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Bagombo Snuff Box: Uncollected Short Fiction
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Entertaining collection of short stories
Review date: 2004-07-21 Rating: 8 out of 10
This book offers an entertaining set of Vonnegut's previously uncollected short stories, most of which were written in the 1950s and early 1960s. While the quality of the tales is not as good as those in his previously published Welcome to the Monkey House, anybody who is a fan of Vonnegut's work, or even someone who simply likes good stories, will enjoy this book.
Yet like all good fiction, Vonnegut's work is as valuable for its insights as for its ability to entertain. While the stories collected here are in a variety of genres, one theme does emerge from them - the hunger for distinction. From the title story to 'The Package', 'The Powder-Blue Dragon' to 'Runaways,' many of the stories are about people seeking something that distinguishes them from the rest of their world, usually something that is artificial or external to who they are. That these searches usually end in folly for the characters appears to illustrate Vonnegut's point - it is who we are as people that matters, not the trinkets we buy or the poses we adopt. Though hardly radical today, it is a point that offers an interesting contrast to the consumer-driven age that spawned such tales.
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Reviews
Almost excellent selection of Vonnegut's other short stories
Review date: 2001-03-24 Rating: 8 out of 10
This is a collection of short stories that were not featured in the much ealier volume "Welcome to the Monkey House" but that does not mean they are inferior. The stories are in general amusing and enlightening but it seems at the time of writing them Vonnegut has yet too find his "voice" that would later make his novels so distinctive. That said some stories do stick out but it would be unfair to disclose details, you will have to read them yourself. One character who appears in 3 stories is the head of music at a school who is literally obssesed with his marching band. While these three stories are not bad they do feel slightly "tame" compared to Vonnegut's novels. While remaining consistently funny and/or thought provoking the whole set do feel slightly old fashioned which is by no means a bad thing as it gives us glimpse back into the past. On a final note this book did not leave my hands until I had finished it, which is a high a compliment of its quality as I can pay it.
A must for any Vonnegut fan.
Review date: 2000-12-18 Rating: 8 out of 10
This book is a collection of Vonnegut's early short stories that have never been published in book form before. Some of them display his interest in science fiction, such as the excellent "2BR02B", whilst others cover the same sort of ground as seen in his more human novels such as "Deadeye Dick". His style, as always, is very laid back and easy to read, but what really makes him stand out from other modern writers is his ability to make the reader think about the issues raised long after the book has been finished.
Product Details/Specifications
Authors:
Kurt Vonnegut
Recording label: Vintage
Manufacturer: Vintage
EAN: 9780099282969
Binding: Paperback
ISBN: 0099282968
Number of pages: 224
Publication date: 2000-11-02
Language: English (Unknown)
Language: English (Original Language)