heard in Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
's setting and whose text he found "terrible and sadistic". Vonnegut's own text was then set as a "Cosmos Cantata" by the composer Seymour Barab
Seymour Barab
Seymour Barab is an American composer, organist, pianist,. He is known for his fairy tale operas for young audiences, such as Chanticleer and Little Red Riding Hood. He is a long time member of the Philip Glass Ensemble.-References:**-External links:*...
, of whom Vonnegut said, "Barab's music is full of magic. He proved to an atheist that God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
exists. What an honor to have worked with him."
The ending of this text is as follows:
- "Let not eternal light disturb our sleep, O Cosmos, for Thou art merciful. Deliver me, O Cosmos, from everlasting wakefulness. On that dread day when the heavens and earth shall quake, when we shall dissolve the world into glowing ashes in the name of gods unknowable, I am seized with trembling and I am afraid until that day of reckoning shall arrive. Hence I pray, Deliver me, O Cosmos, from everlasting wakefulness on that day of wrath, calamity and misery. Rest grant us, O Cosmos, and let not light perpetual disturb our sleep."