, subtitled (1981), is a collection of essays, letters, speeches, reviews, and fiction by , perhaps the best-known Indianapolis author of the mid-to-late 20th century. Throughout the book, especially in the chapter titled “Roots,” he explores his family’s history in Indianapolis.
The “Roots” chapter features excerpts from attorney John Rauch’s manuscript, “An Account of the Ancestry of Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., by an Ancient Friend of His Family,” which examines the lives of such Vonnegut ancestors as great-grandfather , who established the , and grandfather of the architectural firm , which designed such Indianapolis landmarks as the , the , and the , and the Fletcher Trust buildings.
Along with the Vonnegut family genealogy, the book includes a letter from Vonnegut to a school committee in North Dakota where his books were burned; a chapter titled “Embarrassment” detailing his Indianapolis relatives’ lack of enthusiasm for his fiction; and a musical comedy version of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story.
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