Welcome to the Monkey House

Combine Vonnegut's one-of-a-kind prose with the varied and brilliant performances of these five narrators, and the results are hypnotic. Listeners can enjoy Bill Irwin's resonant tones in the story "Where I Live," as well as the raspy, forthright voice of Maria Tucci in the classic "Harrison Bergeron." The title story's narrator, Dylan Baker, reads with an ironic perfection, a slight nasal twang complementing the trippingly satiric prose Vonnegut made famous. David Strathairn reads "Adam" with a gentle strength, his voice precise and graceful, while Tony Roberts possesses a barely restrained drama in his pieces. This audiobook is a stroke of genius that not only illuminates Vonnegut's stories, but polishes them to a shine. L.B.F. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

Starred review from August 7, 2006
Listeners are in for a treat as a masterful cast animates many of Vonnegut's finest short pieces. Vonnegut colors his oft-wondrous works with memorable characters, fantastic realities, pitch-perfect dialogue and heapings of satire and humor—a tall order for any audio actor. But this group of narrators are veterans of screen and stage, each with a unique voice as malleable as clay. It's hard to find fault with this production. Occasionally, Tucci and Irwin oversoften their voices, and listeners may find themselves reaching for the volume. Otherwise, there are very few blemishes. Baker is outstanding in "All the King's Horses" and "The Hyannis Port Story." Strathairn shines on "Tom Edison's Shaggy Dog" and "The Lie." Tucci handles with ease the predominantly male pieces "Go Back to Your Precious Wife and Son" and "Manned Missiles." Irwin inhabits every character. The robust Roberts is both commanding and wry. Given the fertile material and the collective talent of the cast, listeners should expect nothing less than excellence here. They won't be disappointed. Available in paperback from Dell.