Cat's Cradle

This book was so interesting and impossible to put down, I kept reading it while walking in the hallway at school. It's such a captivating read. Not only does it serve as a perfect satire of the Cold War period, but San Lorenzo as an island also serves as a fantastic mockery of U.S. proxy states abroad, especially at the time this was written, and U.S. proxy leaders abroad. San Lorenzo is a dictatorial island supported by the United States and known for its authoritarian policies, yet the characters of the novel treat it as normal. Likewise, the widespread practice of Bokononism even by the leaders of San Lorenzo, despite it being prohibited so that it leads to a cohesive identity in San Lorenzo, is a fantastic addition to this. Wanna read political fiction that isn't so monotonous that it makes you wanna pull your hair out or fall asleep? This is the book for you. It's also pretty enjoyable aside from that.

I love this book. I loved every minute of it. It's a masterpiece about science, religion, literature, war and human destruction.

Tiger got to hunt,
Bird got to fly;
Man got to sit and wonder, "Why, why, why?"
Tiger got to sleep,
Bird got to land;
Man got to tell himself he understand.

Cat’s Cradle is one of those books that you can read more than once. I first read it in 1985, twenty-two years from when it was first published in 1963. This time, I listened to the audiobook. Almost 60 years later, it still holds up. It’s not outdated and seems even more poignant; Vonnegut’s commentary on humanity is more relevant than ever. It’s a tremendous chaotic, weird, wild story.

I love Vonnegut’s style of writing and his dry humor. His books are easy to read, and I find myself thinking, wow was he spot on in his observations about issues that continue to plague us today: family, nation, religion, science, and technology. Cat’s Cradle focuses on humanity’s insatiable craving for knowledge and understanding of the world around us at any cost. Vonnegut recognizes the benefits of the advancements in modern science and technology but is distrustful of the destructive potential that goes hand in hand with those advancements.

The story follows the narrator, writing a book about what Felix Hoenikker was doing the day the United States dropped the atom bomb. Hoenikker was one of the scientists whose work led to the atom bomb creation. Vonnegut has a way of writing characters that, without being verbose, can tell us so much about who that character really is and what they are all about.

One of my favorite things about the audiobook was, at the very end, there is the interview with Kurt Vonnegut. It’s always so interesting to listen to him speak. I learn so much about him and what’s behind his writing every time.

Tony Roberts, the narrator, wasn’t my favorite. A bit too monotone for my liking; dry doesn’t mean monotone. Harper Audio: 7 hours, 11 minutes.