A literary birthday 2-fer today as we celebrate the births of two of the most badass authors ever to grace the page: Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Kurt Vonnegut.  Imagine these two guys in a room together: one with a deep dive into the darkest corners of the human psyche, the other with a satirical scimitar (you like that?  You’re welcome) to slice through society’s bullshit.  Society’s satirical scimitar.  So sexy.  It would be like putting Batman and Deadpool at the same table, ready to hash out the meaning of life over a drink or two.

First up, Dostoyevsky, who rolled onto the scene on November 11, 1821.  This Russian maestro didn’t just write massive tomes; he cracked open the human brain and exposed all the beautiful, ugly mess inside.  His novels, like “Crime and Punishment” and “The Brothers Karamazov,” are a wild ride through morality, redemption, an existential dread.  That said, both books can be unwieldy and daunting.  You would not be blamed for looking at their lengths alone and running for the nearest bar.  So let’s talk about my favorite of his, “Notes from the Underground,” which is basically a philosophical gut-punch.  First published in 1864, it’s often considered one of the first existential novels, delving deep into the mind of its protagonist, known as the “underground man,” who’s as complex and contradictory as they come.  He’s a retired civil servant living in St. Petersburg, grappling with spiraling thoughts about alienation and resentment toward society.  He’s the precursor to the modern anti-hero.

The book is divided into two parts.  The first part, “Underground,” is a monologue where the protagonist presents his philosophy, his disdain for the rationalist and utopian ideas of his time.  He challenges the notion that human behavior can be predicted or controlled by logic or reason, focusing on the irrationality and unpredictability of human nature.

The second part, “Apropos of the Wet Snow,” provides a narrative that illustrates the underground man’s interactions with others, highlighting his social awkwardness and self-destructive tendencies.  The whole thing is amazing.  If you’re ready to stare into the abyss of the human psyche, “Notes from the Underground” is your literary gateway drug.

Now, fast forward a century or so, and we find Kurt Vonnegut being born on November 11, 1922.  Vonnegut’s writing held up a mirror to society and cackled while we all noticed our own absurdity, often for the first time.  With classics like “Slaughterhouse-Five” and Cat’s Cradle,” he masterfully mixed humor with a poignant critique of humanity’s ridiculous escapades.

“Slaughterhouse-Five” follows Billy Pilgrim, an optometrist who becomes “unstuck in time” after being abducted by aliens.  Yep, aliens.  As Billy bounces between moments in his life, including his time as a soldier in World War II and his capture in the firebombing of Dresden, Vonnegut blends science fiction with a hard-hitting antiwar narrative.  If, like me, you have certain psychic itches that can only be scratched by spending long periods of time thinking about time, free will, and destiny, Vonnegut’s your guy.

Cheers to Uncles Fy and Kurt, OG literary badasses.

N.P.: “Wild Flower” – The Cult