The poems are instructions (or suggestions) – not so much exhortations to action as prodding to more playful exercises of sorts, action-experiments as thought-experiments; much of this is reminiscent of Yoko Ono's Grapefruit with its performance-piece / conceptual art instructions. [...] A User's Manual is a lovely book – another beautiful volume from Twisted Spoon, who are always attentive to the physical feel and look of their books – and a fine introduction of the work of Jiří Kolář. The poetry is enjoyable -- quite amusing, and some of it very effective – and the collage-pieces often impressive – though readers are encouraged to seek out more samples: Kolář was a very talented artist, and much of his collage-work is stunning.

— M.A. Orthofer, The Complete Review

The collages are extraordinary, among the technique’s most inspiring. [...] We’re fortunate to have in English, at last, a real taste of Kolář’s wry, writerly sensibility. Ryan Scott and Twisted Spoon are to be commended for reviving this particular book, a neglected but significant work of Eastern European visual literature.

— M. Kasper, Rain Taxi Review

Each of the accompanying artworks are also to be contemplated slowly, their composition miniscule but perfect, order coming from the chaos, articulation of world events. They alone could make up a book, but it is through the alignment of small acts of insurrection and art of social commentary that the repetitiveness seeps through.

— Tony Messenger, Messenger's Booker

For the most part Kolář’s poems avoid any overtly political calls to rebellion or insurrection. They demonstrate how individual people can exhibit their displeasure in small, daily surreal acts.

— Chris Oleson, Bookmunch

As unusual as they are, many of the poems are oddly practical enough that they could serve as inspiration triggers. The language is spare, reasons and explanations are not offered, but therein lies the charm. Some are even strangely beautiful.

— J.M. Schreiber, roughghosts

If we only regard Kolář's oeuvre as an assemblage of artworks we would miss its meaning, which lies in its overall message, in its synthesis of word and image, and most of all in its highlighting the fluid, protean, ambiguous nature of reality ...

— Marie Klimešová, Grimace of the Century