Bagombo Snuff Box is a collection of short fiction written by Kurt Vonnegut. These are stories that were printed in magazines in the 1950s. If this book were an album, it would be a collection of B-sides. The stories aren't quite up to par with the rest of Vonnegut's work, though any fan will appreciate them. There are some gems, but overall, this collection is about average when it comes to short story writing. Vonnegut wrote these at the start of his career, and his writing only gets better.

This book is best for avid Kurt Vonnegut fans. A fan will want a complete collection of Vonnegut's work, and this book does just that. It offers a rare glimpse into an author's very first publishable material. Fans can see where his unique style and humor started.

"Thanasphere" appears to be a favorite among readers, and it's easy to see why. It showcases Vonnegut's distinct voice. The story is funny and sad at the same time. I also really enjoyed the recurring character, Mr. Helmholtz, band director, whose dedication to his students and his wild dreams were amusing, and again, sad at times.

As an avid Vonnegut fan, there isn't anything I disliked about this collection of short stories. I could see a new Vonnegut reader feeling a little disappointed by this collection, though. Honestly, if you've never read Vonnegut before, it might be best to start with another novel, or his other collected short works volume, "Welcome to the Monkey House."

re-read my favorite Vonnegut novels! For a fan, this book offers a glimpse into the beginnings of a prolific and brilliant writing career. After reading the start, I wanted to continue on to the works that followed.

a bit sad at times. Like I said, I found many of these short stories to be funny and witty, but also quite sad. Not depressing, really, but just a bit melancholy. Vonnegut has a gift of making the reader really sympathize with his characters.

Kurt Vonnegut is one of the most influential American writers of the 20th century. He has written fourteen novels (best known, Slaughterhouse-Five) and many short stories and essays. He is known for his blend of satire, dark humor and science fiction.

I recommend this book to Vonnegut fans, as a way to complete their collections of his work. New fans may want to start somewhere else, or at least be aware that his other work is of a higher caliber.

This book is a very quick read. At almost 300 pages (including 11-page introduction), there are 23 short stories here, so none of them are particularly long in length. The style is easy to read, so you'll fly through them. Although they may not be Vonnegut's best writing, this is still true Vonnegut style here, so you'll get enjoyment out of this book regardless. It's definitely worth the read!

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Created Jan 05, 2011 at 8:30am • Submit your own review...