I’ve Got Enough

I recently came across a blog post by  Bob Sutton that describes a fascinating conversation between two famous novelists, Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller.

In 2005, Kurt Vonnegut found himself at a lavish party on Shelter Island, a playground for the wealthy. Among the guests was his fellow author, the brilliant Joseph Heller, known for his satirical masterpiece, Catch-22. As the evening unfolded, Vonnegut couldn’t help but notice their extravagant host, a billionaire who exuded an air of immense wealth and success.

The conversation turned, and Vonnegut humorously remarked to Heller that their host probably makes more money in a day than Heller’s satirical masterpiece, Catch-22, has ever earned. 

Heller, known for his wit and wisdom, replied with a chuckle that although it was true, he had something their host could never have. Intrigued, Vonnegut pressed on to ask what that could be. Heller delivered the immortal line-“The knowledge that I’ve got enough.”- that would inspire Vonnegut to write about the encounter in a poem later. 

Vonnegut’s poem, “Joe Heller,” was published in the New Yorker, and I am reproducing it below:

“Joe Heller”: A Poem of Contentment

Joseph Heller, an important and funny writer

now dead,

and I were at a party given by a billionaire

on Shelter Island.

I said, “Joe, how does it make you feel

to know that our host only yesterday

may have made more money

than your novel ‘Catch-22’

has earned in its entire history?”

And Joe said, “I’ve got something he can never have.”

And I said, “What on earth could that be, Joe?”

And Joe said, “The knowledge that I’ve got enough.”

Not bad! Rest in peace!”

— Kurt Vonnegut

The New Yorker, May 16th, 2005