Synopsis
Venus on the Half-Shell is a science fiction novel by American writer Philip José Farmer, writing pseudonymously as "Kilgore Trout", a fictional recurring character in many of the novels of Kurt Vonnegut. This book first appeared as a lengthy fictitious "excerpt"—written by Vonnegut, but attributed to Trout—in Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (1965). With Vonnegut's permission, Farmer expanded the fragment into an entire standalone novel (including, as an in-joke, a scene that incorporates all of Vonnegut's original text). Farmer's story was first published in two parts beginning in the December 1974 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. The plot, in which Earth is destroyed by cosmic bureaucrats doing routine maintenance and the sole human survivor goes on a quest to find the "Definitive Answer to the Ultimate Question," was paid homage by the later Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series.
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Venus on the Half-Shell
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0440061490I5N00
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Venus On the Half Shell
Seller: Symbilbooks, Longwood, FL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Condition: Used: Good. Clean copy, with tight binding, and normal tanning of text for age. (under author's name Kilgore Trout is written "a.k.a. Philip Jose Farmer" in pen. Else normal wear for age. 1975 Fourth printing paperback. Seller Inventory # scifi60590-mce60
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Venus On the Half Shell
Seller: Gardner's Used Books, Inc., Tulsa, OK, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Mass Market Paperback. Condition: Good. Good condition paperback. Does show handling wear. Slight rubbing and creasing on hinge. No torn or loose pages. Tulsa's largest used bookstore. Located on South Mingo Road since 1991. No-hassle return policy if not completely satisfied. Seller Inventory # mon0000373702
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Venus On the Half Shell
Seller: HPB Inc., Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Mass Market Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_445967038
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Venus On the Half Shell
Seller: Half Price Books Inc., Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Mass Market Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_453457234
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Venus On the Half Shell
Seller: HPB-Emerald, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
mass_market. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_453333155
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Venus On the Half Shell
Seller: HPB-Diamond, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Mass Market Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_455656086
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Venus on the Half Shell
Seller: Browse Awhile Books, Tipp City, OH, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Mass Market Paperback. Condition: VG+. 7th Printing. Cadino cover art. Tiny color chip on top front corner. Seller Inventory # 01080021
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Venus On the Half Shell (Dell 6149)
Published by
Dell Books March 1975, 1975
ISBN 10: 0440061490
ISBN 13: 9780440061496
Used
Mass Market PaperBack
Seller: A Cappella Books, Inc., Atlanta, GA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Mass Market PaperBack. Condition: Good. Reprint. 2nd printing. Well worn with edgewear, creasing. Sound spine that is bruised at base with 1/2' tear to surface. Spine leans slightly, and textblock is starting to curl. (204 pages plus four pages of ads for other Dell titles.) This classic comic-science fiction novel, began its strange life when author, Kilgore Trout found himself as a recurring character within the great Kurt Vonnegut's novels. The first fragment of Venus on the Half-Shell was published by appearing within Vonnegut's 5th novel, God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (1965). Next, the excerpt was expanded into a complete novel by the wonderful writer, Phillip Jose Farmer and appeared first in two parts, starting, December 1974 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Next it appeared for the first time in this version published by Dell again under the Trout pseudonym. Due to complicated fan derived miscommunication the notion was circulated that Vonnegut was the true author of the entire work, so it was later republished under Phillip Jose Farmer's name. I will not attempt to unravel other elements regarding the story of Kilgore Trout and, according to Wikipedia his 'over 117 novels and over 2,000 short stories' published or the fact he was based upon yet another great name of speculative fiction, Theodore Sturgeon. In many ways his 'biography' is more interesting than the 'real' life stories of Vonnegut, Sturgeon and Farmer put together. And that is perhaps the whole point, if there is indeed a 'point' to anything associated with Mr. Vonnegut. Seller Inventory # 247736
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Venus On the Half Shell
Seller: YESIBOOKSTORE, MIAMI, FL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
paperback. Condition: As New. Seller Inventory # 0440061490-VB