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While Mortals Sleep: Unpublished Short Fiction Hardcover – January 25, 2011

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Kurt Vonnegut (Author)
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Kurt Vonnegut (Author)
27 customer reviews
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Neverwhere: Author's Preferred Text by Neil Gaiman
"Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman
Neverwhere is the story of Richard Mayhew, a young London businessman with a good heart and an ordinary life, which is changed forever when he is plunged through the cracks of reality into a world of shadows and darkness—the Neverwhere. Learn more | See related books

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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Delacorte Press; First Edition edition (January 25, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0385343736
  • ISBN-13: 978-0385343732
  • Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1 x 8.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #838,963 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

If you have every read anything from him you will like this book
By Tracey M. on June 22, 2015
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
It's Kurt Vonnegut. If you have every read anything from him you will like this book. He is very subtle with his dark humor, and I can't get enough of it.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
pleased
By Ellen on April 20, 2015
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
Exactly as described
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33 of 41 people found the following review helpful
Mark Twain of the Twentieth Century
By J. Edgar Mihelic on January 26, 2011
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
Kurt Vonnegut died in the early part of the twenty-first century, but he belonged to the twentieth century. He could have easily died in that conflict that split the century in two; he could have perished in the flames and rubble of Dresden. He didn't, and American culture is better for it. It is better in the same way that American culture of the nineteenth century is better because a young Confederate soldier lived through that conflict that split the country in two - young Samuel Clemens.

I have always maintained the parallel between the two men. They were writers, yes. But they were more than writers. They represented the slanted moral voice that could laugh at itself and the culture. These voices were in earnest though; they lacked the facile surface-grazing of the postmodern condition. They speak a truth where writers are afraid to talk about whether you can even capitalize that `t' now.

Kurt Vonnegut died, and his was the only celebrity death I have mourned in a long time. I had long been meaning to make a pilgrimage to his neighborhood. I wanted to intercept him on the street as he walked to the post office or the local bodega to buy his cigarettes. I wanted to stop him and just say "Thank you".

Vonnegut died and left a hole in the soul of America, but he lives on. Thankfully he was prolific and lived long. There have now been three books published since his death. These books are different, but they all show why I love Kurt Vonnegut.

First published was a book of the older stuff, work for websites and highlights of his art. We were able to see the full fruit and flower of a life that spanned an eventful century. Then they put out a collection of his earlier work, including the germ of the story that became _Slaughterhouse-V_.Read more ›
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Tyro work
By Dan'l Danehy-Oakes on December 1, 2013
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
I bow to noone in my love of Vonnegut. But there's a reason why these early stories were unpublished: they are not, as a general rule, publishable by anyone but a Great Author whose name alone will sell books. There are flashes of the genius that was to come, but in general the stories here are tyro work.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
early Vonnegut -- for his old friends, mainly
By danielx on March 31, 2012
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
While Mortals Sleep consists of 16 short stories that have not previously been compiled in book form. They were written by Kurt Vonnegut in his early years, before he had become established as a successful writer. The stories originally were published in such venues as The Saturday Evening Post, Colliers, and Ladies' Home Journal. To publish these stories, the author would have been obliged to reflect values and interests of the US suburban middle class; thus one will not find political messages or wild flights of fancy of his later novels. The stories tend to be sentimental, lightly humorous, and humane; indeed Vonnegut's moral vision and sense of humanity shines through.

This collection primarily will be of interest to fans of Vonnegut's work who wish to trace his development as a writer back to his early years. Unfortunately (and inexplicably), no bibliographic information is provided about when and where each of the stories originally was published. Nonetheless, Vonnegut fans and other readers could do worse than to sample these warm and entertaining little tales.
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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
There's a reason these were trunk stories
By J. A. Fielder on March 29, 2013
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I love Kurt Vonnegut, but there's a reason these were forgotten stories, never published. Capitalizing on the Vonnegut name, someone has been pushing these three posthumous volumes of previously published and unpublished short stories. While they still reflect the Vonnegut charm and characteristic, these early shorts are merely a glimpse of who Vonnegut became as a writer. They are immediately forgettable, even for the most ardent of fans.
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very good
By Tracey Smith on September 8, 2013
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
yet another very good story from the masterful Kurt Vonnegut. I do hope there are more of his unpublished stories to come
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
A Masterful Collection of Short Stories
By Frederick S. Goethel VINE VOICE on February 9, 2011
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
As a lover of short stories, I am always on the lookout for new collections that I haven't read. I was surprised to see that Vonnegut was an author of short stories, but also that a good number existed at his death that had never been published. I had never read Vonnegut, although I was supposed to in high school, but they changed books in that class and so we missed out on his writing. I have meant to read one of his works, but have just never gotten around to it. For those who haven't, you are missing the work of a wonderful author and I would recommend getting some of his writing.

This short story collection covers a wide range of stories. All were told with great skill and honed to be finely crafted stories. From the robot in the beginning to the money that talks near the end, these stories are carefully written to draw you in and then surprise you at the end. I would recommend this collection of stories to all, especially those that have never experienced Vonnegut's work!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

... the stories to be the very "KV Style" I enjoy.

Found most of the stories to be the very "KV Style" I enjoy.

Published 12 months ago by KERRY OBRIEN
vonnegut's a treasure

This collection of short stories is a lot simpler than Vonnegut's novel length works but they are still first rate and a pleasure to read. Read more

Published 14 months ago by ConcupusAl
Classic Vonnegut

I'm an unabashed Vonnegut fan. If you are as well, you will enjoy this collection of shorts -- classic KV.

Published 19 months ago by Jeff Kane
Good, not great Vonnegut

I've been a Vonngeut fanatic for almost forty years, ever since reading Breakfast of Champions. But, I think the well is running dry.

Published 20 months ago by Thomas Pachuta
Must have for Vonnegut lovers!

Not the best collection, but after all there are several strong stories (pure Vonnegut) Must have for Vonnegut lovers! 100% recommended.

Published on July 21, 2013 by Revaz Lortkipanidze
Creative, engrossing collection of stories

Haven't read much Vonnegut, but this collection of his short stories kept my imagination open. Loved every one of the stories, and kept getting lost in the details. Engrossing.

Published on January 30, 2013 by Michael Blunk
THANKS TO WHOEVER UNCOVERED THESE SHORT STORIES

Kurt must be turning over in his grave learning that magazines no longer provide the opportunity for young, talented writer to at least make a meager living while trying to make... Read more

Published on November 24, 2012 by George E. Browne iii
A mixed bag

This collection is a mixed bag of bad, forgettable, and good stories. I would have stopped reading this book after the first story had it not been the chosen book for my book club. Read more

Published on April 16, 2012 by F. Carrizales

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