Rating: 
Summary: Wow.
Review: This is the first Vonnegut book I have read, and I was blown away. 'Breakfast of Champions' definitely belongs among the list of books that will change the way you think about everything. On top of that, 'Breakfast' is a light meal that split my sides and made me burst out laughing more than once. Paradoxically, however, its subject is the meaning of the Universe, and you can't get much heavier than that.Read it in one sitting, and you won't regret it. (Unless you happen to be like these other blokes who wrote negative reviews of this book. To those people, I have one sentence for you: Go back to Fairy Land -- and take your KFC and Pontiacs with you.) God bless you, Mr. Vonnegut.
Rating:
Summary: VONNEGUT'S BEST.
Review: BUY IT. READ IT. REPEAT. -- MORE RELEVANT AND MUCH FUNNIER THAN THE BIBLE.
Rating: 
Summary: Vonnegut at his most enjoyably incoherent
Review: Kurt Vonnegut Jr. has specialized in two types of novels. The first types are made up of sharp, witty tales that poke fun at humanity, while all the time keeping one eye on the plot. Both SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE and MOTHER NIGHT are sterling examples. The second type of Vonnegut novel is awkward and unusual in the extreme, often leaving the reader dazed, thumping his or her head on the floor in a vain attempt at comprehension. They are enjoyable, but their precise meaning continues to elude. TIMEQUAKE is a fine example. BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS is another. BREAKFAST, to define some semblance of a plot, follows two main story threads. In the first, Vonnegut presents us with Dwayne Hoover, car-salesman extrordinaire, who is slowly and surely losing his mind. In the second, we have Vonnegut regular Kilgore Trout, the unemployed and unlikable science-fiction writer, who is hitch-hiking his way across the country to recieve a sizable award at an arts convention. This is the plot, but Vonnegut adheres to it only in passing. In countless asides and divergences, Vonnegut explores sex, race, politics, sex, enviromental catastrophe, sex, aliens, robots, god, and sex. All this, plus numerous obscene doodles and an appearance from Vonnegut himself, bestowing wisdom upon his creations. What, exactly, is Vonnegut trying to say? American culture is a vast wasteland of imbecility? People are generally self-centred and greedy, and above all, not nice? As a culture, America is doomed to die in its own sewage? The answer to all would seem to be yes. Vonnegut has often had a core of anger in his writings, and BREAKFAST is perhaps his angriest. But BREAKFAST is not simply a gloomy discussion of the end of us all. Vonnegut is far too wise to dwell on man's foibles for long. He continues on his merry way, drawing our attention to this event and that one, all the while reminding us that perhaps Dwayne Hoover is correct: We ARE all robots, grinding our gears, fulfilling our functions, not considering any sorts of consequences. An astonishing thing has just happened: While penning this review, I realized just how much I enjoyed the book. It was confusing, bizarre, and often irritating. But many of Vonnegut's themes have remained in my consciousness, continuing to dispense nuggets of thought to my often-addled brain. If that isn't the mark of a memorable novel, I don't know what is.
Rating: 
Summary: Vonnegut...not quite at his best.
Review: I picked up Breakfast of Champions at a local used bookstore and I read the book not knowing quite what to expect. This isn't Vonnegut's best...but it most certainly isn't his worst. Breakfast of Champions isn't a philosophical book--it's just a book to read, to make you think a bit, but for the sake of precious time don't sit around and analyze it. Breakfast of Champions offers a somewhat accurate account of society, and I'll always admire Vonneguts satire and bitter realism but I think ol Kurt went a little too far with the whole "bad chemicals" situation--which became bothersome after several pages of this bleak denial of responsibility. Breakfast of Champions--a quick, humourous read (love those doodles), but nothing to take very seriously. ~Leann~
Rating:
Summary: Not his best
Review: A friend of mine said this was his favorite by Vonnegut so I read his copy. Personally, I was very disappointed. I read this one after Galapagos and thought Galapagos was far more engrossing.
Rating:
Summary: Vonnegut's best
Review: This book is a masterpiece. Many won't enjoy it, unfortunately. Many will take this book and it's various derelict rants at face value. The filthiness, the racism, the political-incorrectness in this book is not propaganda, and certainly not the Mr. Vonnegut's personal opinion. This book portrays such aspects of American culture, and that is what makes this book lovable, enjoyable. In my opinion, whatever that means. Read this book.
Rating:
Summary: This book really ISN'T racist . . .
Review: If you are a moron who can't see through the surface of a work of literature, don't read this book. Parts of this book feature discriptions of racism, not by the author, but by society. The word "nigger" is mentioned from time to time in the course of this book. The word "nigger" is also mentioned in the literary classic "Huckleberry Finn", and in "Tom Sawyer", both written by Mark Twain. This book is no more racist than either of those two anti-racism, anti-slavery novels. Let me clear this up once and for all: This is not a racist book! Kurt Vonnegut is not only a highly liberal person, but he's a socialist(Eugene V. Debs is one of his heroes)for crying out loud! Vonnegut uses those "naughty words" to be blunt and to the point, to confront us with the problems in our society. This entire book is a journey through America and it's problems, laying bare prejudices such as racism, classism, and the like. He exposes the lack of a cohesive culture in America, and he does so in both blunt and subtle manners, unfolding not just a story of a car salesman's insanity, but more importatly, taking the opportunity to use Kilgore Trout's journey from Cohoes to Midland to illustrate the emptiness of American life. Without a cohesive culture, Vonnegut shows that American life is a listless, hollow experience. Even the main story of Car salesman Wayne Hoover's insanity is subordinate to this theme, as his mental unbalances often display the same lack of values and feeling in the American Experience. For example, he stops at a diner on his way to Midland City, and he is suffering from a symptom of Schizophrenia that makes him repeat the last word someone else says. He engages in conversation with a waitress there, who fails to notice that he is repeating the last word of every sentance she speaks. She doesn't notice because she doesn't pay attention to what he says. She, like everyone else in her town, like everyone else in her country, expects nothing more than empty small talk, and gives Wayne Hoover typical automatic responses to everything he says. The theme of humans being like robots, and living like robots figures prominently in the story, as mentioned in the novels of Kilgore trout, Vonnegut's alter-ego. This book is a warning to Americans that we are wasting away.
Rating:
Summary: Ah, to read this for the first time...
Review: Of all the writers of this crazy age Vonnegut stands alone for the North Americans, in my opinion. There's just so much inside this novel that any attempt at deconstruction would only be futile. Vonnegut looks like Einstein's crazy long-lost brother and his novels are like some insane Schrodinger wave equation that finds a different place to collapse depending on the reader's state of mind. What you take from this trip depends on what's inside your head; I always find reading this leaves me feeling like the world has tilted slightly. Vonnegut could almost be a reincarnated Zen master weaving modern koans for the disillusioned age.
Rating: 
Summary: This book really IS RACIST
Review: I was sooooooo dissapointed since I am a big fan of Vonnegut's and love his writing style (except in this book), not to mention my favorite character Kilgore Trout. I read some of the reviews and decided to ignore the negative ones since there is so many people out there who clearly miss Vonnegut's point. It is racist, sexist and towards the end he just rambles on pointlessly about things ... that have nothing to do with what he is talking about. I am used to being shocked by Vonnegut but this was too much. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK, it is a waste of time and money.
Rating:
Summary: his best, period
Review: great characterization, one and all FEEL the protagonist trudge through the muck of life. see post-modernist at its hilt at the close of the text. great philosophy and narrative. great literature. highly recommended.
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