God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, or Pearls Before Swine, is a novel written by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., published in 1965. The plot focuses on Eliot Rosewater

Eliot Rosewater

Eliot Rosewater is a recurring character in the novels of American author Kurt Vonnegut. He appears throughout various novels as an alcoholic, and a philanthropist who claims to be a volunteer fireman. He runs the Rosewater Foundation, an organization created to keep the family's money in the family...

, the primary trustee of the philanthropic

Philanthropy

Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...

 Rosewater Foundation

Private foundation (United States)

A private foundation is a charitable organization recognized by the US Tax Code at and section 501. It is defined by a negative definition, in other words, it is defined by what it is not...

, whom one of the family lawyers, Norman Mushari, is attempting to have declared insane, in order for a distant relative, Fred Rosewater, an insurance salesman from Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

, to gain control.

Plot summary

As the opening of the book explains, this is a story where the leading character is Money.

The Rosewater Foundation was founded by United States senator

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

 Lister Ames Rosewater of Indiana to help Rosewater descendants avoid paying taxes on the family estate in Rosewater County, Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

. It is operated by a large legal firm in New York and provides an annual pension of $3.5 million to Eliot, the senator's son.

Restless, Eliot goes through the list of things philanthropists do to help the poor, and eventually sets out across America, going from small town to small town, before landing in Rosewater and setting up shop. He calls Rosewater home after becoming a volunteer firefighter in numerous cities across the U.S. This, along with his drunkenness, his generous relationship with the poor in Rosewater, and his odd relationship with his French wife, make him appear a bit crazy. Norman Mushari, a conniving lawyer, is determined to prove him insane so he can reroute a portion of the Rosewater fortune to himself, while transferring it to unwitting distant Rosewater cousins in Rhode Island.

Cameo appearances

Kilgore Trout

Kilgore Trout

Kilgore Trout is a fictional character created by author Kurt Vonnegut. He was originally created as a fictionalized version of author Theodore Sturgeon , although Trout's consistent presence in Vonnegut's works has also led critics to view him as the author's own alter ego...

, the ever-present science-fiction writer considered to be Vonnegut's alter-ego, appears, and charms many rich and affluent people, including Eliot's father. Diana Moon Glampers, the handicapper general of the short story, Harrison Bergeron

Harrison Bergeron

"Harrison Bergeron" is a satirical, dystopian science fiction short story written by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. and first published in October 1961. Originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, the story was re-published in the author's collection Welcome to the Monkey House in...

, also appears, despite the great difference in time frames between Eliot's story and Harrison's.

Norman Mushari Jr., presumed son of Norman Mushari, is found in Vonnegut's novel, Slapstick, where, in similar fashion, he persuades his client to seek restitution from her family for mistreatment. Both Musharis admittedly do it for the large cut of the profits gained by helping people inherit their wealth.

Adaptations

The novel was adapted as a musical in 1979, marking the first collaboration of composer Alan Menken

Alan Menken

Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...

 and lyricist Howard Ashman

Howard Ashman

Howard Elliott Ashman was an American playwright and lyricist. Ashman first studied at Boston University and Goddard College and then went on to achieve his master's degree from Indiana University in 1974...

. It first premiered Off-Broadway at the WPA Theatre and then the Entermedia Theatre in 1978.

In 2003, the musical had a concert as part of CooperArts series at the Cooper Union

Cooper Union

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly referred to simply as Cooper Union, is a privately funded college in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States, located at Cooper Square and Astor Place...

, produced and curated by Howard Stokar. The music is by Alan Menken, book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, and additional lyrics by Dennis Green. The concert was directed by Peter Flynn, musical directed by Jimmy Roberts

Jimmy Roberts (composer)

Jimmy Roberts is a composer for the musical theater as well as a pianist and entertainer. His musical scores include: I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and The Thing About Men , both with book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro...

. The show starred Jim Walton (Mr. Rosewater), Carolee Carmello

Carolee Carmello

Carolee Carmello is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals.She made her Broadway debut in a small role in City of Angels...

 (Mrs. Rosewater), David Pittu

David Pittu

David Pittu is a versatile American actor known primarily for his work in the theater.-Career:Pittu who is of Romanian descent grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut and graduated from New York University in 1989. He is also a writer and director, and member of the Atlantic Theater Company...

 (Norman Mushari), Kevin Free, Bambi Jones

Bambi Jones

Bambi Jones , also known as Doris Kotzan was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts. She is known for being the Original Burlesque dancer and author of her new book My Journey BURLESQUE The Way It Was. She appeared in the documentary "Exotic World & The Burlesque Revival".-History:Bambi Jones was born in...

, Kirk McDonald, and Robin Skye.

In 2009, Audible.com

Audible.com

Audible.com is an Internet provider of spoken audio entertainment, information, and educational programming.Audible sells digital audiobooks, radio and TV programs, and audio versions of magazines and newspapers....

produced an audio version of God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, narrated by Eric Michael Summerer, as part of its Modern Vanguard line of audiobooks.