Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. is a dystopian novel set in a post-World War III society where automation has led to a divided social structure. Most people no longer have to work as machines have taken over most jobs, creating a class divide between the elite engineers who oversee the machines and the rest of society who have lost their purpose. The protagonist, Dr. Paul Proteus, starts questioning the status quo after encountering a resistance movement and begins to critically examine the impact of technology on humanity. The book explores themes of technological advancement, societal control, and individual autonomy through a thought-provoking narrative that delves into the consequences of a heavily automated world.

Characters:

Characterization is mixed, with Paul as a central figure questioning his existence, while the female representation is notably weak.

Writing/Prose:

The writing combines satire with humor to critique societal issues, showcasing early elements of Vonnegut's style.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative focuses on a future where machines dominate, the protagonist grapples with a machine-run society, and explores rebellion against this system.

Setting:

The setting depicts a mechanized post-war America, emphasizing the divide between the elite and the displaced working class.

Pacing:

The narrative pace is slow initially but gathers speed towards the conclusion, with moments that can feel meandering.

In the northwest are the managers and engineers and civil servants and a few professional people; in the northeast are the machines; and in the south, across the Iroquois River, is the area known loca...

Notes:

Player Piano is Kurt Vonnegut's first novel, published in 1952.

The story is set in a futuristic America dominated by machines and automation.

The main character, Paul Proteus, is a highly intelligent man disillusioned with a machine-run society.

Social status and job opportunities are determined by IQ tests in this society.

Paul Proteus's friend Finnerty leads a rebellion called the Ghost Shirt Society.

The Ghost Shirt Society aims to regain control from machines but ultimately fails.

The book satirizes technology's impact on humanity and warns against consumerism.

Vonnegut's writing blends humor, wit, and a critique of industrialization.

The novel parallels themes found in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and George Orwell's 1984.

Despite being his first work, Vonnegut's signature style is evident, including sharp social commentary.

The novel explores the loss of human purpose in a world where machines do all the work.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings for Player Piano include themes of societal disillusionment, loss of purpose, and critique of class structures.

From The Publisher:

"A funny, savage appraisal of a totally automated American society of the future."-San Francisco Chronicle

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.

Praise for Player Piano

"An exuberant, crackling style . . . Vonnegut is a black humorist, fantasist and satirist, a man disposed to deep and comic reflection on the human dilemma."-Life

"His black logic . . . gives us something to laugh about and much to fear."-The New York Times Book Review

Ratings (19)

Incredible (4)
Loved It (7)
Liked It (5)
It Was OK (2)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (38):

Read It (21)
Want To Read (13)
Not Interested (4)

1 comment(s)

petbud749

Liked It

3 months

A very existential and even absurdist story. I enjoyed it, not as much as "Cat's Cradle," but it was still very good. Kurt Vonnegut is very funny, but this text is more philosophical than funny, in my opinion. Being employed as an engineer, it definitely had me reflecting on the ethics of my own work.

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About the Author:

Kurt Vonnegut's black humor, satiric voice, and incomparable imagination first captured America's attention in The Sirens of Titan in 1959 and established him as "a true artist" (The New York Times) with Cat's Cradle in 1963. He was, as Graham Greene declared, "one of the best living American writers." Mr. Vonnegut passed away in April 2007.

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Player Piano

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.