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Kurt Vonnegut
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Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Delacorte Press 1952 Hardcover – January 1, 1952

by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars 2,980 ratings
Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut 1952
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  1. Print length
    305 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Delacorte Press
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1952
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B011AB693Y
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Delacorte Press
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 1, 1952
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ First Edition
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 305 pages
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.03 pounds
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 2,980 ratings

About the author

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Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut

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Kurt Vonnegut was a writer, lecturer and painter. He was born in Indianapolis in 1922 and studied biochemistry at Cornell University. During WWII, as a prisoner of war in Germany, he witnessed the destruction of Dresden by Allied bombers, an experience which inspired Slaughterhouse Five. First published in 1950, he went on to write fourteen novels, four plays, and three short story collections, in addition to countless works of short fiction and nonfiction. He died in 2007.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
2,980 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book thought-provoking, with one noting its relevance to today's world, and appreciate its interesting science fiction premise. The writing style receives positive feedback, with one customer highlighting its precise language, and many consider it a classic Vonnegut work. The humor and character development receive mixed reactions - while some enjoy the humor, others find it melancholy, and while some appreciate the characters, others describe them as unrealized. The pacing is slow, though customers consider it a quick read.

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Thought provokingPlotWriting styleAuthorReadabilityHumorCharacter developmentPacing
48 customers mention "Thought provoking"48 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, providing insights into today's world and being amazingly relevant. One customer notes how the story's message strongly applies to current times.

"...His writings demonstrated remarkable intuition about the future development of machines...." Read more

"...is at the top of his game, he writes some of the most precise, insightful, and funny sentences in literature...." Read more

"...The story deals about social classes, political systems and the purpose of life and the need of being needed...." Read more

"...as a satire of modern knowledge economies and as an exhortation to future engineers and leaders that they be certain to always preserve the inherent..." Read more

40 customers mention "Plot"29 positive11 negative

Customers enjoy the plot of this science fiction book, describing it as a compelling and intriguing read with a fascinating premise.

"...It's a good skeleton for a plot, and I was really rooting for it to go somewhere grand, but unfortunately it seemed to stumble around, exploring..." Read more

"...His wit and sarcasm are simultaneously light hearted and haunting...." Read more

"This is a hard book to describe. Well written, well paced and a great story but it scared and depressed me a bit because we are coming close to this...." Read more

"It's a good quality book, but the story is pretty boring." Read more

20 customers mention "Writing style"18 positive2 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it good and fascinating to see Vonnegut's work. One customer notes that the dialogue is engaging, while another points out that the early 50s writing is prescient.

"...My Thoughts: The writing was good, and it's amazing that this book was written in 1952, as it seems to catalogue our current state of technology..." Read more

"...- To me, when Vonnegut is at the top of his game, he writes some of the most precise, insightful, and funny sentences in literature...." Read more

"...The confident and comfortable voice that comes through in his later works isn't here. But arguably it wouldn't belong here in this story." Read more

"...The fact that this was written in the early 50s is prescient and, frankly, wild...." Read more

14 customers mention "Author"14 positive0 negative

Customers praise this book as a classic Vonnegut work and one of the greatest American authors.

"A superb work by Vonnegut - read this if you are at all concerned about the future of our automated society...." Read more

"Great first novel by Mr v. A bit fated in the specifics but really interesting to read at this present moment." Read more

"This is a classic Vonnegut. I've been a huge fan of his, and I have re-bought all of his books on Kindle when they have lightening deals...." Read more

"A classic Vonnegut piece that depicts the not-so-distant future. It isn't very engaging for the first half but is worth finishing...." Read more

4 customers mention "Readability"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable, with one mentioning it's a quick read and another noting it's good reading at any age.

"...Overall, it's a quick read and enjoyable throughout, but I wouldn't recommend it as an introduction to Vonnegut. Let this one stand on it's own legs." Read more

"...Vonnegut's stories stand the test of time and are good reading at any age or in any era. to say he is sorely missed is a gross understatement" Read more

"...But it was still very cheap and readable, so that is all I needed!" Read more

"...writer, no matter what the subject at hand, makes it almost impossible not to read on, his off hand use of words captures the reader." Read more

28 customers mention "Humor"17 positive11 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the book's humor, with some finding it humorous while others find it somewhat depressing.

"...game, he writes some of the most precise, insightful, and funny sentences in literature...." Read more

"...Somewhat depressing, but predictive of what is to come when people no longer feel they have a purpose." Read more

"...the subject discussed, it is delivered with Vonnegut's witty and dark humour which is so special of him...." Read more

"...It is written both as a satire of modern knowledge economies and as an exhortation to future engineers and leaders that they be certain to always..." Read more

9 customers mention "Character development"5 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book, with some appreciating it while others find the characters unrealized and cardboard-like.

"...Paul is an interesting character, he can't seem to ever make a decision by himself, yet he is charming...." Read more

"...but often they are too buried in a meandering plot and unrealized characters." Read more

"...before many of his better known works, it has a different personality and vibe than the others...." Read more

"...The characters were highly recognizable (figuratively) and the plot predicted a future that has more-or-less come to pass despite many of us not yet..." Read more

7 customers mention "Pacing"4 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with several finding it slow.

"This is a hard book to describe. Well written, well paced and a great story but it scared and depressed me a bit because we are coming close to this...." Read more

"...This started out slow for me, and seemed dated - especially since all the machines had vacuum tubes! But as I read on I got into it...." Read more

"It was slow, but rewarding. I find I just enjoy the way vonnegut writes. The dialogue is enough for me." Read more

"...It seemed to be paced a bit slower than what I'm used to with Vonnegut. It plodded a little at the start, but once it got going, wow...." Read more

Wrong size, great book
5 out of 5 stars
Wrong size, great book
Bought this as a gift for a Kurt Vonnegut fan who was missing this one from his collection. Arrived in great condition, just a few scratches on one of the corners which is to be expected from paperback books. Please read the measurements and publisher if you’re trying to get your collection to be the same size. As you can see, I missed them (that was my bad) so the book is bigger compared to my Slaughterhouse-Five copy from a different publisher. Just a tiny mistake but that’s completely fine. Still very happy with my purchase and I highly recommend.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Tiffany Wray
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    A gift for my husband, his favorite author. He loved it!
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  • Bernadette Vadurro
    4.0 out of 5 stars The Prediction of Automation on Workers
    Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Vonnegut's works provided insightful commentary on the impact of automation on workers, including the loss of jobs and self-esteem. His writings demonstrated remarkable intuition about the future development of machines. The drinking, smoking, dominance, and camaraderie of the male characters reflected the societal norms of the early 1950s and the woman were characterized in subservient positions which I found annoying.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Ponto
    5.0 out of 5 stars AI is not new.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This book is a prescient 1960's version of our dilemma with computers and machiney replacing much of our human-made materials and output. While the initial impression of a minimal work and comfortable lifestyle sounds appealing, the reality is that we all need a purpose. Vonnegut's first book is certainly worth a read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • David Wade
    5.0 out of 5 stars Predictive
    Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    The Story: Paul Proteus, a manager in the system, starts questioning a society run by machines. His dissatisfaction, along with others, starts an unraveling.

    My Thoughts: The writing was good, and it's amazing that this book was written in 1952, as it seems to catalogue our current state of technology overrunning humankind. Somewhat depressing, but predictive of what is to come when people no longer feel they have a purpose.
    One person found this helpful
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  • One Guy's Opinion
    3.0 out of 5 stars Plot - 3, Characters - 3, Theme - 5, Voice - 4, Setting - 3, Overall - 3
    Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2013
    Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase
    1) Plot (3 stars) - In the near future when the engineers are the elite class and all the people they've displaced due to their technology are the lower class, one engineer starts to question the system. It's a good skeleton for a plot, and I was really rooting for it to go somewhere grand, but unfortunately it seemed to stumble around, exploring random details or subplots and never climaxing in much. It felt like it could have been half the length, and still pack the same mild punch.

    2) Characters (3 stars) - Paul Proteus is the engineer extraordinaire, a perfectly-fitted cog for the machinery of his society, only he isn't so sure the machine is worth being a cog in anymore. He has a wife who uses him for his title, and a best friend who goads him closer and closer to the edge to see what's out there. All in all, a fine cast, but I felt like they could have been more.

    3) Theme (5 stars) - The automation of society, and what become of the humans left behind, is as relevant today as it was in the 1950s when this book was released. First machines take over the manual jobs, then the repetitive jobs, then finally the thinking jobs. And when that happens, society better have some way for all the billions of humans left with nothing to do to feel purpose, or at least dignity; otherwise we're going to have a mess. This is going on today, and the solution always seems to be "more jobs, more jobs." But maybe jobs aren't the purpose of human life, maybe there's another way society can be built. Vonnegut doesn't offer up a blueprint for this other society. I wish he did.

    4) Voice (4 stars) - To me, when Vonnegut is at the top of his game, he writes some of the most precise, insightful, and funny sentences in literature. Each is so economically crafted; the words so thoughtfully chosen. He also writes some of the sharpest dialogue, full of misunderstanding and innuendo. His writing can be art of the highest order - good for the head, good for the heart, and good for the smile muscles. However, this is an early Vonnegut work. So though the seeds of his brilliance are there, often the refinement and humor is missing.

    5) Setting (3 stars) -The story takes place in Ilium New York in the near future where the upper engineering elite is separate from the lower "useless" class across the river. Some of the descriptions of the places were clever, but I certainly didn't feel like I was transported there.

    6) Overall (3 stars) - Many times when reading this I wanted to recommend it. But in the end, I can't. There are moments of genius thoughts, but often they are too buried in a meandering plot and unrealized characters.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars To hell with the review !
    Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    We are in the future, not too far off though, after the second industrial revolution. Machines have now replaced repetitive and monotonous work. It is a time of seemingly forever peace and it is believed that no war will ever occur again. Paul, the main character, lives in Ilium. The city is geology separated by a river, on one side lives the Managers and Engineers, on the other side the common people. The disjuncture is not only physical but also social, common people and the elite ( Manager and Engineer ) almost never mingle.

    The plot is separated in two distinct perspectives. On one we follow Dr. Paul Proteus, the manager of the Ilium Works. Paul is an interesting character, he can't seem to ever make a decision by himself, yet he is charming. He is living in the shadow of his father who had had an impressive and very satisfying career. He just goes with the flow of life, he's got dreams but can't seem to find the courage to realize any of them. He is definitely uncomfortable with his current position and the responsibilities this life requires of him. The second part is about Dr Halyard, a diplomat, whose current assignment is to be the guide of Shah, a sect leader of six million members. We can appreciate what america has become through the eyes of an outsider, whose values are totally different.

    Since the second industrial revolution, Machines have stolen the job from the bulk of the citizen, leaving them with no purpose in life. Besides taking their job, most of the political decision making are now done by machines and the social status of a person is determined by their IQ test result. The common people have a steady income while doing nothing very fulfilling, most of them have no job anymore. The current political situation feels as though it has evolved to communism.

    Despite the seriousness of the subject discussed, it is delivered with Vonnegut's witty and dark humour which is so special of him. The story deals about social classes, political systems and the purpose of life and the need of being needed. Although I have read other books treating those themes with a better storyline, the quality of the prose alone is a good reason to read the book. It feels like a breeze, you will laugh but at a deeper level you will also realize that it holds a darker and more serious subject. Enjoy !
    6 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars When the haves and have nots go to war after AI/robots strip the latter of meaningful work. A dystopia for our times
    Reviewed in Australia on April 19, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    When the haves and have nots go to war after AI/robots strip the latter of meaningful work. A dystopia for our times
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  • Maurício Fontana Filho
    5.0 out of 5 stars Ótima edição
    Reviewed in Brazil on August 25, 2022
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Editora de alto nível, a história no entanto não é tão interessante quanto Slaughterhouse-5
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  • Andrew Dalby
    5.0 out of 5 stars Dystopian novel about the rise of automation
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 24, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Back in the 1960s we thought that machines would do everything. We would now be living the life of luxury while robots do all the hard work. Player Piano was written even earlier than that and shows the approaching second transition from Labour to automation. That is when machines and algorithms take over from human thinking and not just from human action. The main protagonist is Dr Paul Proteus, the son of the man who had lead the first transition during the war by bringing automation and quality control to industrial production. Now Paul is finding that the role of humans in this automated world is getting less and less and so he feels the need to rebel.

    It was a novel of its time and the methods of automation and computing have been replaced by silicon and not valves but the message is as important today as it was then. If we turn everything into an algorithm then we lose our humanity. Today the threat is from protocols, check lists and standard operating procedures. Once you have these machine like devices then you take away human thought. In theory this is there to improve quality control, but in reality when it becomes ossified like in the book then quality declines. So for anyone who wants to think about the future, this book should be on your reading list.
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  • Daniel Larocque
    5.0 out of 5 stars Vonnegut gems to you.
    Reviewed in Canada on May 22, 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Big fan of Vonnegut.Reasonable price,speedy delivery always in good shape.Amazon you deliver!Thanks.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in India on August 30, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Excellent
    Report