← Back

All the King's Horses

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

First published February 1951
Type Short Fiction
Length Short Story

Synopsis

The story takes place in the early years of the Cold War and centers on U.S. Army Colonel Bryan Kelly, whose plane has crash-landed on the Asiatic mainland. With him are his two sons, his wife, the pilot and co-pilot, and ten enlisted men. The sixteen prisoners are held captive by the Communist guerrilla chief Pi Ying, who forces Kelly to play a game of chess using his family and men as the white pieces, and himself as the king. Any American pieces that Pi Ying captures will be executed immediately; if Kelly wins, he and his surviving pieces will be freed. A Russian military officer, Major Barzov, and Pi Ying's female companion are present to watch the game. (Taken from Wikipedia)

Notes

First published in Collier's (1951-02-10)

External Links

Publications (31)

Date Publication Publisher Type Page
February 1951 Collier's, February 10, 1951 Crowell-Collier MAGAZINE 14
September 1961 Canary in a Cat House Fawcett Gold Medal Collection 21
August 1968 Welcome to the Monkey House Delacorte Press Collection
September 1968 Welcome to the Monkey House Delacorte Press Collection 80
May 1969 Welcome to the Monkey House Jonathan Cape Collection
1970 Welcome to the Monkey House Delta Collection
January 1970 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
March 1970 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
May 1970 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
May 1970 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
October 1970 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
March 1971 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
March 1971 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
June 1971 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
August 1971 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
October 1971 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
1972 Welcome to the Monkey House Panther Collection 88
February 1972 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
August 1972 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
1973 Welcome to the Monkey House Panther Collection 88
April 1973 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
November 1973 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
December 1975 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection 84
1976 Welcome to the Monkey House Panther Collection 88
October 1976 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection
1979 Welcome to the Monkey House Triad Panther Collection 88
January 1983 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection
September 1984 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection
October 1985 Welcome to the Monkey House Delta Collection
November 1991 Welcome to the Monkey House Dell Collection
July 1994 Welcome to the Monkey House / Palm Sunday: An Autobiographical Collage Vintage (UK) Omnibus 80