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10th out of 41 books
—
56 voters
Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle (Modern Critical Interpretations)
by
Harold Bloom ,
Terry Southern , David H. Goldsmith , James Lundquist , Lawrence R. Broer , Peter J. Reed , Loree Rackstraw , William S. Doxey
,
more…
A critical overview of the work features the writings of Terry Southern, William S. Doxey, Jerome Klinkowitz, Richard Giannone, John L. Simons, James Lundquist, and other scholars.
- After the bomb, Dad came up with ice / Terry Southern
- Vonnegut's Cat's cradle / William S. Doxey
- The private person as public figure / Jerome Klinkowitz
- Cat's cradle / Richard Giannone
- Tang...more
- After the bomb, Dad came up with ice / Terry Southern
- Vonnegut's Cat's cradle / William S. Doxey
- The private person as public figure / Jerome Klinkowitz
- Cat's cradle / Richard Giannone
- Tang...more
Published
by Chelsea House Publications
(first published June 15th 2002)
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The book starts with John the main character researching about what Americans where doing when the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan. While researching this topic, John becomes involved with the children of Felix Hoenikker.John travels to Ilium, New York, to interview the Hoenikker children and others for his book. In Ilium John meets, among others, Dr. Asa Breed, who was the supervisor "on paper" of Felix Hoenikker. As the novel continues , John learns of a substance called ice-nine, created by...more
In the book “Cats Cradle”, Kurt Vonnegut uses discreet humor, irony and his own made up religion, Bokononism to illustrate how science is both helpful and harming. His writing can be confusing to young readers considering his complex references. I ended the book with the realization that a crazy idea formed by a capable and credited person can have the power to demolish the aspects of life as we look at it.
The narrorator of the book, John is in the process of writing a book titled, The Day th...more
The narrorator of the book, John is in the process of writing a book titled, The Day th...more
Having recently re-read Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse 5 and now having re-read Cat's Cradle their similarities come to the forefront as both novel deal with a writer preparing to right a book on a mass slaughter in WWII. In Slaughterhouse 5 the writer is preparing to write a book about the firebombing of Dresden and in Cat's Cradle the writer is writing a book on the scientists families involved in the Manhattan Project. Though Slaughterhouse descends into a book within a book as it subsequently tel...more
As usual, Vonnegut has provided a thought-provoking commentary on humanity and a possible avenue of its future. I found his use of religion and discussion of very interesting and thought-provoking in my own life. It caused me to really reflect on why I believe what I do and how that affects my way of life. I think this book is also skilled in addressing and identifying ways that religion functions in society, for better or for worse. I love the way Vonnegut writes: a fictitious story in which on...more
Kurt Vonnegut is my favorite author, and this book is probably the reason behind that. I share many of the same world views as Vonnegut, and his satirical writing style is one I try to imitate. In Cat's Cradle, Vonnegut brings to light world issues such as religion, science, and politics and ties them into an apocalyptic theme. This idea of an apocalypse, in what form it will happen, and how humans will react to it, is one of my favorite things to read and write about. I feel that Vonnegut does...more
I really enjoyed reading Cat's Cradle. It took about a week to read, the pages turned faster than any book I've read before. The story seems straight forward enough, following an author as he tries to gather information about the creator of the atom bomb, and suddenly takes a turn towards the apocalypse. The book is filled with religious sayings from the religion of this world, and the one towards the end that is a pretty good summary of the book is this:
In the beginning, God created the earth,...more
In the beginning, God created the earth,...more
I first read this twenty years ago and have just re-read it.
Not in the same class as Slaughterhouse Five, but classic Vonnegut satire nonetheless. Bokonism is definitely a religion for 2012!
You have to read all of Vonnegut to get a perspective on what he was about, Do that and you will be rewarded with a glimpse into a strange mind, much like the mind of Philip K. Dick, another of my favourites.
Worth reading, but read after Slaughterhouse 5 and you will see what I mean.
Not in the same class as Slaughterhouse Five, but classic Vonnegut satire nonetheless. Bokonism is definitely a religion for 2012!
You have to read all of Vonnegut to get a perspective on what he was about, Do that and you will be rewarded with a glimpse into a strange mind, much like the mind of Philip K. Dick, another of my favourites.
Worth reading, but read after Slaughterhouse 5 and you will see what I mean.
One of Vonnegut's early and really brilliant works. I know that when reading it, one might think the author disillusioned, but the construct of using a made-up religion to lampoon the trivial nature of human things is genius. It could stand purely on its honesty and self-effacing humour in that regard.
You see the plot through the eyes of an author, and satire spins to black humour to sci-fi, to politics, and finally, raw, relentless humanity.
You see the plot through the eyes of an author, and satire spins to black humour to sci-fi, to politics, and finally, raw, relentless humanity.
I always love Vonnegut, although. like other reviewers have said, I get the sense that there's something I'm missing as I read. It's the same feeling I got reading The Crying of Lot 49. When you reach the end, you think, "If this is all the book is supposed to mean, then it's sort of a poor excuse for a book." And then you think back on what you read, and it makes you giggle a little, and you think, "Well, even if my conscious brain didn't get it, some part of me did," and you're okay with that....more
Afterlife and creation mean nothing to me in the context of religion. But Bokonism's "sitting-up mud" nails my sense of reverence for life. Nothing more is required. Bokonists cloak their wonder at the mystery in something close to Christianity, but it is far more pidgin than formal. A mask donned for the purpose of expressing a feeling. Strictly as-if, not cosmological.
For a long time, I said I wasn't a fan of Vonnegut. Turns out, I just haven't been in the mood to read him since I last read a book by him, which was something like 8 years ago (although I do remember liking that great "Harrison Bergeron" story). Since them, I've grouped Vonnegut with along with the likes of Hunter S. Thompson and Chuck Palahniuk - mildly entertaining writers who find a core fan base with college guys. You know, frat lit.
I read Cat's Cradle for a class and found myself rolling...more
I read Cat's Cradle for a class and found myself rolling...more
This is the book that started it all for me — the seed that grew into my family tree of books. I started reading rapaciously after finishing this book and started wanting to be a writer myself.
Let's take a moment. Repeat after me:
God made mud.
God got lonesome.
So God said to some of the mud, 'Sit up!'
'See all that I've made, the hills, the sea, the sky, the stars.'
And I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around.
Lucky me, lucky mud.
I, mud, sat up and saw what a nice job God had done.
N...more
Let's take a moment. Repeat after me:
God made mud.
God got lonesome.
So God said to some of the mud, 'Sit up!'
'See all that I've made, the hills, the sea, the sky, the stars.'
And I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around.
Lucky me, lucky mud.
I, mud, sat up and saw what a nice job God had done.
N...more
Confusing at the beginning but got very good. It goes in the totally opposite direction than what you think. Then the ending made me mad. There were alot of u-turns and enexpected things that happened. The ending will make you mad though. Overall a good book.
کتاب خوب و قابل خوندن بود
همون طنز سیاه و در تمام طول کتاب میتونی ببینی و لذت ببری به شرط اینکه انتظار کتابی مثل سلاخ خانه شماره 5 و افسونگران تایتان ( کتاب های دیکه این نویسنده )رو ازش نداشته باشی . . .
نسبت به اونا خیلی بد بود
همون طنز سیاه و در تمام طول کتاب میتونی ببینی و لذت ببری به شرط اینکه انتظار کتابی مثل سلاخ خانه شماره 5 و افسونگران تایتان ( کتاب های دیکه این نویسنده )رو ازش نداشته باشی . . .
نسبت به اونا خیلی بد بود
I wanted to read a novel by Vonnegut because I teach "Harrison Bergeron" to my 9th graders every year. I love the story, as do my students. The book is satiric. I didn't expect the ending! It is short and enjoyable.
Satire at its best. Hiliariously entertaining, wish they would've taught Bokononism in my world religions class;) LOL I enjoyed this midget more than the ones Chelsea Handler tangeled with. Great book.
The first Vonnegut novel I found uninteresting. Most of the story is just the narrator talking about some tropical island. After that they go to the island and it's pretty weird there. That's the whole book.
Imagine yourself riding in a roller coaster (not the scary one but the hilariously fun one), sitting in the front car going up and down. This is exactly how I felt when I read this book!
I liked the style of chapters a lot. The mixture of fiction and nonfiction was pretty good. I read it one afternoon at work, and it made it a lot more interesting.
slightly different from his other books. its decent to say the least. vonneguts books arent really about much but are good to read on a trip and stuff like that
I usually love Kurt Vonnegut books, and this one was ranked as one of his best. But I just didn't really like it. It was OK. But I wouldn't recommend it.
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Absolutely great book, the religious aspect is quite historical and very good stuff. enjoyable short chapter read worth it for sure.
I found myself laughing, then getting into serious mode, then laughing again. It was an emotional roll-a-coaster that I loved.
one of the great keepers...there are some quotes in here that apply to everyday life over and over! and just a great read.
I can't get into this book. I have tried several times now over the past 10 years. This is the furthest I have ever gotten. I loved Vonnegut's Slaughter-House Five and thought this would be a great Classic to read but I am dissapointed- I just don't get it. Maybe its over my head and requires a reader with a high IQ. I am shelving this book for retirement when I have the patience to focus on it.
I LOVE Kurt Vonnegut, and this book was one of my all-time faves of his! Funny and snarky on so many levels... very fun to read!
this was my favorite of his books (that i've read! haven't read em all yet). mostly i liked the language. i was young.
even better the second time around. such a master of language. easy to read, but so witty and full of complex ideas.
One of the most original and funny sci fi books of all time. You don't need to be a sci fan too enjoy it.
One of my all-time favorites. When people ask me what my favorite book is, I often default to this.
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Bloom is a literary critic, and currently a Sterling Professor of the Humanities at Yale University. Since the publication of his first book in 1959, Bloom has written more than 20 books of literary criticism, several books discussing religion, and one novel. He has edited hundreds of anthologies.
More about Harold Bloom...
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