Cat's Cradle, one of Vonnegut's most entertaining novels, is filled with scientists and G-men and even ordinary folks caught up in the game....
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Oct 28, 2011
Lorenzo
rated it: 
There are two voices inside my head. Let's call them Lore and Enzo. At the moment L & E are quarreling on Cat's Cradle.
(...)
L) Oh come on! This book is wonderful. Perhaps it's the best novel Vonnegut has ever written.
E) Are you kidding me? Have you read the whole of it?
L) Of course I've read it from its first word to the very last one.
E) And haven't you noticed anything strange?
L) What are you talking about?
E) I mean, you know, it's a discontinuou More...
(...)
L) Oh come on! This book is wonderful. Perhaps it's the best novel Vonnegut has ever written.
E) Are you kidding me? Have you read the whole of it?
L) Of course I've read it from its first word to the very last one.
E) And haven't you noticed anything strange?
L) What are you talking about?
E) I mean, you know, it's a discontinuou More...
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Mar 03, 2009
Manny
rated it: 
Most people have read Cat's Cradle, so I won't bother to try and hide spoilers. Did you say you hadn't read it? Well, what are you waiting for? This isn't Ulysses, you know, it's short and funny! So, now that it's just us people who know the book, I want to say why I disagree with the criticism you often see, that it's too fragmentary. On the contrary, I think it's very focused, and makes its point with near-perfect economy and wit. There are two obvious themes. One is how the irresponsible use
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Oct 18, 2008
Mike
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This, along with The Joke and The Trial (and maybe some others I've forgotten), is one of the few books I've read the most--4 or 5 times (again, maybe I've forgotten now and the number is higher).
Slaughterhouse Five may be a haunting, beautifully constructed, masterpiece of literature (and it is), but Cat's Cradle is, I think, a true work of genius. I don't believe that it is possible to so perfectly articulate care for, disappointment in, laughter at, anger towards, and care again f More...
Slaughterhouse Five may be a haunting, beautifully constructed, masterpiece of literature (and it is), but Cat's Cradle is, I think, a true work of genius. I don't believe that it is possible to so perfectly articulate care for, disappointment in, laughter at, anger towards, and care again f More...
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Sep 09, 2008
Elze
rated it:
It's been a long time since I enjoyed a book so much. It's strange to say that, because overall I didn't find its conclusion satisfying. However, it's written so well I enjoyed every sentence. Every paragraph, every little episode had something that spoke to me, whether I agreed with it or not. It's a rare experience.
It's too bad I read Kurt Vonnegut for the first time at the age of 12-13. I'm not sure if I read Cat's Cradle or some other books, but they seemed just plain weird and b More...
It's too bad I read Kurt Vonnegut for the first time at the age of 12-13. I'm not sure if I read Cat's Cradle or some other books, but they seemed just plain weird and b More...
Apr 14, 2008
Chris
rated it: 
Nothing in this review is true.
As much as I enjoy reading Vonnegut, one of the nagging little doubts I always have is that I'm missing something. That there's a hidden message in there that I'm not picking up on. Or, on the other hand, that I am picking up messages that just aren't there.
Which is, perhaps, the point of the whole book.
The world is full of lies. Good lies, bad lies and indifferent lies, but lies nonetheless, and we pick and choose the lies th More...
As much as I enjoy reading Vonnegut, one of the nagging little doubts I always have is that I'm missing something. That there's a hidden message in there that I'm not picking up on. Or, on the other hand, that I am picking up messages that just aren't there.
Which is, perhaps, the point of the whole book.
The world is full of lies. Good lies, bad lies and indifferent lies, but lies nonetheless, and we pick and choose the lies th More...
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Nov 15, 2009
Aerin
rated it:
Every once in awhile, you discover a book that seems like it was written just for you, and just for the particular moment in your life that you happen to come across it. You think, if I had any talent or inclination, this is exactly the kind of book I would try to write. You get this uncanny feeling that someone has gone through your brain, found all the topics you're interested in, the kinds of plotlines you're drawn to, the writing style that appeals to you, the types of characters you prefe
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Dec 15, 2007
Laura
rated it:
To begin with, did I like the book? I certainly did, as it was entertaining, delightfully light-hearted and irreverent, with an interestingly outlandish plot and equally absurd characters.
How about the quality of the writing? Call me a purist, but the use of fabricated dialects and invented vocabulary left a bad taste in my mouth. On the up-side, Vonnegut’s use of poetry as comic relief was novel and amusing, and his self-mocking aphorisms are definitely quotable. I took pause More...
How about the quality of the writing? Call me a purist, but the use of fabricated dialects and invented vocabulary left a bad taste in my mouth. On the up-side, Vonnegut’s use of poetry as comic relief was novel and amusing, and his self-mocking aphorisms are definitely quotable. I took pause More...
Dec 17, 2009
Katie
rated it:
This classic contains a perennially useful reminder (excerpted below) in Chapter 45, which is entitled, "Why Americans are Hated":
Clare Minton's letter to the Times was published during the worst era of Senator McCarthy, and her husband was fired twelve hours after the letter was printed.
"What was so awful about the letter?" I asked.
"The highest possible form of treason," said Minton, "is to say that Americans aren't loved where More...
Clare Minton's letter to the Times was published during the worst era of Senator McCarthy, and her husband was fired twelve hours after the letter was printed.
"What was so awful about the letter?" I asked.
"The highest possible form of treason," said Minton, "is to say that Americans aren't loved where More...
Dec 28, 2011
Harold
rated it:
Sometime in the mid 1960s I was in a small bookshop on St. Mark's Place in NYC. I saw a paperback by an author previously unknown to me. The book was Sirens Of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut. I read it and became a Kurt Vonnegut fan. Cat's Cradle was the second book by KV that I read and I decided to read everything I could by him.
A while back I started to revisit Vonnegut and began with "Sirens of Titan" and now "Cat's Cradle," I enjoyed them as much on the second go ar More...
A while back I started to revisit Vonnegut and began with "Sirens of Titan" and now "Cat's Cradle," I enjoyed them as much on the second go ar More...
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Aug 22, 2008
Inder
rated it:
I keep coming back to the clarinet solo ... the one transcendent moment in a dark, dark novel. As the week wears on and the existential pain fades, what's left is the near-poetic brilliance.
Dangit: five stars.
___________________________________________
Five stars for near-poetic brilliance, great one-liners, and the skillful crushing (in less than 200 pages!) of my last remaining hopes in God and humanity, minus one star for completely ruining my week.
(Ne More...
Dangit: five stars.
___________________________________________
Five stars for near-poetic brilliance, great one-liners, and the skillful crushing (in less than 200 pages!) of my last remaining hopes in God and humanity, minus one star for completely ruining my week.
(Ne More...
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(6 people liked it)
Feb 02, 2012
Lithium
rated it:
I love it when a book leaves me unsure about how to classify it. This book meshes history, religion, politics, and a dash of science fiction. No damn cat, and no damn cradle!
I think that the sense of absurdism is exactly what makes this novel so good (and deeply profound in its own way). If Vonnegut had gone about this book in a way that favoured the serious, heavy approach over the witty, seemingly effortless and light, satirical approach, we would have had another boring old story More...
I think that the sense of absurdism is exactly what makes this novel so good (and deeply profound in its own way). If Vonnegut had gone about this book in a way that favoured the serious, heavy approach over the witty, seemingly effortless and light, satirical approach, we would have had another boring old story More...
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Jun 27, 2011
James
rated it:
Listen:
Although I've only yet read three of his novels, I would be surprised if Cat's Cradle isn't Kurt Vonnegut's greatest masterpiece. It can be very difficult to rate Vonnegut's work, as his books are so easily enjoyable and his flippant sarcasm, through which he makes light of such matters as Armageddon, could give the impression that he shouldn't be taken seriously as an artist (he certainly isn't taking himself seriously). However, this meditation on science's role in man's eventual d More...
Although I've only yet read three of his novels, I would be surprised if Cat's Cradle isn't Kurt Vonnegut's greatest masterpiece. It can be very difficult to rate Vonnegut's work, as his books are so easily enjoyable and his flippant sarcasm, through which he makes light of such matters as Armageddon, could give the impression that he shouldn't be taken seriously as an artist (he certainly isn't taking himself seriously). However, this meditation on science's role in man's eventual d More...
Feb 18, 2011
Kaion
rated it:
Oh, isn’t it quaint reading literature from when we thought RuskiesCommiesIraniansSaddamKennedy were going to blow us all mushroom-cloud style a mile high? (Political commentary doesn’t necessarily age well, does it?)
Cat’s Cradle is my introduction to Kurt Vonnegut, and I definitely have an inkling as to why he has such a devoted following. The novel hooked me in immediately into its yarn about… umm… a writer seeking the human story behind the creation of the atom bomb? And there’s s More...
Cat’s Cradle is my introduction to Kurt Vonnegut, and I definitely have an inkling as to why he has such a devoted following. The novel hooked me in immediately into its yarn about… umm… a writer seeking the human story behind the creation of the atom bomb? And there’s s More...
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Sep 17, 2008
Michael
rated it:
I'm undecided between whether to give this book four or five stars and I hope that, by the end of this review, that I shall be decided.
I have only read a couple of Vonnegut works before this, and I must say, although it is definitely sarcastic and satirical like his other works I've enjoyed, it is not as biting as I am used to. He is certainly still able to make his points about humanity, society, and the spirit of the individual, but is more subtle than I have grown used to, less o More...
I have only read a couple of Vonnegut works before this, and I must say, although it is definitely sarcastic and satirical like his other works I've enjoyed, it is not as biting as I am used to. He is certainly still able to make his points about humanity, society, and the spirit of the individual, but is more subtle than I have grown used to, less o More...
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Jun 14, 2008
Jeff
rated it:
This is a strange book. The main character (Jonah), sets off to write a book called The Day the World Ended. It was to be about the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. It wasn't to be about the bomb or the background to it, but about what everyone was doing that day when the bomb was dropped. It was also about the main who invented the bomb. A Felix Honniker. During this exploration he is severly sidetracked by people who knew felix. It leads him to a third world country where honneker's c
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Sep 09, 2007
Tracey
rated it:
As part of my plan to read at least one "classic" a month (and also a desire to read/re-read Kurt Vonnegut's body of work), I picked up Cat's Cradle. I remember writing an essay on this novel for my AP English class; unfortunately, I have no idea what happened to the essay itself, as it would be interesting to see my younger self's impressions.
The narrator, John, is a writer who is collecting information on Dr. Felix Hoenikker, one of the fathers of the atom bomb. He contac More...
The narrator, John, is a writer who is collecting information on Dr. Felix Hoenikker, one of the fathers of the atom bomb. He contac More...
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Nov 23, 2008
Dennis
rated it:
One of Vonnegut's masterpieces. This book was so brilliantly written that I cant wait to forget it, so I can experience it for the first time once more.
With its short chapters and easy to follow storyline, I would rate this book THE gateway book for beginning readers. If you're a connoisseur of sorts, this should be the best short read you will ever experience.
With its short chapters and easy to follow storyline, I would rate this book THE gateway book for beginning readers. If you're a connoisseur of sorts, this should be the best short read you will ever experience.
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Jun 10, 2011
Kassi
rated it:
After all is said and done, how can one write a fresh review of Cat's Cradle? It's impossible. Re-read this as an adult and got (instead of a funny, quirky read with a pseudo-intellectualized attitude crammed with cynicism) The Butter Battle Book for adults. A chilling look at what happens when applying existentialist ideation to man's search for meaning in science and religion. A literal telling of the cold war. An offensive masterpiece of writing so stunning that one doesn't know whether to gi
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Dec 20, 2008
JuliAnna
rated it:
Cat's Cradle is not nearly as good as Slaghterhouse Five. I even prefer the less well-known Galapagos. Perhaps I am just getting old, but there seemed to be too much cleverness to no effect and little substance. Still, there is enough there an well enough written to make it worth the read.
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Sep 12, 2009
Erik
rated it:
Everyone in high school seemed to be reading Vonnegut, so I wouldn't--wouldn't until my best friend's sister and her best friend pressed Cat's Cradle upon me one afternoon at the home of the siblings. The reading of it didn't take long. Vonnegut reads easily. I wasn't terribly impressed. It seemed a silly book and I was a serious fellow. However, it was fun enough that when Martin, years later, recommended I try more of him, I did and have tried to read everything by Vonnegut since that tim
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Sep 06, 2011
Bassaimer
rated it:
La prima affermazione nei Libri di Bokonon è la seguente: "Tutte le verità che sto per dirvi sono spudorate menzogne".
Il mio monito bokononista è il seguente:
Chiunque non sia in grado di capire che una religione utile può essere fondata sulle menzogne non capirà neppure questo libro.
E così sia.
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Una grassona sfiatata, dall'aria sconfitta, con una tuta sporca, che arrancava al nostro fianco, sentì quello che stava dicendo Miss Pefko. Si girò a esaminare il dottor Breed, lanciandogli u More...
Il mio monito bokononista è il seguente:
Chiunque non sia in grado di capire che una religione utile può essere fondata sulle menzogne non capirà neppure questo libro.
E così sia.
----
Una grassona sfiatata, dall'aria sconfitta, con una tuta sporca, che arrancava al nostro fianco, sentì quello che stava dicendo Miss Pefko. Si girò a esaminare il dottor Breed, lanciandogli u More...
Aug 06, 2011
A Vonnegut novel with loose parodies of various absurdities of the twentieth century; among them, the prospect of nuclear destruction, the zealous edification of science as a pure goal, the humanism through which so many have critiqued these previous absurdities. However, everything seems so loosely put together, with countless problems of internal inconsistency, it felt like Vonnegut never made up his mind of what he was trying to say, and just decided to piece together small literary anecdotes
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Jan 29, 2008
Phil
rated it:
This book used to be my religion. When I lived as a wandering, hitchiking hippie I was just acting on the Bokononist tenet, "Always take weird travel suggestions". I used to try to determine whether people in my life were in my karass. I laughed at granfuloons. Its a fun read. Vonnegut is just a great companion when you're laying out in the sun and you want to read something for pure pleasure. So, if you're in my karass this review might change the direction of your fate if not I dont
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Dec 23, 2011
Lisa
rated it:
This was a MUCH better story than the first book I read by the author, & I'm glad I took the chance on reading it. Without giving too much away, a journalist decides to write a book on a man who worked on the atom bomb. Through a strange series of events, he finds himself on the tiny island of San Lorenzo with an odd cast of characters. Bokonon is the "mad priest", who invented his own religion, & represents good. "Papa" is the island's king, emperor, dictator, ultimate r
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Nov 24, 2011
Raelyn
rated it:
Cat’s Cradle is Kurt Vonnegut’s novel that got him awarded a master’s degree in anthropology. It follows the story of John, or Jonah, as he writes a book about the day the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He begins by collaborating with the three children of Felix Hoenikker, father of the atomic bomb, and tries to discover what kind of man he really was. Along the way the narrator gives references to Bokonon, a religion founded on “fomas”, or harmless untruths. During John’s rese
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Nov 19, 2011
Mowey
rated it:
this novel is supposed to delve in the life of one of the propellers of the Manhattan Project Felix Hoenikker, the father of the Atom bomb & a man considered as one of the strangest & most misunderstood personalities of his time. but i still can’t see the point why this novel is categorized as a sci-fi book, prolly the words ‘atomic bomb’ & ‘ice-09’ being the reasons why this novel is disguised as one. Cat’s Cradle opens with John, the once-Christian now a Bokonon idealist as he tried to work on
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Nov 15, 2011
Lila
rated it:
In this acclaimed novel, Vonnegut creates the religion of "Bokononism," which is based on "foma" or "harmless untruths." The main tenet of Bokononism is "Live by the foma that make you brave and kind and healthy and happy."Any religion, including Bokononism, would be considered a foma. The religion is explored in more detail by the main character, John, as he interviews the children of the man who invented the atomic bomb. His research takes him to the isl
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Nov 15, 2011
Eli
rated it:
Kurt Vonnegut always has a flair for the fantastic in his storytelling. Cat's Cradle proves no exception as it is populated with bizarre characters and science-fiction themes. However, even though Vonnegut's satire deliberately reaches for the ridiculous, the characters of Cat's Cradle are completely relatable and entirely human. Vonnegut's strongest point is crafting fictional people who readers care about. We become invested in them because they go through the same struggles we might, even
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Oct 28, 2011
Kris
rated it: 
In the future, I'll be wary of books praised for their "dark humor". It seems like a buzzword for lazy social commentary.
I remember reading Slaughterhouse Five in high school and thinking nothing much of it, but thinking maybe that was the point, with the lovely "so it goes" mantra. This book was awful. There's no plot, the main character is just a vehicle for endless "Oh, really"s and "Is that so?"s, all the other characters are idiots (even t More...
I remember reading Slaughterhouse Five in high school and thinking nothing much of it, but thinking maybe that was the point, with the lovely "so it goes" mantra. This book was awful. There's no plot, the main character is just a vehicle for endless "Oh, really"s and "Is that so?"s, all the other characters are idiots (even t More...
