Sucker's Portfolio

Sucker's Portfolio is a posthumous collection of short stories by Kurt Vonnegut, released in 2013 by Malpaso. The volume gathers early, previously uncollected fiction written by Vonnegut during the 1950s, a period when he was transitioning from his work in public relations at General Electric to establishing himself as a prolific magazine contributor. These stories reflect the stylistic foundations and satirical voice that would later define his major novels, offering a window into his development as a craftsman of the American short story.

The publication was curated to provide fans with a deeper look at the author's formative years in the literary scene. By rescuing these works from the archives of periodicals like Collier's and The Saturday Evening Post, the collection highlights the specific constraints and expectations of the mid-century short story market. The design and editorial approach focus on contextualizing these pieces as snapshots of Vonnegut's early creative process, maintaining a straightforward presentation that lets the author's evolving wit and narrative structure take center stage.