Harrison Bergeron Resources

Are you hankering for ridiculously expensive Kurt Vonnegut merch? His website can serve your every need.

Kurt Vonnegut wasn't just a fantastic author; he often included illustrations in his works, like a kids' book for adults.

The first feature-length "Harrison Bergeron" adaptation was a made-for-TV movie with an all-star cast: Howie Mandel. Eugene Levy. Sam the Hobbit. Hey, we didn't say they were the brightest stars in the celebrity galaxy.

2081 came out in 2009, and it's viewable online. Like the other film, it has a low-wattage cast, including Julie Hagerty, the stewardess from Airplane!

In 2006, a 30-minute "Harrison Bergeron" was made. This one has a no-star cast, but received praise from Kurt Vonnegut himself.

PBS produced a Vonnegut potpourri (mmm, flowery!) in 1972 with Between Time and Timbuktu, which included a "Harrison Bergeron" segment, among others.

So is "Harrison Bergeron" a harsh criticism of the ills of socialism, or a satire of its most extreme critics? Vonnegut himself supported socialism. Read it yourself in this transcript of a speech Vonnegut gave, printed in Socialist Worker magazine.

Some have suggested that "Harrison Bergeron" depicts an America mimicking the communist Soviet Union, whom America was engaged in the Cold War with. Or maybe it's simply anti-totalitarian. You can never have too many opinions, so check out this essay.

In 1973, Library Journal interviewed Vonnegut. Here's something totally unsurprising: Kurt Vonnegut likes libraries.

The New York Times obituary for Kurt Vonnegut praises his "dark comic talent" and "urgent moral vision." Yep, we'd say that sums up "Harrison Bergeron" pretty well.

This six-minute student film of "Harrison Bergeron" takes about as long to watch as it does to read the story. It's worth the time, but you should definitely read the story too.

Ever wanted to see "Harrison Bergeron" re-imagined with a gangsta flair and rockin' tunes? Now you can!

This student project adds his own sound effects to "Harrison Bergeron" creating a brand new experience. Does the story sound this way in your head?

Here's a fan-made theme song to "Harrison Bergeron" that's going to get stuck in your head. It's a thousand times better than having to listen to anything that comes out of George's handicap radio.

This illustration shows what Harrison might look like with all his handicaps on. We're not sure whether to laugh or be scared, which is kind of like our reaction to the story itself.

Here's the creepy cover of Welcome to the Monkey House, a collection containing "Harrison Bergeron." Thanks for the invitation, but we think we'll stay outside.

Here's a classic Vonnegut self-portrait/autograph combo. Not quite as subtle as Matt Groening's initials being part of Homer Simpson's head, but still very elegant.

How does Vonnegut in real life compare to Vonnegut the cartoon? See for yourself.