Rating: 
Summary: A Magical Mystery Tour!
Review: I once heard Kurt Vonnegut speak at a commencement ceremony at a Bennington College in Vermont in 1970, when his daughter was graduating with a bachelor's degree. He spoke quite eloquently about what graduates should do with their lives, and I remember parts of that wonderful speech as if it were yesterday. Indeed, Kurt Vonnegut is a writer of prodigious talents, a visionary seer disguised as an ordinary man, a contemporary wise man who speaks to us in amusing yet frightening allegories about the nature of contemporary man and the absurd technological culture he lives in today. This book, "Cat's Cradle", is among his finest novels, like most of his others, a work combining a wry sensibility with an amusing ability to confect sweet sounding yet bitter-tasting tales of mayhem and woe. The plot of Cats Cradle is pure science fiction, and revolves around work to create a way to help American tanks more mobile in rain soaked and muddy circumstances, when such an ability to transverse the impossible terrain would give our guys in their tanks an overwhelming advantage over their evil foes. Our protagonist is a scientist working on isotope of water (called Ice -9) that has the ability to crystallize water into a unique form of ice that does not need freezing temperatures to crystallize. With such a capability, the Army could solidify the water in the mud, making it firm and allowing our tanks to roll over it with impunity. The problem is that once introduced into the ground, the compound has untoward effects no one had considered. And the basis for the cautionary tale is spun. All of this is just the premise that allows Vonnegut to explore the far reaches of human behavior and the insane ways in which our culture is operating. It is a brilliant work, one that delves into the deep recesses of what we are, why we are that way, and where we seem to be going. It is at once a satire, a running commentary on the nature of our institutions, and the way in which we lie, cheat, and pretend to be people we are not, and as in his wild and wacky novel "Mother Night", shows why you should be afraid of who it is you are pretending to be, for it may come back to haunt you. This book literally explodes with a plethora of stinging insights into contemporary society, and constitutes a brilliant, albeit ironic, diagnosis of what a contradiction it is to be a human being trying to live a sane life in an insane world. This really is magical mystery tour, and one that will take your breath away. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: Mild.
Review: I was mildly amused by this one. Definitely KV is wildly creative and imaginative, but so am I! Buy this only if you want to see what the world calls 'wildly creative'.
Rating:
Summary: Vonnegut at the top of his game
Review: Cat's Cradle is Vonnegut at his best. The irreverence, flippancy and zaniness of his characters (and writing) mask deeper questions of religion and the nature of human faults. In answer to Christianity and all religions one of Vonnegut's characters creates his own and falls prey to it. Bokononism is one of the great and funny creations of late 20th century literature. It's founder is one of the main characters within Cat's Cradle and never makes a real appearance until the last page and only then to deliver a message to "Jonah". Vonnegut risked getting out of control in this novel, but somehow he's able to balance everthing, keep the reader involved and make a statement. Unlike other "hip" novels of the '60s, Cat's Cradle holds up well in our decade.
Rating:
Summary: The Usefullnes of Destruction.
Review: Cat's Cradle is a completely unique novel in that Vonnegut uses his saterical touch to mock the creators and user of weapons of mass destruction. It damns the scientific community for creating these weapons without thinking of the impact that they have on the world. The weapons of chioce in this story is an element called Ice-9, which intantly freezes everything it comes in contact with. When it is used it freezes the entire world slowly. This novel makes one question the use, creation as well has the wisdom of thse weaons. But does so with a sarcastic smirk.
Rating:
Summary: What and AWESOME book!
Review: I love Kurt Vonnegut, this book is masterful! i love his style of writing! I actually laughed numerous times when i read this book. his other books are also very good. but this is def. one of his better ones. but all of his books are gggggggggggrrrrrreat!
Rating:
Summary: Suspense all the way through
Review: Why do people write reviews that are 5 paragraphs long? I dont get it....Anyway, this is a wonderful book. A quick read and suspensful all the way up to the last sentence. Very enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: Cat's Cradle is a strangely written book. It is a tale of discovery, a quest for knowledge, and also the end of the world. I feel that Cat's Cradle is a great book, although I am not familiar with the rest of Vonnegut's work, I have the need to read more of his work after reading Cat's Cradle. The characters in the book have a varying depth to each other, and at times it seems like some characters are constructed in a somewhat shallow manor (Angela), some are deeply based and have a lot of back-story behind them (Frank). I really enjoyed the plot as well, this book truly takes the reader on a ride, where they have no idea where the ride will end. It was a great feeling, after reading this book, to look back to the beginning and remember that the main character (Jonah/John) had originally set out to write a book. The book begins with our main character (Jonah/John) setting out to write a book about the day in which the nuclear bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Jonah's task is to gather as much information as he can about the so-called father of the atom bomb (Dr. Felix Hoenikker). Hoenikker, however, has passed on, so it is up to Jonah to obtain information on the doctor, through his three children (Newton, Franklin, and Angela). After correspondence with Newt, Jonah travels to the research lab where Dr.Hoenikker previously worked, and we are introduced to Dr. Asa Breed. Breed talks with Jonah about Hoenikker's work habits and his behaviors. And then, the topic of Ice-Nine comes up. Without giving away too much, Ice-Nine is capable of causing the end of the world. In a quest to find yet even more information about Dr.Hoenikker, Jonah attempts to track down Frank Hoenikker, who is believed dead. The search for Frank leads Jonah to a small remote island. The rest I will not spoil. Perhaps the most prevalent theme in the book is Bokononism, a fictional religion. Bokononism really is the backbone of this book, especially the elements leading up to the climax of the book. I will give away this much about the book, Bokonon teaches that all religion is lies, and that there is no way to truly know what God wants or what his will is. The purpose of the whole Bokonon angle is irony. I will give away no more. Cat's Cradle could very well be considered a masterpiece. Plain and simple.
Rating:
Summary: A biting satire about the end of the world
Review: This apocalyptic novel by one of America's greatest satirical writers is an interesting view of what the end of the world may be like. The hero, John (Johah, as he calls himself), begins work on a book about the bombing of Hiroshima, and ends up getting mixed up in the lives of the A-bomb's principal inventor's children. Interestingly enough, the man who was most responsible for the atomic bomb is also largely to blame for the final destruction of human life.
Vonnegut may be a fatalist, and he certainly is a pessimist. His bleak view of mankind, of science, of religion (as exemplified by the outrageous theology he creates) is nothing short of a wake-up call. Vonnegut is immensely entertaining, and anyone who enjoyed Slaughterhouse Five or any of his other novels is sure to be pleased with this book. Dark it may be, but this was, for me, one of Vonnegut's most enjoyable works of fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Just as good as Slaughterhouse-five! ...
Review: Cat's Cradle is a FANTASTIC read!... A heartbreakingly dramatic yet hilariously funny satire on the simple ... ideas of scientists. It's just as good as Slaughterhouse-five, if not better! Jonah, the protagonist, and every other character in the book is not only memorable but realistic. And you actually feel for them. Bokonon is a brilliant religion! It seriously makes you stop and think about the world around you. Believe me, at the end of Cat's Cradle you'll be begging for more!!! It's probably my favourite book. And I guarantee you'll love it!!!
Rating:
Summary: Too short
Review: If the worst thing you can say about a book is that you wish it was longer, then, hey, that's not too bad, right? I mean, I can recognize wonderful writing more than I can produce it so I won't write much here. But the book is good. Buy it. You won't be sorry.
|
