Rating: 
Summary: Meh... (Revised)
Review: For anyone who regularly watches The Simpsons, this word/sound means something, for everyone else, I'll explain; Homer, (not Marge, sorry) after seeing a commercial for Blockoland (Legoland) asks the kids enthusiastically "How would you kids like to go to... BLOCKOLAND!?" to which they respond, "Meh..." confused, Homer says, "Come on you guys..." Lisa offers, "We said 'meh'... M-E-H... Meh." That pretty much describes how I felt about this collection of short "masterpieces". You may enjoy this if you are the kind of person that considers reading a book you've been reading for eight months while you wait for your dentist "quality reading time". This isn't even a good example of Vonnegut's style. Archaic and clumsy, also a much more sci-fi, fantasy-like Vonnegut, that may be well and good for some of you but for me, the more I can relate to a story or the author, the better. I choked down Huxley's Brave New World which, to me, was astonishingly like Orwell's 1984, but thats neither here nor there. My point is, if you want sci-fi, read Harlan Ellison that should satisfy your nerdy urges. If you want quality Vonnegut, pick up Jailbird or my personal favorite, Breakfast Of Champions. Vonnegut at his best. Due to Mr. Vonnegut's recent support of the skateboarding community, I will not completely slam this book and say nobody should read it, to the contrary, if you are under the age of thirteen or "An avid Kurt Vonnegut reader", by all means, read this book. It will probably "leave you thinking" for weeks. However, if you enjoy quality literature, steer clear of this one. Boring, inarticulate, and about as interesting as a runny nose, I'm afraid to put it on the bookshelf for fear of coming home to shreds of Monkey House everywhere, bullied into submission and euthanized by my other books. So that's my opinion, "Meh..."
Rating: 
Summary: What? I can only have five stars? You're kidding, right?
Review: Well, most of the 54 previous reviewers raved about this collection of stories, but I did see one reviewer who felt the story, Monkey House, seems to encourage a certain illegal behavior. I agree with that observation, and while I was reading the story I was certain people today would notice that point: Maybe in 1968 (the publication date), people didn't notice?Some of the stories seemed like "starter" stories, something a "wannabe" writer might write. But some really do make you think. What if you were forced to be "equal" to everyone else (Harrison Bergeron)? What if an anti-aging concoction was discovered and the population explosion covered the earth with people of all ages (Tomorrow etc.)? These kinds of questions are certainly relevant today, and that may be one measure of their worth: longevity. I could not read this book like a novel, with growing interest as the plot unfolds. For me, it was the type of book one would have to put aside from time to time, to kind of "digest" the contents, before reading more. That could be another measure of literary worth: it doesn't go down like cotton candy but kind of "stays with you," the way a good meal should. Diximus.
Rating: 
Summary: early vonnegut short stories
Review: Myself, I've never read any Vonnegut in the past. As a matter of fact, I have not read many books at all before. This collection of short stories is just perfect for someone like me. The stories vary from about five pages to twenty pages apiece, making them easy for anyone to ascertain in a short amount of time. After getting about half-way through the book I decided to go out and purchase SLAUGHTER-HOUSE-FIVE, SIREN OF THE TITANS, and GODBLESS YOU DR.KEVORKIAN. That is what is so beautiful about this book, the fact that someone who never reads, can easily peruse a story or two with out missing a beat. Kurt will capture your attention in every tale.
Vonnegut came way before my time, but now I see what all the recognition was about. His ideas on government and modern society were way ahead of his time. His notions of peace, shifty politicians, and clandestine activities are what make him an excellent addition to any radical library. He writes science fiction, with a dash of harsh reality. These ideals, of an overpopulated world in which every aspect of our lives are governed, are presented with extraordinary detail in Vonnegut`s writing. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Harrison Bergeron, and Welcome to the Monkey House (The story) are lurid representations of the way the future could be. This book has it all romance, tragedy, and triumph. Every story is not just science fiction, as you may imagine. Most of the stories are set in the past and have no portrayals of an automated society or a talking dog that helped to invent electricity. In fact, one of my favorite stories, The Foster Portfolio, is one that contains no special effects at all. Like many of Vonnegut's other stories, The Foster Portfolio just deals with simple human characteristics like pride, ambition, and happiness. The presentation that Kurt puts into his characters is marvelous. When you get done reading one of his stories you'll feel as though you know the characters.
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