Rating: 
Summary: A light-hearted look at the afterlife
Review: "God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian," by Kurt Vonnegut, is a short book (only 78 pages), but fun. The back cover notes describe it as "ficto-journalism and journo-fictionalism," and also observes that the book "began as a series of [...] ninety-second interludes for New York's public radio station."The book is presented as a series of reports from the afterlife; according to Vonnegut, controversial assisted suicide advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian guided him through controlled near-death experiences, during which Vonnegut interviewed a series of dead individuals: abolitionist John Brown, convicted murderer Karla Faye Tucker, beloved sci-fi writer Isaac Asimov, scientist Sir Isaac Newton, etc. Along the way Vonnegut touches on such topics as humanism, slavery, genocide, ballooning, writing, and more. There are a number of curious revelations about the afterlife, such as the fact that Louis Armstrong leads a band which includes two Tasmanian musicians. "Dr. Kevorkian" is whimsical, cynical, irreverent, and altogether enjoyable.
Rating: 
Summary: Hard to categorize, hard to put down!
Review: Can death be a place or event which transforms all those involved? This story surveys life and Afterlife alike, providing 'interviews' with James Earl Ray, Eugene Debs, Shakespeare and others as God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian provides a lively fictional romp analyzing death and near-death experiences alike. Hard to categorize, hard to put down.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Vonnegut
Review: first off, kurt vonnegut truly is one of the greatest writers whose books i have had the pleasure to read. his stories are often eclectic, but the further you read into the book (any vonnegut book), you realize his stance on human evolution, ideals, war, death, etc. vonnegut pulls no punches, thank god, and hopefully will continue writing his thought provoking books. now, god bless you, dr kevorkian is one of my favorite vonnegut short stories. it gives you a clear insight (clearly vonnegutian, of course) into the thoughts and mishaps of a reporter who travels back and forth between the afterlife, giving interviews for his local newspaper. a great read, but not very long.
Rating: 
Summary: Not quite Vonnegut at his prime, but still worth the read.
Review: For those of you who are Vonnegut fanatics, this is a book that you must have, but on the same token you may be slightly disappointed. An interesting and funny plot, placing Kurt Vonnegut in the hands of Dr. Kevorkian, but that may be one of the few humorous antics of the book. Vonnegut's visits with the other side are short, often leaving the reader wanting to know just a little bit more. He uses an interesting approach, interviewing a wide variety of people...from famous thinkers to the typical Joe, reminding us that we much too often overlook the significance of every life. Vonnegut's liberal-self shines through when he jokes around about the death penalty and the Texas facility that him and Jack must evacuate several times so that it may be put to "full" use. And for history buffs, his interview with Eugene V. Debs will keep you laughing. :) This work is a short and fast read, which will start the reader off laughing. (The introduction is typical Vonnegut satire.) Not to be compared (by any means) to his major works such as Cat's Cradle, Slaughterhouse Five, or Mother Night, but nonetheless worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: Short Life Lessons
Review: God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian is the perfect Vonnegut bathroom book. Short, readable out of sequence, funny, poignant, true, striking, wise...all Vonnegut characteristics in a slim volume.
Having mastered near death administration Dr. Kevorkian puts Vonnegut on the entry way toward the Pearly Gates, where he interviews deceased people, infamous and recently dead among others, about life.
Included are Hitler's wishes to be forgiven, the joy of "Garden Insanity," a long marriage's beauty and Clarence Darrow's summation of cameras in the courtroom.
Excellent.
Rating:
Summary: short, even for a novella.
Review: how short? i read it standing in the bookstore. and i'm not professing to be a fast reader.
even though the subject matter is the afterlife, that really has nothing to do with the themes in the book, even the heavy ones. it's mostly political really. sometimes scathing, sometimes heavy-handed (but nonetheless scathing).
it is funny, so there's that. some of the afterlife encounters can be reduced to a punchline, and are as forgettable as one. instant forgetability is a serious danger in a book this short. enough sticks though, so it's definitely worth the few minutes.
i'm going to stop writing this review a little earlier than i might, because i'd hate to spend more time reviewing it than reading it.
Rating:
Summary: My first foray into Vonnegut and well worth it
Review: I am almost ashamed to say that this was the first Vonnegut book I have ever read -- and I am an English major! After this introduction to him, I am now ready to go to my library and check out all of his novels. In this novella, he takes us through a kaleidoscope of people from all walks of life. He gives as much attention and respect to "a sailor's wife" as he does to Shakespeare -- more even. This novel made me laugh at people I might have taken too seriously and give more thought to those I might not have noticed. I applaud this novel and enjoyed every minute of the half-hour it took me to devour it and I sincerely hope you do as well.
Rating:
Summary: An Amusing Quick Read
Review: I found this to be a humorous short book; took only about an hour to read. The premise: Kurt Vonnegut is playing the part of a radio talkshow host who allows Dr. Kevorkian to "kill" him so that he (Kurt) may go to heaven and interview various people before they enter the pearly gates. After obtaining his interview, he is revived by Dr. Kevorkian so that he may report his findings on the air. He does this over 100 times, until Saint Peter tells him that if he arrives again, then he will have to stay; along with the complications of Dr. Kevorkian's trial for murder in MI. The interviews include short conversations with Sir Isaac Newton, William Shakespeare and Martin Luther King's assassin. An entertaining quick read!
Rating:
Summary: An Amusing Quick Read
Review: I found this to be a humorous short book; took only about an hour to read. The premise: Kurt Vonnegut is playing the part of a radio talkshow host who allows Dr. Kevorkian to "kill" him so that he (Kurt) may go to heaven and interview various people before they enter the pearly gates. After obtaining his interview, he is revived by Dr. Kevorkian so that he may report his findings on the air. He does this over 100 times, until Saint Peter tells him that if he arrives again, then he will have to stay; along with the complications of Dr. Kevorkian's trial for murder in MI. The interviews include short conversations with Sir Isaac Newton, William Shakespeare and Martin Luther King's assassin. An entertaining quick read!
Rating:
Summary: Genius is out of the bottle!
Review: I loved Timequake. Ting-a-ling. And I loved Like Shaking Hands with God. I would have been satisfied with all the Kurt Vonnegut Jr. writings up to then. He said he was finished. Then he gives us God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian. It's a primer for how to be a fine human being, served with laughs out loud. His premise is brilliant. His writing is perfectly crafted. He gives us unexpected insights that would even surprise his subjects. Morsel for morsel, these 21 brief stories offer the finest mental dining I've ever been treated to. Was this dessert?
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