The Brothers Vonnegut: Science and Fiction in the House of Magic - Softcover

"The Brothers Vonnegut is a gem. Strand has unearthed a little-known, complex story about science and politics that touches on big questions about ethics and progress, and she delivers it with an infectious and unabashed exuberance. Her writing crackles on the page . . . But what’s most memorable about The Brothers Vonnegut is how strongly it articulates a message about the importance of making intentional decisions about the work each of us does and not blindly pursuing vocations out of convenience or for money, ego or fame.” ―John Wilwol, The San Francisco Chronicle

"[An] enjoyable double biography . . .The Brothers Vonnegut . . . sings with [Kurt Vonnegut]’s gift for frank and snappy expression . . . Strand knows how to mount a quote with just the right details." ―Katy Waldman, Slate

"[A] fascinating dual biography . . . The Brothers Vonnegut is the result of meticulous scholarship." ―Jeremy Bernstein, The Wall Street Journal

"An exercise in biographical literary criticism, [The Brothers Vonnegut] is convincing and enjoyable, and fans and scholars of Vonnegut will be glad to have the specifics of this formative era filled in." ―Evan Kindley, The New Republic

"Though many readers will be familiar with the story of a science-damaged postwar American writer and his relation to the military-industrial complex, few will have known this fascinating story of the Brothers Vonnegut. And few works of nonfiction on literary writers are as clear-eyed about the material connections between science, fiction, and war." ―Jonathon Sturgeon, Flavorwire

“Fascinating . . . a superb, provocative, and crystal-clear narrative nonfiction.” ―Mark Levine, Booklist (starred review)

“Strand's thoughtful history, drawn from abundant archival sources, recounts the brothers' repeated frustrations and disillusion as they confronted, in their own ways, the unsettling ethical questions of their time. An engaging yet disquieting portrait of postwar America through the eyes of a pair of brothers who accomplished great things in different fields.” ―Kirkus Reviews