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This is a collection of short stories that Vonnegut wrote between 1950 and 1968. The stories range from war-time epics to futuristic social commentaries. In the introduction, Vonnegut explains that these stories helped to keep him financially afloat while he was working on his true aspiration - novels. The stories were published in various magazines and other publications, and were corralled into Welcome to the Monkey House in 1968.
Each story is incredibly unique and forward-thinking, especially considering the time that they were written. For example, Vonnegut creates a world where everyone is equal in Harrison Bergeron, to the extreme that those with advantages have to be handicapped. Smart people wear hearing-aid devices that blast loud noises every twenty seconds so they can’t think clearly and beautiful people wear ugly masks. Only the average people are allowed to live without handicaps.
The story titled Report on the Barnhouse Effect is about a man who has discovered the ability to control objects with his mind. He learns of this while in the military, playing craps in the barracks. The man can control the dice, and make them land however he wishes. But he is not interested in using this power for personal gain, and realizes that it is too dangerous for the public to learn. He disappears and begins to rid the world of its weapons by destroying them remotely, making it impossible for the nations of the world to wage war.
Each story is well-developed and well-written. Welcome to the Monkey House is definitely worth checking out, and would make a great introduction to Vonnegut.
4/5 Stars. 331 pages. Published 1968.
Each story is incredibly unique and forward-thinking, especially considering the time that they were written. For example, Vonnegut creates a world where everyone is equal in Harrison Bergeron, to the extreme that those with advantages have to be handicapped. Smart people wear hearing-aid devices that blast loud noises every twenty seconds so they can’t think clearly and beautiful people wear ugly masks. Only the average people are allowed to live without handicaps.
The story titled Report on the Barnhouse Effect is about a man who has discovered the ability to control objects with his mind. He learns of this while in the military, playing craps in the barracks. The man can control the dice, and make them land however he wishes. But he is not interested in using this power for personal gain, and realizes that it is too dangerous for the public to learn. He disappears and begins to rid the world of its weapons by destroying them remotely, making it impossible for the nations of the world to wage war.
Each story is well-developed and well-written. Welcome to the Monkey House is definitely worth checking out, and would make a great introduction to Vonnegut.
4/5 Stars. 331 pages. Published 1968.
