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Sinbad
I had an uncle who left his hometown and the family business there to become a fine actor. His talent was a minor one, but a pretty one. It lasted for fifteen years and was gone. He came home with the ashes of it and died twenty years later, poor and, as it happened, drunk.Previously unpublished, brilliant and deeply personal, Sinbad is Kurt Vonnegut’s story of a young man who decides, against the wishes of his family, to leave home to pursue life as a painter. The result is a picaresque as bizarre and imaginative as any of Vonnegut’s most beloved stories.Cover design by Adil Dara.
30 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 18, 2016
270 people are currently reading
891 people want to read
About the author
Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
710 books36.9k followersKurt 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 as a journalist before joining the U.S. Army and serving in World War II.
After the war, he attended University of Chicago as a graduate student in anthropology and also worked as a police reporter at the City News Bureau of Chicago. He left Chicago to work in Schenectady, New York in public relations for General Electric. He attributed his unadorned writing style to his reporting work.
His experiences as an advance scout in the Battle of the Bulge, and in particular his witnessing of the bombing of Dresden, Germany whilst a prisoner of war, would inform much of his work. This event would also form the core of his most famous work, Slaughterhouse-Five, the book which would make him a millionaire. This acerbic 200-page book is what most people mean when they describe a work as "Vonnegutian" in scope.
Vonnegut was a self-proclaimed humanist and socialist (influenced by the style of Indiana's own Eugene V. Debs) and a lifelong supporter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
The novelist is known for works blending satire, black comedy and science fiction, such as Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), Cat's Cradle (1963), and Breakfast of Champions (1973)
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 as a journalist before joining the U.S. Army and serving in World War II.
After the war, he attended University of Chicago as a graduate student in anthropology and also worked as a police reporter at the City News Bureau of Chicago. He left Chicago to work in Schenectady, New York in public relations for General Electric. He attributed his unadorned writing style to his reporting work.
His experiences as an advance scout in the Battle of the Bulge, and in particular his witnessing of the bombing of Dresden, Germany whilst a prisoner of war, would inform much of his work. This event would also form the core of his most famous work, Slaughterhouse-Five, the book which would make him a millionaire. This acerbic 200-page book is what most people mean when they describe a work as "Vonnegutian" in scope.
Vonnegut was a self-proclaimed humanist and socialist (influenced by the style of Indiana's own Eugene V. Debs) and a lifelong supporter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
The novelist is known for works blending satire, black comedy and science fiction, such as Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), Cat's Cradle (1963), and Breakfast of Champions (1973)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
June 6, 2022
“All’s bad that ends badly, and it’s only the sick-minded who can feed on the past.”
Kurt Vonnegut's Sinbad begins as a sort of cautionary tale about using what gifts we have and leaving home. But Vonnegut is never so practical or straightforward. When our protagonist finds himself outside what he sees as civilization, he is astonished by what is considered important. Have I said that Vonnegut is never so didactic or straightforward (or something to that effect)? Priorities in our protagonist's new land might be simple and refreshing, but how were they established? The capacity of people to be manipulated, elsewhere referred to as blind faith (even for something that is seemingly good) is something that Vonnegut returns to in several of his works. This is an interesting story, but way too short!
3.75 stars
Kurt Vonnegut's Sinbad begins as a sort of cautionary tale about using what gifts we have and leaving home. But Vonnegut is never so practical or straightforward. When our protagonist finds himself outside what he sees as civilization, he is astonished by what is considered important. Have I said that Vonnegut is never so didactic or straightforward (or something to that effect)? Priorities in our protagonist's new land might be simple and refreshing, but how were they established? The capacity of people to be manipulated, elsewhere referred to as blind faith (even for something that is seemingly good) is something that Vonnegut returns to in several of his works. This is an interesting story, but way too short!
3.75 stars
July 28, 2021
As a big Vonnegut fan I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read this short story. This is one of those stories that you keep reading just to eventually make sense of what's going on. As it is pretty short you feed your curiousity faster than most other reads of this style. Vonnegut has a way of capturing your undivided attention and then teaching you something as a result. The formula here was not any different. I truly felt that because the story was over so quickly I didn't bond with the characters as well as his full length novels. I also found it difficult to keep track of who is who because of the 1 letter naming convention. I plan to revisit the story a couple more times and maybe with time my appreciation for this story will grow as it does with the rest of his work.
August 17, 2017
A 20-something year old man is found & rescued by a group of people. When the man wakes up, he can't recall where he is or how he got there. He gets to know a few of the people, known as Mr A, Mr B, Mr C, Miss D, Miss E, & Miss F. How did THEY get here? Why are they called by those names? Why don't they ask the simplest of questions such as "Where does my food come from?" or "Why do I have to go to bed at 8 PM?" The young man's curiosity builds as time goes on, but answers begin to unfold as a new group of people show up. The creator (or brainwasher in my opinion) starts the re-programming process of these people to believe that their names are what he gives them, that their jobs are what he gives them, & that they should never question anything about their own life or existence. The young man, Mr X, continues to fight against the brainwashing & plans his escape, back to freedom, back home.
I'm left pondering a few questions myself, like "Why do I do the job that I do?" & "Am I really happy?" As humans with the gift of free will, we should always be reflecting & asking questions of ourselves. Only then can we constantly be raising the bar, aiming for new heights, being the best "me" that we can be.
Age recommendation: 14 & up (not inappropriate content, but a higher level or thinking & understanding is needed)
On a scale of 1-10 stars, I give it 7.
I'm left pondering a few questions myself, like "Why do I do the job that I do?" & "Am I really happy?" As humans with the gift of free will, we should always be reflecting & asking questions of ourselves. Only then can we constantly be raising the bar, aiming for new heights, being the best "me" that we can be.
Age recommendation: 14 & up (not inappropriate content, but a higher level or thinking & understanding is needed)
On a scale of 1-10 stars, I give it 7.
February 9, 2025
A quick listen between busy and running. With Vonnegut I never hit a bingo yet. It’s good, but not the best I’ve ever read.
February 2, 2018
A short read with a few great quotes regarding the illusions we live by in order to get by in an apparantly unjust world. Honestly, it's difficult decision whether one should make others aware of their delusions even if their delusions make them happy and cause little to no harm to others.
Vonnegut raises this question and more through a very sympathetic narrator.
Vonnegut raises this question and more through a very sympathetic narrator.
August 1, 2016
Been a long time since I read any Vonnegut and after reading Sinbad, I realize it's been too long. This one is new to me, and it was excellent.
October 24, 2018
A pleasant work by one of my favorites. This wild tale about hypnotism gone terribly wrong may be short but it is amazingly entertaining in a way only Vonnegut could make it. Short but sweet.
July 25, 2016
Everything is what you make of it, and holding hands is the closest you can get to God.
August 7, 2017
I'm normally not a fan of Vonnegut's shorter fiction, but this one was wonderfully strange.
June 30, 2017
I once had a teacher discourage me from reading Vonnegut. She considered him a writer for the mature male reader. Needless to say, nothing would make me want to read his work more. I had somehow missed this short story.
The story is intentionally confusing and disturbing at the beginning. Don't worry, all will make sense eventually. There's plenty of suspense and danger throughout. My favorite quote was, "the jungle is a fat cannibal."
The finish is satisfying. I wouldn't change a thing. The reader will leave with a chance for a new perspective on life.
The story is intentionally confusing and disturbing at the beginning. Don't worry, all will make sense eventually. There's plenty of suspense and danger throughout. My favorite quote was, "the jungle is a fat cannibal."
The finish is satisfying. I wouldn't change a thing. The reader will leave with a chance for a new perspective on life.
June 9, 2017
A single; quick read leaves you with a few things to mull over. Is it a spoof on the original Sinbad tales (which I now need to reread...)? An allegory for Vonnegut's own travails? A poke at the American tourist's way of life? All of the above? Anyway it was an entertaining short trip.
November 5, 2023
Sooooooo for someone who thought they were picking up the story of Sinbad the sailor, I was very lost for a while there. This book is about a man who believes there is more to life and, in his adventures, finds himself in somewhat of an alternative reality where people don't have names, but letters, and they spend their day playing Monopoly in order to earn washes which they can then trade for food. Oh, and there's a skeleton in the middle of a room that no one else seems to be able to see.
This was a wild ride, but a really unique and intriguing short story. Would have loved a longer version.
This was a wild ride, but a really unique and intriguing short story. Would have loved a longer version.
September 12, 2024
As Slice of Life is a send up of 'Great Man Theory', Sinbad is the same, but for capitalism though a little less interesting overall, perhaps as a result of initially seeming really intriguing and the fact that the 'game' Monopoly was initially created as a criticism of capitalism in the first place, although it might simply be that the thought of Jordan B Peterson with mentalist powers of Derren Brown makes me all too queasy.
June 20, 2022
Kurt Vonnegut is an interesting writer. This is a short story but it packs quite a punch. Very strange concept done very well.
September 11, 2024
Could be something, could be nothing, either way I found it interesting,
January 25, 2018
Solid short story
Need to read it again, just a nice short story to check out. There are seven more words to write.....
Need to read it again, just a nice short story to check out. There are seven more words to write.....
June 2, 2020
I first thought of this as Vonnegut being lazy and retelling the Sinbad story. That assumption quickly went belly-up as this story completely took a FUCKING left turn from Chapter 2. It's good. It has way less social commentary and killer quotable lines like the rest of his books. It's not polished, not nearly enough. The fact that it was an unpublished rough draft is clear as day. But, it has a lot of potential, the story is as weird as Vonnegut does and the characters with their short time are still very quirky. The setting is amazing, he does not botch up the ending like Mr. Palahniuk did. It has a very classic science fiction Asimov feel to it, less Vonnegut except only Vonnegut can weird shit up like he did with the characters and all. It's good. Recommended for Vonnegut fans, yes. But not essential, not thought-provoking.
January 20, 2018
This was wonderfully strange and surreal. I loved the story- Vonnegut is always a treat to read.
January 15, 2018
Twilight Zone feel to it.
September 10, 2025
What a wonderful story. Such an innovative plot.
January 1, 2018
An Interesting Morality Tale
This was my first reading of Vonnegut’s short stories and I find it quite an intriguing read. It provides enough description to help the reader visualise the scene but also enough to let the imagination flow.
I personally found it to be an interesting commentary of society and the confines we all construct within our community. A short but enjoyable read. Would be interested to hear other people’s thoughts not story as well.
This was my first reading of Vonnegut’s short stories and I find it quite an intriguing read. It provides enough description to help the reader visualise the scene but also enough to let the imagination flow.
I personally found it to be an interesting commentary of society and the confines we all construct within our community. A short but enjoyable read. Would be interested to hear other people’s thoughts not story as well.
December 31, 2017
I really enjoyed this story and its strange quirks. I hadn’t guessed the mystery, and its revelation gave the tale such a melancholy color. This is the type of story to make you wonder how much free will we really have, if we do as much as we should with it, if your agency is as strong as you think... entertaining and thought-provoking.
December 29, 2017
Classic Vonnegut
Interesting and meaningful with a tinge of mystery, this short story will fly by quickly but linger hauntingly in your mind for eternity.
Interesting and meaningful with a tinge of mystery, this short story will fly by quickly but linger hauntingly in your mind for eternity.
December 23, 2017
Reminded me of an episode of The Twilight Zone. Definitely a fun quick read.
February 5, 2017
Trippy at the start, this story unravels slowly and intentionally toward clarity. Vonnegut moves his character carefully throughout the story like moving a rook to a black square and hoping to turn it red. It may be important for you to be confused for the book to truly make an impression, so if you don't understand the beginning, I implore you to keep going.
February 6, 2017
An unnerving allegory
The writing in this story is excellent, but it's an uncomfortable read. Vonnegut places an ordinary man among a group of ordinary people in an extraordinary situation, and through this arrangement tells a story that interrogates capitalism and the role of art in our world.
The writing in this story is excellent, but it's an uncomfortable read. Vonnegut places an ordinary man among a group of ordinary people in an extraordinary situation, and through this arrangement tells a story that interrogates capitalism and the role of art in our world.
December 8, 2017
A quick read, but interesting premise. The author takes a strong philosophical view of the importance of relationships versus career. I think it is slightly dark, but thought provoking. Reads well. Perhaps I should rate it higher, but I find my sensibilities not quite aligned with the authors. I would say it is worth the time it takes to read.
October 31, 2016
Very nice story about how Mooney makes life meaningless . Other people are the only things in life that matter.
I gave,this short story such a high rating because it spoke to me at this point in my life. Great!
I gave,this short story such a high rating because it spoke to me at this point in my life. Great!
November 19, 2016
A very short story, I have never read anything from this author. It was not what I expected and was surprised at the storyline and the ending. This was an easy to follow, an entertaining tale but just a little bizarre, not what I usually read.
April 17, 2017
Great story.
A shipwrecked man finds himself on a secluded unknown island. The inhabitants have no knowledge of the outside world but follow a bizarre daily routine that abstractly symbolizes modern society.
A shipwrecked man finds himself on a secluded unknown island. The inhabitants have no knowledge of the outside world but follow a bizarre daily routine that abstractly symbolizes modern society.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews