Best Selling Books by Kurt Vonnegut

2 B R 0 2 B is a science fiction short story by Kurt Vonnegut, originally published in the digest magazine Worlds of If Science Fiction, January 1962, and collected in Vonnegut''s Bagombo Snuff Box (1999). The title is pronounced "2 B R naught 2 B", referencing the famous phrase "to be, or not to be" from William Shakespeare''s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. In this story, the title refers to the telephone number one dials to schedule an assisted suicide with the Federal Bureau of Termination. Vonnegut''s 1965 novel God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater describes a story by this name, attributing it to his recurring character Kilgore Trout, although the plot summary given is closer in nature to the eponymous tale from his short-story collection Welcome to the Monkey House. The setting is a society in which aging has been cured, individuals have indefinite lifespans, and population control is used to limit the population of the United States to forty million. This is maintained through a combination of infanticide and government-assisted suicide - in short, in order for someone to be born, someone must first volunteer to die. As a result, births are few and far between, and deaths occur primarily by accident.

Presents a collection of critical essays about Kurt Vonnegut''s Slaughterhouse-five.

A lawyer schemes to gain control of a large fortune by having the present claimant declared insane.

A previously unpublished collection of six brief fiction stories, one non-fiction essay, and an unfinished science-fiction short story.

Twelve previously unpublished writings on war and peace include such pieces as an essay on the destruction of Dresden, a story about the first-meal fantasies of three soldiers, and a meditation on the impossibility of shielding children from the temptations of violence.

Gramps Ford, his chin resting on his hands, his hands on the crook of his cane, was staring irascibly at the five-foot television screen that dominated the room. On the screen, a news commentator was summarizing the day''s happenings. Every thirty seconds or so, Gramps would jab the floor with his cane-tip and shout, "Hell, we did that a hundred years ago!"Emerald and Lou, coming in from the balcony, where they had been seeking that 2185 A.D. rarity—privacy—were obliged to take seats in the back row, behind Lou''s father and mother, brother and sister-in-law, son and daughter-in-law, grandson and wife, granddaughter and husband, great-grandson and wife, nephew and wife, grandnephew and wife, great-grandniece and husband, great-grandnephew and wife—and, of course, Gramps, who was in front of everybody.

“A madcap genealogical adventure . . . Vonnegut is a postmodern Mark Twain.”—The New York Times Book Review Galápagos takes the reader back one million years, to A.D. 1986. A simple vacation cruise suddenly becomes an evolutionary journey. Thanks to an apocalypse, a small group of survivors stranded on the Galápagos Islands are about to become the progenitors of a brave, new, and totally different human race. In this inimitable novel, America’ s master satirist looks at our world and shows us all that is sadly, madly awry–and all that is worth saving. Praise for Galápagos “The best Vonnegut novel yet!”—John Irving “Beautiful . . . provocative, arresting reading.”—USA Today “A satire in the classic tradition . . . a dark vision, a heartfelt warning.”—The Detroit Free Press “Interesting, engaging, sad and yet very funny . . . Vonnegut is still in top form. If he has no prescription for alleviating the pain of the human condition, at least he is a first-rate diagnostician.”—Susan Isaacs, Newsday “Dark . . . original and funny.”—People “A triumph of style, originality and warped yet consistent logic . . . a condensation, an evolution of Vonnegut’s entire career, including all the issues and questions he has pursued relentlessly for four decades.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer “Wild details, wry humor, outrageous characters . . . Galápagos is a comic lament, a sadly ironic vison.”—St. Louis Post-Dispatch “A work of high comedy, sadness and imagination.”—The Denver Post “Wacky wit and irreverent imagination . . . and the full range of technical innovations have made [Vonnegut] America’s preeminent experimental novelist.”—The Minneapolis Star and Tribune

“A funny, savage appraisal of a totally automated American society of the future.”—San Francisco Chronicle Kurt Vonnegut’s first novel spins the chilling tale of engineer Paul Proteus, who must find a way to live in a world dominated by a supercomputer and run completely by machines. Paul’s rebellion is vintage Vonnegut—wildly funny, deadly serious, and terrifyingly close to reality. Praise for Player Piano “An exuberant, crackling style . . . Vonnegut is a black humorist, fantasist and satirist, a man disposed to deep and comic reflection on the human dilemma.”—Life “His black logic . . . gives us something to laugh about and much to fear.”—The New York Times Book Review

For this unusual collection of vintage Vonnegut, the author has selected 24 of his favorite stories never published before in book form and has written a new Preface for the occasion.

Wampeters, Foma & Granfalloons is a rare opportunity to experience Kurt Vonnegut speaking in his own voice about his own life, his views of the world, his writing, and the writing of others. An indignant, outrageous, witty, deeply felt collection of reviews, essays, and speeches, this is a window not only into Vonnegut’s mind but also into his heart. “A book filled with madness and truth and absurdity and self-revelation . . . [Vonnegut is] a great cosmic comedian and rattler of human skeletons, an idealist disguised as a pessimist.”—St. Louis Post-Dispatch Includes the following essays, speeches, and works: “Science Fiction” “Brief Encounters on the Inland Waterway” “Hello, Star Vega” “Teaching the Unteachable” “Yes, We Have No Nirvanas” “Fortitude” “‘There’s a Maniac Loose Out There’” “Excelsior! We’re Going to the Moon! Excelsior!” “Address to the American Physical Society” “Good Missiles, Good Manners, Good Night” “Why They Read Hesse” “Oversexed in Indianapolis” “The Mysterious Madame Blavatsky” “Biafra: A People Betrayed” “Address to Graduating Class at Bennington College, 1970” “Torture and Blubber” “Address to the National Institute of Arts and Letters, 1971” “Reflections on my Own Death” “In a Manner that Must Shame God Himself” “Thinking Unthinkable, Speaking Unspeakable” “Address at Rededication of Wheaton College Library, 1973” “Invite Rita Rait to America!” “Address to P.E.N. Conference in Stockholm, 1973” “A Political Disease” “Playboy Interview”

While Mortals Sleep is a smart, clear-eyed collection of stories from one of the most original writers in American fiction. Set in trailers, bars and factories, Vonnegut conjures up a world where men and machines, art and artifice, fame and fortune become curiously twisted and characters pit their dreams and fears against a cruel and comically indifferent world. Written early in his career, and never published before, these tightly plotted stories are infused with Vonnegut''s distinctive blend of observation, imagination and scabrous humour. This collection features an introduction by Dave Eggers.

Everything was perfectly swell. There were no prisons, no slums, no insane asylums, no cripples, no poverty, no wars. All diseases were conquered. So was old age. Death, barring accidents, was an adventure for volunteers. The population of the United States was stabilized at forty-million souls. One bright morning in the Chicago Lying-in Hospital, a man named Edward K. Wehling, Jr., waited for his wife to give birth. He was the only man waiting. Not many people were born a day any more.

Wilbur Swain and his twin sister, Eliza, are so immensely hideous, helpless and vile in their infancy that their wealthy parents are forced to send them to live on a nearby asteroid. But behind their facade of idiocy, the monstrous pair possess a joint in

The last of the canonical Kurt Vonnegut books, A Man Without a Country spent eight weeks on the New York Times hardcover nonfiction bestseller list, selling over a quarter-million copies This 20th anniversary edition features a new introduction by Lewis Black. “For all those who have lived with Vonnegut in their imaginations . . . this is what he is like in person.”–USA Today “The America I loved still exists, if not in the White House, the Supreme Court, the Senate, the House of Representatives, or the media. The America I loved still exists at the front desks of our public libraries.”–Kurt Vonnegut, from A Man Without a Country The closest Kurt Vonnegut ever came to writing his autobiography, A Man Without a Country is part memoir, part social and political commentary, and part riveting personal conversation with an old friend. An undeniably moving and unique return of the literary grandmaster to form. A Man Without a Country features Vonnegut’s coming of age, his war experiences, his life as an artist, and the hilariously funny and razor-sharp way of understanding things that helped him get through it all. Some Vonnegut jewels in A Man without a Country: "If I die—God forbid—I would like to go to heaven to ask somebody in charge up there, ‘Hey, what was the good news and what was the bad news?" "To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it." "I asked former Yankees pitcher Jim Bouton what he thought of our great victory over Iraq and he said, ‘Mohammed Ali versus Mr. Rogers.’" And finally, on the subject of the condition of the soul of America today: "What has happened to us?" Plentifully illustrated with the author’s signature woodcut aphorisms, which appear in the book in blue, A Man Without a Country is possibly Vonnegut’s most intimate book, and certainly one of his best.

"Prisoner of war, optometrist, time-traveller - these are the life roles of Billy Pilgrim, hero of this miraculously moving, bitter and funny story of innocence faced with apocalypse. Slaughterhouse 5 is one of the world''s great anti-war books. Centring on the infamous fire-bombing of Dresden in the Second World War, Billy Pilgrim''s odyssey through time reflects the journey of our own fractured lives as we search for meaning in what we are afraid to know."

“Marvelous . . . [Vonnegut] wheels out all the complaints about America and makes them seem fresh, funny, outrageous, hateful and lovable.”—The New York Times In Breakfast of Champions, one of Kurt Vonnegut’s most beloved characters, the aging writer Kilgore Trout, finds to his horror that a Midwest car dealer is taking his fiction as truth. What follows is murderously funny satire, as Vonnegut looks at war, sex, racism, success, politics, and pollution in America and reminds us how to see the truth. “Free-wheeling, wild and great . . . uniquely Vonnegut.”—Publishers Weekly

"Chiefly consists of selected graduation speeches given by Vonnegut at various educational institutions"--

Prepare to be transported to a dystopian future filled with thought-provoking ideas and moral dilemmas in "2BR02B," a science fiction short story by Kurt Vonnegut. In this captivating narrative, Vonnegut explores the ethical implications of a world where immortality comes at a steep price. As you delve into the chilling reality of a society where population control is enforced through extreme measures, be prepared to confront questions of life, death, and the value of human existence. Vonnegut''s poignant prose and sharp wit shine a light on the darkest corners of human nature. But here''s the question that lingers in the shadows: What if the pursuit of immortality leads to the loss of humanity itself? Could Vonnegut''s cautionary tale serve as a mirror reflecting the consequences of unchecked technological advancement and societal obsession with longevity? Engage with Vonnegut''s thought-provoking narrative as he challenges readers to reconsider the meaning of life and the ethics of immortality. Through his vivid characters and compelling storyline, Vonnegut invites us to ponder the moral complexities of a future where death is a choice. Are you ready to confront the ethical dilemmas of a world where life and death hang in the balance? Immerse yourself in the chilling world of "2BR02B," where the boundaries between life and death blur, and the consequences of technological progress are laid bare. Let Vonnegut''s powerful storytelling provoke thought and inspire reflection on the nature of existence. Here''s your invitation to explore the provocative ideas of Kurt Vonnegut''s "2BR02B." Will you accept the challenge and venture into this gripping science fiction tale? Don''t miss out on the opportunity to experience this thought-provoking short story. Purchase your copy of "2BR02B" by Kurt Vonnegut now, and let the haunting narrative captivate your imagination and leave you pondering long after you turn the final page.

Sun Moon Star is the story of the birth of Jesus--as told by Kurt Vonnegut. This children''s book takes the newborn Jesus'' perspective, offering beautiful and insightful descriptions of the world from someone newly born into it. In this book, we follow Jesus and meet the people most important to his life--presented in new and surprising ways. A powerful departure from Vonnegut''s more adult work, Sun Moon Star gives readers a rare glimpse of the writer''s talent in a format that''s unique and unexpected. Originally published in 1980, the book is long out of print, but is available as an E-book.

When Winston Niles Rumfoord flies his spaceship into a chrono-synclastic infundibulum he is converted into pure energy and only materializes when his waveforms intercept Earth or some other planet. As a result, he only gets home to Newport, Rhode Island, once every fifty-nine days and then only for an hour. But at least, as a consolation, he now knows everything that has ever happened and everything that ever will be. He knows, for instance, that his wife is going to Mars to mate with Malachi Constant, the richest man in the world. He also knows that on Titan - one of Saturn''s moons - is an alien from the planet Tralfamadore, who has been waiting 200,000 years for a spare part for his grounded spacecraft ...

In this revealing collection of essays, Vonnegut examines the issues and events (both personal and social) that shaped the last decade. Ranging from an intimate portrait of his family to a biting commentary of ex-son-in-law Geraldo Rivera to the 1945 firebombing of Dresden, Germany, where he was a POW, this book "offers a rare insight into an author who has customarily hidden his heart" (New York Times).

A word to the reader Here is a brand new Russian translation of the novel by American writer Kurt Vonnegut " Cat''s Cradle ." A topic that has affected the author in his book, has always been an unhealthy interest . Destruction of civilization . Repeatedly one has predicted the end of the world, even called the exact dates . Obviously, we originally were laid out in the instinct of destruction, self-destruction. For those who have not read Vonnegut''s novel in the original or the old translation in Russian, we specify, that the author''s lampoon was brought in his book to the very end. Eventually he turned the planet into an ice desert. Imagine ice, where you can walk barefoot, feeling the warm touch of it. However, the so-called ice-nine represented itself mortal danger . But you can look about it for yourself when you will buy this book . The main thing is, in whose hands could get, and finally got, such a substance which destroys everything - ice-nine. During the Soviet era in Russia were banned many writers . Kurt Vonnegut was not among them . But now, if you take up the old translation of the novel " Cat''s Cradle " and compare it with the original, you can note that may be the translator ( Rita Rite- Kovalyeva ) or publishers worked with a sharp instrument in their hands, cutting and sharpening all direct "corners," sounded dissonant or incompatible with the Soviet ideology . Thus, the names of Karl Marx, Stalin and even Mao Zedong disappeared from the pages of the old translation, the Communists turned into monarchists and a Soviet spy of the Ukrainian ballet Zinka became simply: " Zika from a foreign band ." Should pay attention to the language style of the author. It is unusual . To move the similar style in Russian language is practically impossible, but the translator R. Rite- Kovalyeva tried to do it. Nobody will blame her for it. The translation, which is offered here, executed, how it worked, according to the canons of the Russian literary language . PONY Michurinsk

“Richly and often pertinently funny [with] a sure instinct for the carefully considered irrelevance . . . a great deal of incidental hilarity [and] inspired idiocy.”—The New York Times Happy Birthday Wanda June was Kurt Vonnegut’s first play, which premiered in New York in 1970 and was then adapted into a film in 1971. It is a darkly humorous and searing examination of the excesses of capitalism, patriotism, toxic masculinity, and American culture in the post-Vietnam War era. Featuring behind-the-scenes photographs from the original stage production, this play captures Vonnegut’s brilliantly distinct perspective unlike we have ever seen it before. “A great artist.”—The Cincinnati Enquirer

Kurt Vonnegut is a master of contemporary American Literature. His black humor, satiric voice, and incomparable imagination first captured America''s attention in The Siren''s of Titan in 1959 and established him as "a true artist"* with Cat''s Cradle in 1963. He is, as Graham Greene has declared, "one of the best living American writers." Welcome to the Monkey House is a collection of Kurt Vonnegut''s shorter works. Originally printed in publications as diverse as The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and The Atlantic Monthly, what these superb stories share is Vonnegut''s audacious sense of humor and extraordinary range of creative vision. *The New York Times

"Canary in a Cathouse" is a collection of twelve short stories by Kurt Vonnegut which was first published in 1961.Contents:Report on the Barnhouse EffectAll The Kings HorsesD.P.The Manned MissilesThe Euphio QuestionMore Stately MansionsThe Foster PortfolioDeer in the WorksHal Irwin''s Magic LampTom Edison''s Shaggy DogUnready To WearTomorrow and TomorrowFuji Books'' edition of "Canary In A Cat House" contains supplementary texts:2 B R 0 2 B, By Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.Big Trip Up Yonder, By Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.A Few Selected Quotes Of Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Repackaged as part of the Kurt Vonnegut reissue program, this title offers Vonnegut''s prophetic vision of the purpose of human life. "His best book. . . . He dares not only to ask the ultimate question about the meaning of life, but to answer it".--Esquire.