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Kurt Vonnegut
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Welcome to the Monkey House: Stories Kindle Edition

by Kurt Vonnegut (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 2,132 ratings
See all formats and editions
“[Kurt Vonnegut] strips the flesh from bone and makes you laugh while he does it. . . . There are twenty-five stories here, and each hits a nerve ending.”—The Charlotte Observer

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, these superb stories share Vonnegut’s audacious sense of humor and extraordinary range of creative vision.
 
Includes the following stories:

“Where I Live”
“Harrison Bergeron”
“Who Am I This Time?”
“Welcome to the Monkey House”
“Long Walk to Forever”
“The Foster Portfolio”
“Miss Temptation”
“All the King’s Horses”
“Tom Edison’s Shaggy Dog”
“New Dictionary”
“Next Door”
“More Stately Mansions”
“The Hyannis Port Story”
“D.P.”
“Report on the Barnhouse Effect”
“The Euphio Question”
“Go Back to Your Precious Wife and Son”
“Deer in the Works”
“The Lie”
“Unready to Wear”
“The Kid Nobody Could Handle”
“The Manned Missiles”
“Epicac”
“Adam”
“Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow”
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  1. ISBN-13
    978-0385333504
  2. Publisher
    The Dial Press
  3. Publication date
    December 18, 2007
  4. Language
    English
  5. File size
    1107 KB
  6. See all details
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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,132 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the stories in the collection interesting and enjoyable. They praise the writing quality as fabulous and refreshing. Readers appreciate the humor, wit, and satire. The book is described as an essential collection of Vonnegut's short stories, combining stories for many tastes, including sci-fi, fantasy, literary, and even romance. The writing style is natural and makes them want to continue reading.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
Short storiesReadabilityWriting qualityHumorEraInsightCreativityCharacter development
140 customers mention "Short stories"133 positive7 negative

Customers enjoy the short stories in this collection. They find the stories engaging, with different storylines that can be finished quickly rather than getting into a novel. The stories combine science fiction, fantasy, literary, and even romance elements. Readers appreciate the blend of humor and pathos in the human condition. Overall, they describe the book as powerful and memorable.

"...through decades of life on parallel paths with tidbits of poignant ordinary existence and the occasional stark truth of the ignoble mindlessness of..." Read more

"...It was powerful and memorable...." Read more

"...Accessible. And its fun. And it has many stories of real pathos and charm. I've always had a soft spot for this book." Read more

"...The entire collection is science fiction, a genre I typically don't like, but the stories are not so far "out there" that you cannot imagine them..." Read more

110 customers mention "Readability"106 positive4 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and easy to read. They appreciate the natural writing style that keeps them engaged. The content is considered good, with some stories being memorable.

"...emotional sojourns one at a time or in a sitting or two: enjoy as snacks or feasts. Browse until you're satisfied...." Read more

"...I loved your characterizations, and was bubbling with mirth at the end of the "Romeo and Juliet" piece, as was the rest of the audience." --..." Read more

"...them to be actors and say the lines naturally, this helps them read English and speak English...." Read more

"...the decade and a half since I read it, so I think that speaks for the quality of content. I also found Welcome to the Monkey House highly amusing...." Read more

40 customers mention "Writing quality"36 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the writing style and humor of Kurt Vonnegut. They find his matter-of-fact writing style refreshing and entertaining. The book features some of his early writing as a short story writer and novelist. Readers appreciate how the author brings problems to life and how easy it is to read aloud.

"...Browse until you're satisfied. If you love language, read them aloud -- to someone you care about or just yourself -- for the pure joy of the..." Read more

"...The English is not too difficult for them, but it is not easy for them either. But the pathos of the stories keeps them plowing through it...." Read more

"...On the one hand, the short stories are wonderful and showcase some of Vonnegut's earlier writing...." Read more

"I’ started reading Kurt Vonnegut’s books this last year. I’am hooked on his writing, everything he writes about makes you think about what?..." Read more

35 customers mention "Humor"35 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find the stories witty and humorous, with a mix of laughter and sadness. Readers appreciate Vonnegut's well-known satire writing style and consider the stories thought-provoking and relevant today as in the 1960s. The title "Monkey House" is fun and makes them buy the book.

"...It is, at turns, insightful into human nature or irreverent, even simultaneously when it suited the author's perception of his world, focused..." Read more

"...Vonnegut has a dark sense of humor throughout which I thoroughly enjoyed. I recommend this one." Read more

"What wit!..." Read more

"...the bulk of the stories remain true to his unique satirical and witty style, some of them ventures outside of his genre...." Read more

32 customers mention "Era"32 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the era. They find the book an interesting introduction to Kurt Vonnegut's writing style and a classic. Readers enjoy reading the varied short stories, some humorous and others not. The author's introduction is worth reading for a couple of chuckles.

"...But it was authentic for its time, i like it as a bridge book, it helps kids see that there is more than Harry Potter in the Literary Universe...." Read more

"...review describes this collection of short stories as "a good introduction to Kurt Vonnegut" so I thought I'd give it a shot, especially since being..." Read more

"...I found it to be a good introduction to Vonnegut." Read more

"This book has some of Vonnegut's best ideas. Other times I was hoping the story would be over as soon as I got to the next page...." Read more

16 customers mention "Insight"16 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the author's insightful and realistic portrayal of societal aspects. They find his ability to perceive the future accurate and his predictions spot-on. The author provides just enough details to create a sense of wonder.

"...He brought the characters to life beautifully, fleshing out the unique details and idiosyncrasies of each so that we all felt like we knew them well..." Read more

"...collection of short stories, you get some of his clearest and most insightful work...." Read more

"...No more. Two short stories in it have anticipated current events with such accuracy that they're just short of terrifying...." Read more

"...He is capable of giving exactly enough of the right details to create the perfect sense of 'wow, that was interesting', in every single story...." Read more

13 customers mention "Creativity"13 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's creativity and unique stories. They find the stories enjoyable and intellectual, with rich descriptions and individualist themes. The author's mastery of irony and humor is praised.

"...to life beautifully, fleshing out the unique details and idiosyncrasies of each so that we all felt like we knew them well...." Read more

"...are wonderfully developed with depth and aliveness, the description are rich and vivid...." Read more

"Wit, irony, pathos, imagination, and goofy sci-fi from a budding master of the craft. A delightful walk through a theater of the absurd." Read more

"...This book truly shows Vonnegut's mastery of irony and creativity...." Read more

11 customers mention "Character development"11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the well-developed characters with depth and aliveness. They appreciate the skilled acting and the author's ability to see humor in ordinary situations. The stories are fun, funny, and told with a great voice.

"...Glen is a very skilled actor. He brought the characters to life beautifully, fleshing out the unique details and idiosyncrasies of each so that we..." Read more

"...As usual, the character are wonderfully developed with depth and aliveness, the description are rich and vivid...." Read more

"This collection of stories will give you a good idea of Vonnegut's style and voice...." Read more

"...a scenario ... and then nothing happens, just a slow, sublime revelation of character. That's all right...." Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Jay Gordon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Not just monkeying around
    Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Sometimes the most competent tool for an existence you want to escape for the moment is to whisk yourself back to another time, preferably one that is mostly imaginary, since it is filtered through the lens of literary genius Kurt Vonnegut. "Welcome to the Monkey House" serves that purpose for those of a certain age with flashes of bliss from the momentary displacement to a land of voluptuous memories.

    We identify with the madness; we identify with the sanity. It is all real, or at least vividly imagined. These are the short stories Vonnegut sold while he worked on his memorable novels, which are all readily available here at Amazon. They are all worthy of our attention as historic narratives of a cultural epoch of our lives from one of the 20th century's most vigorous and lasting literary voices. He continues to speak to our dreams and fears and leaves it to us to decide which is which.

    These snippets offer insight into a culture little known elsewhere. It is, at turns, insightful into human nature or irreverent, even simultaneously when it suited the author's perception of his world, focused mainly on the middle of the last century. An exhilarating thing about this collection of short stories is you get servings of farce ricocheting through decades of life on parallel paths with tidbits of poignant ordinary existence and the occasional stark truth of the ignoble mindlessness of such things as how war is often conducted.

    Savor these emotional sojourns one at a time or in a sitting or two: enjoy as snacks or feasts. Browse until you're satisfied. If you love language, read them aloud -- to someone you care about or just yourself -- for the pure joy of the sounds. This is a delicious read.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Glen Williamson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Glen Williamson performs two of these stories as a play
    Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2008
    Verified Purchase
    Glen Williamson (Google him) has been performing two of these stories for years as a one-man play: "Who Am I This Time?" and "The Kid Nobody Could Handle."

    "Cheers and congratulations again! Your performance Tuesday evening was truly extraordinary. I feel so fortunate to have been there. I called Kurt [Vonnegut] the next morning and raved about you - then wrote him a note and raved some more."
    --Sally Forbes, Executive Director, The Beaux Arts Alliance, New York, NY

    "It was so good to see your [Vonnegut] show, which I enjoyed enormously. The stories were delightful. There was a thread running through both stories - the oddball characters, and the need for imagination to give them their place in the community. I loved your characterizations, and was bubbling with mirth at the end of the "Romeo and Juliet" piece, as was the rest of the audience."
    -- Andrew Floyd
    Stroud, England

    "I attended [The Kid Nobody Could Handle and Who Am I This Time?] with sixth, seventh, eighth graders from both Waldorf and public schools. The children were captivated. The plots and characters seemed to speak to them profoundly. Glen is a very skilled actor. He brought the characters to life beautifully, fleshing out the unique details and idiosyncrasies of each so that we all felt like we knew them well. He is a flexible, versatile actor able to portray an incredible range of characters. It was powerful and memorable.

    You could hear a pin drop in that auditorium...and that's saying something for middle school kids."
    -- Jill Wolcott
    Lake Champlain Waldorf School
    Shelburne, Vermont
    2 people found this helpful
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  • otter357
    4.0 out of 5 stars I use this book to teach English to high school students in China. I often have them read parts of it as a play.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I use this book to teach English to high school students in China. I often have them read parts of it as a play. I urge them to be actors and say the lines naturally, this helps them read English and speak English. For example, the dialog in last half of "Miss Temptation" does well.
    What do I like about it? It is accessible English, and the stories are short. They connect well with the emotional maturity level of these high school people, not children anymore, but still young. The English is not too difficult for them, but it is not easy for them either. But the pathos of the stories keeps them plowing through it.
    What's not to like? Well, you have to like Vonnegut, and i do. Some stories are a little dated to me, but then again, I'm pushing 60, so its natural that my taste is different than a young person's. i remember finding them very compelling, when i was younger, and even a bit revolutionary....and many of the stories still seem sound. A few are dated, "All the King's Men" is not the best story in there, it seems a little dated and stereotypical. But it was authentic for its time,
    i like it as a bridge book, it helps kids see that there is more than Harry Potter in the Literary Universe. Accessible. And its fun. And it has many stories of real pathos and charm. I've always had a soft spot for this book.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Elizabeth
    5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining Stories That Are Easy Reads
    Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    Another review describes this collection of short stories as "a good introduction to Kurt Vonnegut" so I thought I'd give it a shot, especially since being a collection of short stories, if I didn't like something, I could move on to the next. As it turned out, I liked all of the stories and finished the entire collection quite quickly. I found it interesting that I had read one of the stories, Harrison Bergeron, back in high school. As I reread it, the scenes I imaged all of those years ago came back to me. I have thought about the story from time to time over the decade and a half since I read it, so I think that speaks for the quality of content. I also found Welcome to the Monkey House highly amusing. The entire collection is science fiction, a genre I typically don't like, but the stories are not so far "out there" that you cannot imagine them being true. Vonnegut has a dark sense of humor throughout which I thoroughly enjoyed. I recommend this one.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Martin Klammer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Still laughing
    Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    What wit! The stories of the Republican who owned a home across from JFK in Hyannis Port and the computer that suggested the moves in a guy's love-life (i.e. on AI, way ahead of its time) are worth the book purchase alone.
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  • Luke Kirtley
    3.0 out of 5 stars Very Good
    Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I purchased this book as Very Good, but many pages are defaced with writing.
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    Luke Kirtley
    3.0 out of 5 stars Very Good
    Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2024
    I purchased this book as Very Good, but many pages are defaced with writing.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • SSL
    5.0 out of 5 stars Short Stories
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 20, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I read this book of short stories 30 years ago and after remembering the writer had died; I decided to purchase again as I had lent my previous copy. A good read.
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  • Dean
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thought-provoking and avant-garde
    Reviewed in Canada on July 22, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Konnegut's short stories are each either thought-provokingly dystopian or romantically quaint. Thentie that binds them all is beautiful composition. Modern yet modest.
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  • Toni
    5.0 out of 5 stars Quite a few stories I knew about
    Reviewed in Australia on October 22, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I was surprised to find how many of these stories I'd heard about or read in other collections. I hadn't realised that I enjoyed this author.
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  • amazou@karakuchi
    5.0 out of 5 stars ヴォネガットの小説は、オチがいいよね
    Reviewed in Japan on September 4, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    この本のタイトルとなった作品「WELCOME TO THE MONKEY HOUSE」は、
    期待通りの面白さでした。特に、最終行。

    「その避妊薬の瓶の上には一枚のラベルが貼ってあり、こんなふうに書かれていた：『WELCOME TO THE MONKEY HOUSE』」（50ページ）

    この作品名をそのまま使った終わりかたは、うまい。決まってます！
    最後の最後で、作品名がそのまま「落ち」になるなんて！　落語の「落ち」が付いたみたいで、おちつく。

    《備考》
    短篇集最後の作品「TOMORROW AND TOMORROW AND TOMORROW」について

    タイトルは、三度も繰り返してリズミカルだけれども、少しくどくて、しつこい。
    このタイトルは、シェイクスピアの「マクベス」の中の言葉。
    「明日・も、明日・も、また明日・も」から来ています。
    VONNEGUT は冒頭でいきなり、この作品が発表された「1953年」から約200年後の
    「THE YEAR WAS 2158 A.D.」と始めています。
    明日の話しなのに、200年後！　しかも過去形ではじめます。どんだけ未来！
    ＜ときは、西暦2158年のことでした＞と、さらりと始めてすましています。
    初版（1953年）では、「2185 A.D.」の設定でしたのに。
    後の版では 2158 A.D. に変更になっています。なんで？　ただの誤植だったりして？
    この短篇小説の最後も、なかなか決まっています。
    「Life was good. He could hardly wait to see what was going to happen next」
    「He」は、172歳の父親です。
    172歳にもなって、まだ見たい「next」があると思っている。この好奇心が、コワいです。
    VONNEGUT の小説は、読者に死とか寿命について考えさせます。
    それから、詩もいい。
    シェイクスピアの詩や、ガガの歌詞「five foot two」（39ページ）に通ずるから。
    Report
  • Prithvi Gajaraj
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in India on August 10, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    As usual great stuff from Vonnegut, this was brought to rejuvenate my old Vonnegut collection.
    Report