Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five” is a satirical novel about World War II and the bombing of Dresden, Germany. Billy Pilgrim witnessed the bombing firsthand but after being abducted by Tralfamadorians, a friendly flying saucer peaceful people, his perception of time is changed and he often travels to different times in his life when one instance becomes overbearing.

His time jumps take him from his marriage, to the war and times when he was a prisoner of war. He is also taken to Tralfamador where he is kept with another earthling in a zoo. Sometimes his travels are exciting or happy, while other times a reader will share in the sadness of Billy’s life, though Billy himself does not necessarily seem distraught.

As a science fiction fantasy novel, the subject of World War II and the fire-bombing of Dresden become easier to read as you go along. A reader often finds themselves laughing at the ridiculous situations that Billy has gotten himself into. And though the characters are fictional, many facts and pieces of information about the war are true. Vonnegut himself is a World War II veteran. I recommend this read.