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Player Piano

by Kurt Vonnegut

3.79 · rating details · 12,908 ratings · 498 reviews

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.

Paperback, 341 pages

Published January 12th 1999 by The Dial Press (first published January 1st 1954)

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Jun 07, 2007

graycastle rated it

Shelves: scifi

There was a period in my life when I read all the Vonnegut I could get my hands on, which is mostly a very rewarding experience, but oh man, this is terrible. It's his first novel, and it really should've been a short story - even as a short story, it would've been forgettable. Classic scifi man/machine themes unleavened by the irony I would usually expect from Vonnegut, drawn out far too long, with characters who lack depth or interest. Read, I dunno, anything else by Vonnegut instead, and ...more

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Aug 19, 2008

Hank rated it

Recommends it for: managers and corporate cheerleaders.

Shelves: dystopian

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. You could see Vonnegut's genius in his first novel.

On a blog I read, the Devil Vet's been thinking about hope and hopelessness in dystopian fiction. I think Player Piano is good example of how hope plays into dystopian narratives. The Ghost Shirt Society of the book rises in rebellion against the soul-numbing mechanized society even though they know they will fail. Why? Simply to show that it can be done. That there can be light at the end of that tunnel, if power is wrested from the...moreYou could see Vonnegut's genius in his first novel.

On a blog I read, the Devil Vet's been thinking about hope and hopelessness in dystopian fiction. I think Player Piano is good example of how hope plays into dystopian narratives. The Ghost Shirt Society of the book rises in rebellion against the soul-numbing mechanized society even though they know they will fail. Why? Simply to show that it can be done. That there can be light at the end of that tunnel, if power is wrested from the managers and engineers who hold it in that society. "Hope in hopelessness" indeed.

But then, that's one of Vonnegut's favorite themes (literally from the beginning, as we see) to kick around. You might have the whole world against you, you might know from the beginning that stretching your wings will just result in being shot out of the sky, but the exercise of whatever freedom you can snatch is worth the fall.

Of course, he didn't rely simply on ideas. The man could spin a yarn. The whole section of the book where Proteus has to go on an annual weekend team-spirit-building retreat had me chuckling through my anger. I hate that kind of workaday pep rally crap, and that particular scenario sounds like my idea of four days of hell. And the chapter in which Proteus buys a small, old school farm - thinking that will calm his need to get out of the "we are all cogs" system - and his wife takes it completely the wrong way sort of broke my heart. Though, I have to admit, I felt some for the wife - it's not like he spent any time communicating his feelings or situation to her.

The running thread of the Shah of Bratpuhr touring the US, with his guide in more and more dire straits, was a nice touch. Sometimes that kind of show-and-tell subplot can feel tacked on or unnecessary, but Vonnegut's storytelling allowed it to weave in and out of the major action.

final thought: No surprise, I agree with him. If you take away a person's chance to do for themselves, you take away a major reason to get out of bed every morning. I'm not saying we all have to work hard or die. I'm just saying, yeah, we all need that feeling of dignity that honest work can provide, whether for decent wages or just for our own benefit.

(epicdystopia.blogspot.com)(less)

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Nov 06, 2007

Matt Dorsey rated it

Is it acceptable to call a soft sci-fi dystopian novel badass? Does that reveal the total nerd at the core of my character?

The only reason I can see for this book not to be mentioned as one of Vonnegut's greats is that it's edged out by the half-dozen or so outright masterpieces in his canon. But for a first novel, this is ace. It's Vonnegut's most conventionally structured novel, and possibly even his least original. The plot is more or less a tweaking of Huxley's 'Brave New Wo...moreIs it acceptable to call a soft sci-fi dystopian novel badass? Does that reveal the total nerd at the core of my character?

The only reason I can see for this book not to be mentioned as one of Vonnegut's greats is that it's edged out by the half-dozen or so outright masterpieces in his canon. But for a first novel, this is ace. It's Vonnegut's most conventionally structured novel, and possibly even his least original. The plot is more or less a tweaking of Huxley's 'Brave New World' (Vonnegut himself has admitted this). Yet frankly, I like it better than that dystopia, as 'Player Piano' is more focused, has better flow, and the satirical elements don't rely as much on suspension of disbelief.

Kurt Vonnegut was not a luddite. This is important to keep in mind when considering the book's premise. The idea of mechanical labor replacing human workers is simply the means around which Vonnegut builds his multi-tiered assault on corporate aristocracy, to borrow an excellent and underused term from David Korten. The satire is wicked-sharp. Consumerism, the class divide, barriers to entry of higher education, and even peace-time mentality all get their comeuppance in Vonnegut's portrayal of a near-future America where socialism and manufactured material desires are used to sate the drive of the lower class (most of the population), while ass-kissing mono-talents get drunk off their own wealth and power. It's socio-political satire that's refreshingly more socio than political, and it's no less relevant now, 55 years after its first pressing, than it was then. Somewhere in the book's final third, the resistance movement gains a strong voice, and the writing may coax the reader into aligning with it. The wit and intellect of the author really comes through here: does this story have any heroes, or are the revolutionaries really just anarchists who by their nature must shake up whatever order there is?

After this, his first novel, Vonnegut went on to write far more original and versatile works, many of which I've read. Absent here are the non-linear narratives, single-word commentary sentences, chatty introductions and frequent narrator editorializing which would become his M.O. However, reading 'Player Piano' should make it obvious why he soon created his own rules for writing a novel: with his very first, he'd already done all he could within the bounds of conventional composition. 'Player Piano' is Vonnegut's most straightforward narrative, but also possibly his harshest and most thorough satire; his social discontent and bitterness does not jump out in short bursts here, but is more cool and collected, and therefore able to seethe beneath every word of this carefully constructed and brutal depiction of the powers-that-be and the trail of human wreckage left behind in the name of "progress".(less)

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Nov 21, 2008

Ryan rated it

It's pretty amazing that Vonnegut could write so brilliantly about a technological backlash in a computerized society well before the age of the PC and the internet. Besides the fact that vacuum tubes are considered high tech in this book, it could have been written yesterday. You know, if he hadn't died. I didn't love the way the book wrapped up, but I'll cut him some slack since it was his first.

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Sep 29, 2008

skye rated it

I started this book 4 times before finally getting into it around 100 pages in this time. I really love his imagination of the future -- very analogous to Brave New World in many ways -- but he builds a realistic and compelling drama among the people too. This book is very prescient for its time (the 50s), and an excellent read today. Also, as an earlier work, it is much more traditional in format, compared with (for example) Breakfast of Champions. I may prefer his later free-wheeling style... ...more

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Mar 15, 2009

Jillian rated it

Shelves: gym, dystopian, own

Player Piano follows the powerful and the dispossessed members (and several characters in the former category who suddenly find themselves in the latter) of an almost fully mechanized society. The primary protagonist is Dr. Proteus, a top engineer who gradually becomes disillusioned with the world that he and his famous father helped to create. Vonnegut also offers the perspectives of foreign dignitaries familiar with a very different social structure, the barely employed lower classes, and the ...more

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Jan 17, 2012

Kyle LaDuke rated it

Player Piano is a book by the renowned author Kurt Vonnegut. It follows the story of Dr. Paul Proteus, manager of a large plant in the city of Ilium. The town has gone through a “second industrial revolution”, resulting in a sort of dictatorship based on machines. If a man’s IQ is too low, he is given a small meaningless job in the bad side of the town, but Dr. Proteus is one of the lucky few to have jobs in management. The novel focuses largely on his distaste for how society values machines ov...morePlayer Piano is a book by the renowned author Kurt Vonnegut. It follows the story of Dr. Paul Proteus, manager of a large plant in the city of Ilium. The town has gone through a “second industrial revolution”, resulting in a sort of dictatorship based on machines. If a man’s IQ is too low, he is given a small meaningless job in the bad side of the town, but Dr. Proteus is one of the lucky few to have jobs in management. The novel focuses largely on his distaste for how society values machines over men, and he is wracked with guilt knowing that managers like himself are part of the problem.

Paul’s inner turmoil ranges from his own marriage to the grand scheme of life as you watch his slow decent from a contented manager to a brooding, dissociative wreck. At first he is simply a bit unhappy with the way things are but still serves first and foremost as one of the leaders in the technological world, relying on machines and critiquing the imperfections of human labor. However, Dr. Proteus seems to have a soft spot for those deemed too unintelligent for the engineering field, rather than sharing the condescending perspective of his colleagues. Over the course of the book he takes multiple trips “across the bridge” to spend some time around what he thinks to be a simpler, happier people. This eventually has a lasting effect on the man, slowly altering his opinion of the industrial hierarchy to favor the common man.

One interesting subject Vonnegut approaches is Paul’s sentiment for people, focusing in particular on his wife Anita. Their marriage is loveless but sturdy, unsatisfying but also of great importance. Paul sees his wife as the only person he truly has in his life, and therefore tries hard to feel something for her. However, she doesn’t share his beliefs concerning the importance of humanity and eventually leaves him in his revolt against technology. The relationship is very well written, the tension between them made quite clear throughout the book.

Vonnegut takes his time introducing changes in Paul, subtly transitioning from calling him “Doctor Paul Proteus” at the start of each chapter to just calling him “Paul”. It certainly makes for an interesting read, tracking the thoughts of this man who is torn between the life and society he’s accustomed to and his personal ideals. Proteus’ thoughts grow constantly more radical, urging him to leave his current situation and live a simple life away from technology. Among his peers, such thoughts are almost treasonous, and this will eventually be his downfall.

Player Piano is a dark tale of the fall of humanity, poking fun at how machines have taken over a world once run by elbow grease. It’s a wonderful read for those who enjoy the suspense of a man’s conflict with himself, interesting on a psychological and an emotional level. The story is very well written, albeit a bit slow. With some patience, one will find themselves drawn right into the plot, on the edge of their seat despite the calm pace of the book. It’s a must-read for anyone who feels strongly regarding man’s receding role in the world.(less)

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Dec 11, 2011

Robert rated it

Shelves: dystopic, humor, science-fiction

Vonnegut depicts a planned society run by engineers and the computers and machines they've developed. It's an alternate America where efficiency and progress have divested most of the populace of the need to work - or the capacity to do useful, meaningful work - depending on your perspective. If you don't have a Ph.D. in engineering, the sciences, or even real estate, your only options are the military or the Reeks and Wrecks. In other words, busy work.

Vonnegut does a nice job of sh...moreVonnegut depicts a planned society run by engineers and the computers and machines they've developed. It's an alternate America where efficiency and progress have divested most of the populace of the need to work - or the capacity to do useful, meaningful work - depending on your perspective. If you don't have a Ph.D. in engineering, the sciences, or even real estate, your only options are the military or the Reeks and Wrecks. In other words, busy work.

Vonnegut does a nice job of showing us the many ways in which this idealized world is less than desirable. Since I'm from an area notorious for its road work, the huge crews working on bridge and road repairs in the novel struck pretty close to home. The idea of standardized tests determining your future also seems uncomfortably prescient. And if you lack that Ph.D., everything material about your life will be chosen for you, right down to the walls of your home and the furniture in it. And the Doctor of Real Estate is a masterstroke of satire.

Viewed with hindsight, the novel also gains an aspect it couldn't have when originally written. The peak of technology is a huge computer called EPICAC, which is housed in a series of caverns. EPICAC does the planning for this planned society, determining how much of everything to produce. Vaccum tubes, thousands and thousands of them, go into this marvel of a computer. Such a planned society would inevitably stagnate, and it might be fun to go back to this alternate world and depict the introduction of the microchip, either through the ingenuity of the vast numbers of unemployed, or having another country develop it, leap-frogging this engineering dystopia overnight. Curiously, the same year Player Piano was published, 1952, is also the year the microchip began to be developed.

The revolution against the machines plays out believably, and since I read this in the fall of 2011, I saw clear parallels to the protest movements of the large numbers of unemployed. I dearly wish Vonnegut were still with us.

As a final note, this novel involves a subplot of a visiting Shah, whose interpreter has one of my favorite names for a character, ever: Khashdrahr Miasma.(less)

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Jun 30, 2011

Mark Bratkowski rated it

I am starting to run out of Vonnegut books that I haven't read. I picked this one because it was his first published novel. Also, I liked Vonnegut's style in his early work The Sirens of Titan and wanted to see if a similiar style appeared in this novel.
Player Piano shows Vonnegut going through the development of a story - exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, etc. However, the exposition is about 200 pages of the 340 page book. The climax wasn't worthy of this lenghty e...more

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Mar 01, 2011

Gabe Dybing rated it

I like this one! If I had the option, I'd give it 3.5. In fact, I like it so much that, considering how topical its content is, I'm going to teach it in my next writing classes.

In this one Vonnegut describes a world in which people have replaced themselves with machines. The expected revolution ends up being bittersweet. That's all I'll say plotwise. What I will say is that I'm so attracted to this book, pedagogically, because "the machine" can be so easily likened to "...more

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Dec 11, 2010

Laurel added it

In some sense, this book is also a departure from his usual, what with sentences long enough to require multiple commas and all. This was his first book, and it's like he hadn't found his voice yet, which, while mildly disappointing at first, was interesting to observe in its own right throughout reading.

Overall, I found the book a bit heavy handed, or one-dimensional perhaps. It's hard to imagine a world in which Vonnegut doesn't flesh out all his characters, and this world was no exc...more

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Apr 26, 2010

Nikki rated it

Shelves: alt-history, fiction, read-in-2008

(written in 2008)
I’m always a fan of Vonnegut. I loved this book. What made it so fascinating (what makes all his books so fascinating actually) was that pieces of it were eerily close to the attitude of the world today. Every once and a while something would be familiar enough to make you think that perhaps this world isn’t so far off. And that is a scary thought. Makes you honestly wonder what mankind is capable of. How much freedom are we willing to give up for security? What are...more

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Feb 28, 2010

Krasi Stoev rated it

Книгата представлява (анти)утопичен сблъсък между "новото" и "старото". д-р Протей е инж. (заради едното звание пред името?!) в завода Илион. Да кажем, че е главно шефче. Но...отвъд реката се сблъсква с много хора, които отдавна не са част от завода, заради глупавото модернизиране, машинизиране, механизиране и всичко възможно, което завършва на "иене"/"еене".

"Механичното пиано" не е типичната книга на Вонегът. Самото "механично пиа...more

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Aug 03, 2009

Alex rated it

I'm trying to get back in touch with my Indiana roots by reading more Indiana authors--starting, of course, with Kurt Vonnegut.

This is Vonnegut's first novel, about a mechanized future in which all Americans are either relegated to the Army, the "Reconstruction and Reclamation Corps" ("Reeks and Wrecks"), upper management, or the unemployment line--while machines and computers do all the work. It's classic Vonnegut, but it doesn't quite have the ironic craziness w...more

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Aug 14, 2011

Seamus Thompson rated it

It says a lot about the times in which we live that this dystopian novel (in the mold of Brave New World) published in 1952 depicts a world that is better than our own. Vonnegut's first novel is about a future United States where automation has eliminated all but a handful of satisfying jobs (most of which involve designing the machines that put people out of work). The result of all that automation (and the worship of efficiency and "progress" that drives it) is an underclass of ...more

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May 05, 2011

Marit rated it

Shelves: modern-fiction

Vonnegut always makes for a quick but thoroughly interesting read. This may be one of the most easily understandable Vonnegut books I have read yet. His attack on the American mentality that machines can solve everything (efficiency, predictability in economic trends, safety, and more) is as relevant today as it was in 1952. The futuristic society he creates in Player Piano has become a strictly demarcated society based on IQ (not riches, per se) and though the common man has all the automated g...more

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Aug 06, 2010

Seth rated it

As good as if not better than Catch 22. I loved it. Vonnegut challenges the fundamental assumptions of the American values. If we continue to value efficiency, quality, and productivity over humanity and quality of life, then, the machines that replace human labor will continue to displace the normal man. Here, only the high IQs have a chance to participate in society and progress because they are the creators of the machines. A man who competes with a slave is a slave. Thus, competing wit...more

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Jun 08, 2011

Marshall rated it

Shelves: fiction, science-fiction, satire, nongenre

An interesting novel. Vonnegut's first, and it shows, but many of the trademark Vonnegut elements are already there. Much more straight "science fiction" than most of his works, but pure social SF despite a few (often hilariously out-dated) technological trappings.

The central theme is a questioning of the purpose of technology. In the world of Player Piano most human labor has been entirely replaced by machines, leaving the majority of the population with little to do. Th...moreAn interesting novel. Vonnegut's first, and it shows, but many of the trademark Vonnegut elements are already there. Much more straight "science fiction" than most of his works, but pure social SF despite a few (often hilariously out-dated) technological trappings.

The central theme is a questioning of the purpose of technology. In the world of Player Piano most human labor has been entirely replaced by machines, leaving the majority of the population with little to do. The humans and machines are in competition for what work there is, but the machines are slaves, and "anybody that competes with a slave becomes a slave."

I found many aspects of the novel thought-provoking, but as a whole it didn't really work for me. The plot plodded, many of the vignettes were repetitive, and the setting depended on too many disjoint elements. For example: the machines replaced existing workers, but why didn't the workers find/create new things to do? "The System" managed all manufacturing production and mass culture, but there was no mention of restricting individual expression (beyond censoring anti-machine sentiments), and I have a hard time believing people wouldn't find new outlets. I got the feeling that Vonnegut (at least at the time) had a relatively poor assessment of "the common man," or maybe I'm just reading too much into things like the man selected by EPICAC as "entirely average" having an IQ of 87.

Many of the out-dated elements provided moments of unintentional humor. The implicit sexism of the society, the building-sized computers, the simplistic "recording" of people's actions in order to replace them with a machine. But some of them aren't as funny -- I think the risk of a cultural system which produces only works fore-known to be popular enough to be profitable increased after Player Piano was written, but hopefully is beginning to pass.

The friend who recommended Player Piano to me said she sees it as reminder to be mindful of what we're trying to achieve as (software) engineers. There's some deep ideas there (purpose of technology etc), but I think also a relatively simple parable -- make sure you're fulfilling the requirements people have, not the ones you think they have.
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Oct 17, 2009

Leif rated it

Let's see, well, I love Player Piano because it's sheer, beautiful Vonnegut.

I have trouble with Player Piano because it's so obviously Vonnegut.

Obviously an explanation is in order. It's hard not to like V's incisive satires; his wry explanations; his brilliant, almost timeless, analyses. Player Piano is no exception, and despite being his first (and in my opinion most true to traditional novelistic style) and his longest (I don't really know if it is or not, I haven't ...more

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Aug 15, 2008

Terence rated it

Recommends it for: All

Zach told me this one came first, which blew my mind. I was surprised to see that it was published in the '50's, being as prolific of a book. KV really put a lot of thought into the concepts of freedom, industry, leadership, technology, and the corporate ladder. Organized cooperations have always been a looming fear of mine, or men with economic power may really be the issue, and this book worked through some of that in me.

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Aug 05, 2011

Kio rated it

Shelves: read-in-english

While this is an older title, IMO, it has aged pretty well. A lot of the humor, even--something Orwell's and Huxley's books are completing missing, among other things--has survived the times. If you read it, you'll have to keep in $5 at the time is almost equiv to $50 today.

One thing about this book--I think Vonnegut captured the future better than any other author, notably including Huxley and Orwell again. This was before the transistor was invented, so computers are still huge, vacu...more

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Jan 04, 2011

Mark rated it

I started with this book because I had recently (at the time) resolved to read all Kurt Vonnegut books but I have to admit that going into it this book wasn't what I'd expected either from the author in general or the book.

That said, the story was good and there seems to be quite a bit of subtext and hidden meanings. I like that. I read this book in 2009 and I'm still digesting it. This isn't becuase of what is in the book is so deep and though provoking but becuase what isn't writte...more

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Oct 29, 2011

Joseph added it

I've always thought highly of Vonnegut's writing, even though I've only read a few of his books. Player Piano, however, didn't live up to my high expectations. It was at least interesting, and I'd say it was pretty good for a first novel.
What was interesting was that it was written at a time before computer mechanization had ever been a possibility, but this book, like many science fiction books, looked forward to a future of sophisticated inventions and the changes to society they bring. ...more

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May 27, 2009

brad rated it

After finishing the book last night, this is the Vonnegut I enjoyed the least. To compare to Sirens of Titan, which previously held this title, I'd say Titan had bouts of being overly rando, even for Vonnegut. After reading Player Piano I have new insight on my previous critique of Titan, in that I feel the randomness was not nearly as unpleasant as the drab predictability of this book. The characters rarely surprised or excited me, and I felt like I totally understood the rather heavy-handed...more

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Aug 24, 2009

jeremy rated it

as a debut novel (published in 1952, the year vonnegut turned 30), player piano is an outstanding work that foretold of the immense talent to come. while certainly not as strong a work as his later efforts, many of the elements so well-regarded in his other books are notably present, albeit in a less developed manner. it's curious to consider whether, upon a first reading in the 1950's, player piano was regarded as terribly prescient warning of the mechanized society to come or merely the spec...more

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Dec 20, 2009

Candace Klenk rated it

Recommends it for: anyone

After reading this book it is pretty clear to me that this man was light years ahead of his time! To imagine a world where humans are pretty much irrelevant because machinery takes care of everything for you is and interesting concept. We have that today in different areas of life but in this book EVERYTHING is done by machine! Nothing left for humans to do but menial work to keep them busy.

This book unfolds like a flower. The first layer you are shown a world where machines ta...more

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Aug 12, 2010

Adam rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Futurists, Engineers, Mechanists, 'Doctors,' Revolutionaries

Shelves: fiction, science-fiction

Gotchya!

That's exactly how I felt about this book in exactly the last chapter.

Definitely far from my favorite Vonnegut book as for some reason I had a hard time really being drawn in and, well, caring about the characters. It is certainly interesting to discover a world where machines have replaced everyone but their Doctors and Engineers, well, and bartenders of course, but it gets a bit tiresome after a while reading about all those 'clicks' and 'whirs.'

However...more

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Aug 21, 2011

Anne rated it

Vonnegut's first full length book, in my opinion holds together better than his second, The Sirens of Titan and this sci fi novel captures better the irony and almost appreciation of the ridiculous world of corporate america. It doesn't feel outdated to me in the least - with the exception of the pencil callus on the protagonist's finger - a result of years of working at a desk.

Pondering a transition to middle management myself, this book scared me a little bit - as it was suppposed ...more

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Mar 07, 2011

Dan Stormont rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This was an interesting book, although it was a little difficult to figure out what Kurt Vonnegut's viewpoint was. Typical of many writers in the early post-WWII period (like Asimov), he seems to vacillate between libertarianism, socialism, and totalitarianism in his viewpoints. He also, like all writers of the period, didn't anticipate the miniaturization of electronics; so the American economy is run by EPICAC - a huge computer that fills Carlsbad Caverns. Another example is when Paul Proteus,...moreThis was an interesting book, although it was a little difficult to figure out what Kurt Vonnegut's viewpoint was. Typical of many writers in the early post-WWII period (like Asimov), he seems to vacillate between libertarianism, socialism, and totalitarianism in his viewpoints. He also, like all writers of the period, didn't anticipate the miniaturization of electronics; so the American economy is run by EPICAC - a huge computer that fills Carlsbad Caverns. Another example is when Paul Proteus, the hero of the story, plays a game of checkers against "Checker Charley" - a man-sized checkers playing computer with two handlers to set switches on the back to input the position of the checkers on the board. Every person in the story is classified by the entries on their punch card that gets fed into the card readers on the computers. I did enjoy the idea that college sports have been completely professionalized in the story because they learned from experience that athletics wasn't compatible with being a student. Some things don't change over half a century, apparently. One thing that didn't quite work as anticipated, which was also common with writers of the time, was the idea that the "elites" running the country would all be engineers with PhDs. It's pretty obvious now that the ticket to power in today's economy is an MBA from an Ivy League school and that engineers are usually clock-punching middle class workers. However, in the post-war period where everyone was overwhelmed by the science and technology that came from the war effort, it was hard to imagine that scientists and engineers wouldn't be running the world. Kurt was prescient in the notion that to get any kind of job (cab driver, bartender, whatever) would require a BS degree. It's nearly reached that point to work at McDonald's in today's economy. The best part of the novel was the ending, where our hapless heroes realize that they could lead the people in a revolt, but that wouldn't keep them from returning to the very same behaviors that deprived them of their personal freedoms to begin with. As unhappy as they may have been with the status quo, they were so invested in it that they couldn't imagine any other way to live. Sad, but very true.(less)

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Jul 22, 2010

Logan rated it

Shelves: dystopian-fiction, not-owned, scifi-fantasy

For some reason I had thought that I had long ago run through the works of Kurt Vonnegut. He was one of the first writers whose books I can remember consciously deciding that I needed to read each and every one of. The moment is still clear in my memory- I had just been introduced to Kilgore Trout and his trunk of pulp novellas in Breakfast of Champions. I'm not quite sure what happened with that goal, but I'm guessing I lost the thread of the quest sometime after reading Galapagos back in hi...moreFor some reason I had thought that I had long ago run through the works of Kurt Vonnegut. He was one of the first writers whose books I can remember consciously deciding that I needed to read each and every one of. The moment is still clear in my memory- I had just been introduced to Kilgore Trout and his trunk of pulp novellas in Breakfast of Champions. I'm not quite sure what happened with that goal, but I'm guessing I lost the thread of the quest sometime after reading Galapagos back in high school. So it was with much joy that I received the news that my book club had decided to read Vonnegut's first novel, Player Piano, published in 1952.

Dr. Paul Proteus lives in an allegedly utopian world. All industry has been mechanized, the sweat of the worker's brow replaced by the drip of oil from the pistons and pulleys manufacturing all the household goods, widgets and whatsits that EPICAC, a giant computer inhabiting the immenseness of the Carlsbad Caverns, has computed that Americans need in order to be happy. Only those who can program or repair the machines still have jobs in the traditional sense, the rest of the country's vast labor pool being forced to join either the army or what amounts to the Works Project Administration building bridges and roadways. As a member of the elite cadre that maintains the machines, and thus their power, you would think Proteus would be far more satisfied with his life. Yet he's not. He feels more at home slumming in bars with the disaffected across the river than he does in his immaculate home with his status-seeking wife and it's only a matter of time before this dissatisfaction with the world becomes out and out rebellion.

This book is classic Vonnegut in the sense that he has clearly seen the future repercussions of what his society was moving toward and railed against it as best he knew how. I can't help but draw comparisons to the rampant unemployment of today and the growing hordes of dispossessed unable to find even the most mundane of jobs. A service economy with no one to service. Vonnegut knew that, regardless of how often we rail against the strictures of employment, the majority of people derive satisfaction in earning an honest dollar. Remove this obligation and you are also likely to remove the sense of self worth a person has. Regardless of whether or not it's healthy to base one's self worth on their employability, this is the cultural message we inherit at birth- the value of honest labor. Of course, it's easy to rail against a system that disenfranchises millions but, as Vonnegut shows in Player Piano, it's damn near impossible to root it out.

What is missing from Player Piano, and the reason I can't give it that fifth star, is the trademark sense of humor that runs rampant through his other books. Sure, he's got his dystopian world and his biting satire but there is no sense of detachment or whimsy here. This is Vonnegut at his most acerbic, the cynicism that he would return to in his final years of writing during the Bush reign. This is a book written by a man who fully understands the harm that humans inevitably wreak upon ourselves and our world, but who has yet to admit to himself that it's all just one giant joke and the best thing we can do is lean back, sip our whiskey, and say "so it goes."(less)

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About Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut, Junior was an American novelist, satirist, and most recently, graphic artist. He was recognized as New York State Author for 2001-2003.

He was born in Indianapolis, later the setting for many of his novels. He attended Cornell University from 1941 to 1943, where he wrote a column for the student newspaper, the Cornell Daily Sun. Vonnegut trained as a chemist and worked a...more

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Quotes from Player Piano

“And a step backward, after making a wrong turn, is a step in the right direction.” — 26 people liked it

“Finnerty shook his head. "He'd pull me back into the center, and I want to stay as close on the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center." He nodded, "Big, undreamed-of things -- the people on the edge see them first.” — 12 people liked it

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